My dog has brown ear wax and redness. Is it an ear infection?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is likely due to an ear infection. I recommend that you have her evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Your veterinarian would be able to check what type of infection is present and treat accordingly. Usually this resolves with topical therapy. Good luck and have a good night!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Lil Bud! I am not sure what you mean by splitting but in the picture his ear looks red and there appears to be a lot of brown wax. I hope I am seeing what you are worried about. The most common cause of a red ear with a lot of wax is an ear infection. It is usually caused by an overgrowth or yeast and/or bacteria. The overgrowth can happen from allergies or from the ear being too moist. Your Vet can diagnose and ear infection by sampling the wax with a Q-tip and looking at it under the microscope. If confirmed then they would prescribe and ear cleaner and ear drops. I hope this helps and I hope Lil Bid feels better doon!

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Ear mites generally are noted first with signs of thick, dark discharge which appears a bit "crusty". However-the lack of these symptoms does not mean all is well with the ears of your pup. Dogs can get frequent ear infections, just like we can. I can tell from your photos that your pup has hair that grown down into the ear canals-this will be part of the problem. Those hairs trap debris, water from bathing, extra wax, etc and act as a great reservoir for bacteria to grow. I always recommend to my clients to have the hairs "plucked" by their groomer when they go or to come in to the office so that we can do it. After the hairs are cleared and the ears are cleaned, I like to do an exam of the ear canal and to take a swab of the ears to see what kind of yeast and/or bacteria are present there. It is important to have this exam performed by your vet to verify that your pet's eardrum is intact and not perforated. Likely your pet will get prescribed some antibiotics if your doctor finds it necessary, as well as pain medications or something for that awful itch. After everything is well controlled, it is usually easy to get my owners on a good ear cleaning regimen to keep ear infections at bay. I hope this helps! My best to you and your pup!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! From your description and the pictures, it looks like Bailey has an ear infection. The build up you see can be discharge of bacteria and/or yeast. He is tilting his head because it is painful. Before purchasing a rinse, I would recommend taking him to the vet to determine what is going on inside the ear. If he has a ruptured ear drum some rinses can be contraindicated. They will be able to prescribe a rinse that is safe for his ear after his exam. Good luck and kisses to Bailey!

Hi and thank you for using PetCoach! I am so sorry to hear that Snoopy's ear is red. It is very possible Snoopy may have an ear infection. Ear infections are most commonly due to underlying allergies such as environmental or food allergies. It is possible Snoopy has mites in that ear but less likely since only one ear is very affected. I would recommend taking Snoopy in to see your veterinarian. They will likely take swabs from both ears and look at a cytology of them (under the microscope) to look for infections. If this is the case, your veterinarian will recommend ear cleaner/ medication. Good luck! Here is an article that describes ear infections in more detail: https://www.petcoach.co/article/middle-inner-ear-infections-in-dogs/

By your description, your dog may have an [ear infection](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/ear-infections/). This would require an exam with your veterinarian for diagnosis. A swab of the ear(s) can be examined in the clinic to diagnose a bacterial or fungal (yeast) infection. Once the diagnosis is made, the appropriate medication can be dispensed to help clear it up. To help maintain clean ears after this episode, [clean the ears](https://www.petcoach.co/article/7-steps-to-clean-your-dog-s-ears-properly/) regularly with a veterinary approved ear cleaner such as [Epi-Otic](https://us.virbac.com/epi-otic-advanced-ear-cleanser). You can find it or [other approved cleaners](https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/category/dog/dog-health-and-wellness/dog-ear-and-eye-care) online or in the local Petco. Your veterinarian may even dispense it along with medication. Use cotton balls or gauze pads to clean what you can see. Never insert anything down into the ear canal. This may cause injury which could complicate any existing condition.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question. Momo is so cute! If he has been scratching at one ear a lot, and there is more discharge in the ear than the other, then yes I would suspect he has an ear infection. I would take him into the vet first thing in the morning. The vet can diagnose if he does have an ear infection, what's causing it (ear mites, yeast, or bacteria), and can prescribe treatment for it. I hope this helps!