My dog has an ear infection. Do I need a vet even with eardrops?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Bella. I recommend that she sees her veterinarian. I agree that her ear is likely infected. The veterinarian will examine her including inspecting the ear canals with a special instrument known as an otoscope. A sample will be taken from each ear canal to evaluate under the microscope. This will confirm an infection and determine the type. For example, she could have a yeast or bacterial infection or a combination of both. In other cases, ear mites are possible. Based on these results, appropriate treatment can be started. An ear cleaner is usually commonly used to cleanse and dry the canal. Then a medication is applied to treat the infection. Ear infections are painful and require prompt treatment. If left untreated, chronic changes can result that will predispose her to future problems. I hope this information helps!

Yes, it is very common. often it cannot be seen from the outside. Ear infections are very common in dogs, it is usually caused by either yeast or bacterial disease. the treatment is usually simple and straightforward, you will have to take him to the vet and get the ears checked, then a prescription ear drops will be prescribed according to the infectious agent.

It looks that the ear canal is inflamed and there is some discharge too. if Pyper is scratching the ear and shaking the head, most likely she does have ear infection. Please, take her to your local vets to confirm the diagnosis (your vet will need to have a look into the ear canal with an otoscope) and start ear drops with antibiotics, if necessary.

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!

Yes, cleaning solutions are good but it is likely that the signs you are describing are compatible with an ear infection and antibiotic+anti-inflammatories ear drops are needed. I would strongly recommend a check up, an otoscopic examination (your vet will have a look down in the ear canal) and appropriate treatment.

You are right that there are different causes of ear infections, typically yeast and bacteria (there are many types). Ear medications prescribed are based on which of these is the problem. It is also important for their ear drum to be assessed prior to starting medications. As well, some dogs need oral medications in addition to topical if the infection is severe. Being so young is also a consideration with certain drugs. The best plan is to have your vet perform an ear cytology and assess for an intact ear drum prior to picking the best medication that is safe for Nola. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

I actually recommend bringing Hank to a veterinarian to have them evaluate his ears. The reason for this is some ear infections can be yeast not bacterial or they may have a mixture of both. You also can have a dog that appears to have an ear infection when in fact has ear mites (this is not very common but does happen). I also recommend making sure that the eardrum is intact prior to putting any medication into the ear. Your veterinarian can take a sample from Hank and look at it under the microscope to see what is causing the infection. I also recommend cleaning the ears out when a dog has an ear infection and depending on what is going on with the ear would depend on what ear cleaner I would recommend. If for some reason after treating his ear he still has an infection, your veterinarian can run a culture to see exactly what bacteria is in his ear and what antibiotics are best to treat. We typically do not do this as the first round of diagnostics due to the cost of about $200 give or take some depending on your vet and location. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.