Ear Infections in Dogs

Ear infections are among the most common reasons for a vet visit in India, and among the most commonly mistreated at home.

Signs

Head shaking, scratching, a bad smell, brown or yellow discharge, and pain when the ear base is touched.

The underlying cause matters

Yeast and bacteria are usually secondary to something else — allergy, humidity, water after bathing, or excessive hair in the canal. Treating the infection without addressing the cause guarantees recurrence.

Correct cleaning

Fill the canal with a vet-approved cleaner, massage the base for twenty seconds, let the dog shake, then wipe the visible part only. Never put a cotton bud into the canal — it packs debris deeper and can rupture the eardrum.

Get it examined first

If the eardrum is perforated, some common ear medications cause deafness. That is why drops should not be reused from an old prescription.