Dog Ears: Importance of healthy ears

By Deb Haines

Dog Ears: Importance of healthy ears

Keeping a dog’s ears healthy is important for their overall well-being, as good hearing allows them to stay alert, communicate, and navigate their environment safely, while poor ear health can lead to pain, infection, and even hearing loss. Regular ear cleaning and weekly checks for redness, odor, or discharge can help prevent infections caused by moisture, bacteria, or yeast, while conditions like allergies can also make ears prone to problems. Untreated ear issues can worsen over time, potentially affecting the inner ear and brain, so prompt veterinary attention is crucial to avoid chronic pain and serious complications.

Ear Hair Removal/Plucking

Recent evidence has revealed that ear plucking in the normal, healthy ear may not be necessary. Excessive ear plucking may inadvertently result in micro-trauma and inflammation to the ear canals and this may predispose your dog to an ear infection. Ear plucking may still be necessary for dogs with a history of ear infections since plucking minimizes trapping of excess ear debris. If your pet has frequent ear infections, check with your veterinarian whether the ear hairs should be plucked.

NOTE… Some dogs have developed infections when the ear hair is not plucked. Case by case basis.

When plucking may be considered (Pros):

• For breeds with naturally long or dense ear hair, like Poodles or Shih Tzus, plucking can prevent mats and debris buildup.
• If your dog has chronic ear infections
• Improved airflow from plucking can help keep the ear canal drier, deterring bacterial and yeast growth in dogs prone to infections.
• Preventing matted hair
  .Hair that is matted within the ear canal can trap moisture and dirt, increasing the risk of infection.

Risks associated with plucking (Cons):

Pain and discomfort

Plucking can cause microscopic tears in the delicate tissue of the ear canal, leading to irritation and pain for the dog.

• Increased risk of infection These micro-tears can make the ear vulnerable to bacteria, potentially increasing the likelihood of developing ear infections.
• Trauma and pathological Repeated plucking can cause trauma to the ear canal and may contribute to abnormal changes in the ear’s anatomy or function.
• Stress and aversion to grooming
  The discomfort and pain can cause a dog to associate grooming sessions with negative experiences, leading to emotional stress.

Signs of Ear Problems

Strong or foul odor

• Redness or leathery ear flaps
• Scratching or rubbing at ears or side of head, including rubbing head on floor/furniture
• Ear discharge / excessive debris
• Shaking or tilting of the head
• Pain – not wanting the head or ears to be touched
• Irritability

Keep in mind,dogs with ear infections are extremely uncomfortable. The dogs ears are a source of constant pain, dogs frequently scratch them and shake their heads. This can then cause a hematoma, in which blood vessels in the ear flap break, causing a painful swelling that many times requires surgical treatment. Deep ear infections in dogs can damage or rupture the eardrum, causing an internal ear infection and even permanent hearing loss for the dog..

What Is Otitis Externa?

Otitis externa is a common ear condition involving inflammation of the external ear canal. The condition often appears to develop suddenly and can be quite painful for dogs. If your patient has otitis externa, either one or both ears may be affected to a varying extent.

How can you tell if a dog may have otitis externa?

Common signs to watch for include:

• Rubbing or scratching of the ears
• Head shaking
• Pain or discomfort
• An unpleasant odor or discharge from the ears

Read more on Otitis Externa at Merck……. https://www.merck-animal-health-usa.com/condition/otitis-externa

Ear Hematoma in dogs

An ear hematoma in a dog is a sudden swelling of the ear flap caused by ruptured blood vessels, typically due to vigorous head shaking or ear scratching from underlying issues like allergies or infections. While small hematomas can resolve on their own, larger or persistent ones often require veterinary attention for draining and, sometimes, surgery to prevent permanent thickening or a “cauliflower ear” deformity. Treatment focuses on both managing the hematoma and addressing the root cause, such as an ear infection, to prevent recurrence.

The most common cause is the irritation from an ear infection, allergies, or ear mites, which prompts excessive head shaking and scratching.

• Direct injury, such as a blow or fight with another animal, can also rupture blood vessels. Dogs with floppy ears, like Cocker Spaniels, are more susceptible due to the ear flap slapping against their heads.
• It’s crucial to see a vet for any ear hematoma, as they need to determine the underlying cause and the appropriate treatment.

