My dog has a bright red ear. Is it an infection or something else?

It sounds like poor Mario may have an infection. Ear infections can be caused by bacterial, parasitic or fungal infection, or a combination of these, and can be associated with dietary or environmental allergies or sensitivities, immune system disorders, or a combination of the above. Mario needs to see a vet to have an ear swab done. Your vet can look at the sample under the microscope and treat appropriately based on what is found. Your vet will also need to examine the ear with a scope to see if the ear drum is intact, as some medications cannot be used safely if the eardrum is ruptured. Ear infections can be very painful, and can sometimes progress to include the middle or inner ear, where they can cause neurologic signs or permanent hearing loss. Please book an appointment to have Mario seen as soon as possible to help get him feeling better.

That could be a minor infection. Check the ears for redness, an odd smell or any sensitivity. Also check the other ear. They should look similar. You may also try cleaning out the ear. If the debris come back within a few days, it’s likely infected.

Sounds like Rugsy has a bad ear infection. These can be painful and if left untreated can damage the ear drum and progress further down the ear. He should see your family vet for an exam and ear cytology and to get the right medications. Pain medications and/or anti inflammatories may be helpful as well. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

This looks like it could have an early infection. I would recommend having your veterinarian do an exam to make sure there isn't anything going on like a middle ear infection. Since you've caught it early hopefully only a short course of topical medication will be needed.

It looks like your kid has a pretty severe ear infection there. The redness is inflammation and the gray area is thickening of the external ear canal from chronic inflammation. What would be best would be for your pup to be seen by your family vet for an ear exam and cytology. In order to treat this appropriately your vet will need to know if there are bacteria (and what type) or yeast or both in the ear canals and if the eardrum is intact. An anti inflammatory may also be needed because of the thickening. If ear infections are a chronic problem for your pup underlying allergy may also need to be explored. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

It could be from an allergy or the beginning of an ear infection. If it persists then she should be examined by a vet for treatment. She may need an anti-inflammatory and antibiotic to treat the problem.

Oh my, poor Esme! There is no doubt that her ear is significantly inflamed. Even though she is not itchy, my main suspicion is that the redness, scaling, and warmth are inflammatory reactions to an ear infection or allergies. Some dogs are quite stoic when their ears are uncomfortable and may not itch with these conditions. Regardless, I strongly recommend taking Esme to her vet for evaluation. The vet will be able to examine her ears thoroughly, including the lower portions of the ear canal that are not visible to the naked eye. The vet will also be able to microscopically evaluate any discharge present in her ears to determine if infection is present. From there, medication can be prescribed to either treat an infection or to treat this significant inflammation. I hope this helps and that Esme feels better soon!