Some dogs have healthy, clean ears and may hardly ever need to have their ears cleaned. However, it is recommended to clean your dog’s ears if you notice discharge or an odor when examining the ear. Ear infections should never be ignored.

Note…. If your dog’s ears are red, inflamed, or painful, consult with your veterinarian prior to cleaning. Your dog may have an ear infection or a ruptured ear drum.

When cleaning your dogs ears ,cleaners with hydrogen peroxide or alcohol can cause irritation in the ear canal, especially if the canal is inflamed or ulcerated. Some ear cleaners have antibacterial or anti-fungal ingredients to help prevent ear infections. Certain cleaners are also better at removing wax build-up. Talk to your veterinarian they can help you decide which ear-cleaning solution is best for your pet.

Never use a cotton-tipped applicator to remove the solution from the ear canal. Doing so can damage the ear canal and/or ear drum or push debris further into the ear canal.

Q & A From Our Pet Vet Corner Veterinarians

Q...I’m looking for advice and opinions on ear plucking.

A... Dr. B – The current recommendation is to not pluck ears as it causes micro-trauma to the skin inside the ear.

A.. Dr. J- I don’t pluck unless there’s already a problem. Plucking can cause inflammation, which can then result in infection.

However, if a dog already has an infection and I feel that the hair is preventing effective medication, then I’ll pluck.

Q... I am a professional groomer. I had always been taught that removing excess hair from the ear canal (plucking) is an essential part of ear cleaning.

A.… Dr. J – It depends, which is why you’re getting conflicting answers. If you pluck ears you can cause inflammation which can cause problems, so my advice is generally if the dog is fine with furry ears, let them have furry ears. On the other hand if you have a dog that is prone to getting ear infections, sometimes removing some of the fur to enable easier treatment, cleaning and better air flow can be beneficial. It really is a case by case basis.

A.. Dr. P- Veterinary dermatologists recommend that the only times ears should ever be plucked is when the ear canal has an infection and has too much hair in it for medication to make it throughout the entire ear canal.

This doesn’t happen often.

When it does, the plucking should be done with appropriate pain management and sedation on board so that it can be done properly. After all, this does hurt. Secondly, the ear canal is quite long and is ‘L’ shaped so what a grooming salon can accomplish in an awake dog would not be adequate.

Q.. I have a dog who has always had trouble with her ears getting infected or irritated. The breeder told me to always have her ear hair plucked.

A.. Dr. G – I always try yo avoid plucking if possible. Plucking the hair just creates trauma to the skin and makes them more prone to infection. If the ear hair situation is so bad that that is the cause of the infections, that’s another story. Can also talk to your vet about possible allergy issues as a contributing factor. The plucking and the frequent cleaning. All of that causes irritation to the ear. Food allergies would be another possibility for chronic recurrent ear infections.

Q...My mini schnauzer has a good amount of hair in his ear canal. At this point he’s not plagued with ear infections. I was just wondering if it should be a necessary part of his general hygiene to allow more air to circulate through the canal.

A…Dr.S -I have never plucked my miniature schnauzers ears, only ensured the ear canal hairs are trimmed short against the head so they don’t get matted which causes issues with airflow/inflammation/pain. We used to recommend regular ear plucking decades ago on MS, poodles, etc but found that it created as more ear infections from the inflammation than it prevented. We now recommend plucking only if treating a stubborn ear infection. Even recurrent infections are usually due to underlying allergies (common in schnauzers) and treating the allergy does more than plucking to prevent issues. It’s completely your choice but plucking is now pretty old fashioned unless is part of a protocol for troublesome ears.

Q... I am a groomer and I was taught to always pluck ear hair. I’m now hearing that I should not as it opens pores and could cause infections.

A... . Dr. C- I wouldn’t pluck ear hair unless the pet has a recurrent history of ear infections (and even then, I think we should take it case by case) because the trauma in the hair follicles can lead to inflammation/infection.

Ear Hematoma Q & A

Q...My dog has a hematoma on her ear flap. How can I treat this without taking her to the vet?

A…. Dr. U-B -You really cannot. She needs a vet exam to check for an underlying ear infection (which is how they usually get the hematoma in the first place) and have it treated appropriately, plus having the hematoma drained (there are different options for this which the vet can discuss with you

A... Dr.A – You cannot treat (nor diagnose a haematoma) without going to your vet. If it is a haematoma the ear probably has an infection, which will need treating or at least checking for. If left, aural haematomas will probably “resolve” to a point, they tend to form large about of fibrous scar tissue that can drastically alter the shape and texture of the skin of the ear (pinna). This will take ages, even with a buster collar, and may never fully happen as the dog may continue to be uncomfortable and so shake their head and scratch at it, keeping the problem going.

Q... Aural hematoma that we have drained the ear 3 times at this point ourselves at home. Fluid keeps building back up. What else can we do?

A…. Dr. S – Take her to the vet. Stop draining it, repeated attempt just make an abscess more likely which it sounds like you may already have. Often we can treat the existing ear disease and use oral steroids, but if it has already abscessed, that’s off the table and probably needs surgery.

A… Dr. C – Agreed this is beyond needle drainage, and agreed that there is a risk of abscessation with repeat drainage which is why vets don’t repeatedly drain these – it doesn’t work and carries risk.

Oral steroids are sometimes adequate to reduce an aural haematoma but at this size it will be really uncomfortable and will need a drain placing. It may not require surgical correction at this point, lots of clinics place a drain port under local anaesthetic. She will need steroids to reduce it and it will take several weeks before it stops trying to refill.

If she shakes her head all the time and has a skin complaint then she also needs treatment for that – it is likely that she has an underlying allergy. If cost is a concern then steroids are inexpensive and effective, but there are many allergy management solutions. Moving her outside doesn’t help her, it just puts her symptoms out of sight.

Note….Dr. B – Unfortunately there is nothing you can do safely at home to help with this.

Aural hematomas are caused by repeated trauma to the ear, mostly commonly associated with head shaking and scratching with ear pain/inflammation/infections. An in person exam would be needed to determine why the hematoma developed in the first place, so it can be treated properly.

It is possible for some hematomas to resolve by themselves, however this can take a long time, and they will cause a lot of discomfort during this period. For many dogs with untreated hematomas though, they will continue to get bigger and not resolve, or will form scar tissue within the swelling, leading to a permanent disfigurement of the ear (similar to cauliflower ear in boxers and rugby players). This may then cause further problems, like blocking the ear canal and promoting more ear infections.

Even if the hematoma was to resolve at home, unless the underlying cause (eg an ear infection or a foreign body in the ear) is treated, it will likely get keep coming back and get worse with time.

I would suggest reaching out to your local vets to get an estimate for how much an initial consult and treatment may be, as well as using the financial support links through the group, as these may help you organise an in person vet visit.

We cant recommended you try and use any homemade treatments for in the ear canal or the swelling, as they are unlikely to be effective, and may cause more harm than good.

The most you can do at home is to try and reduce any further trauma to the ear. You could make them wear a plastic collar at all times to physically prevent then from scratching at the ear, or you could make them wear a special head wrap bandage, which holds an ear against the top of the head to prevent damage from head shaking.

In closing, remember dogs absolutely need healthy ears as part of their overall well-being, because untreated ear issues can lead to chronic pain, hearing loss, and serious complications like infections, which are common in dogs. Regular ear checks are crucial to detect early signs of infection, such as redness, discharge, or a foul odor, which can signal issues like bacteria, yeast, or allergies. Proper care involves routine cleaning if needed to remove wax and debris, especially for floppy-eared breeds that are more prone to moisture and blockage. Speak to your veterinarian on how often and what to use.

A dog’s hearing is crucial for their well-being and interaction with the world, allowing them to communicate ,detect approaching dangers or prey from great distances, allowing them to react appropriately. Their hearing allows them to notice and respond to subtle changes in their surroundings, such as the approach of a person or an animal.

Here at Pet Vet Corner we care about your pet, If you suspect your dog has a hearing issue or to ensure their hearing health, consult a veterinarian.

We encourage members to establish a client- relationship with your local veterinarian.

**The Vet Corner groups encourage members to establish a relationship with their local veterinarian, don’t wait until an emergency.**