My dog scratches his ear, has red lines. Is it a serious infection?

These marks are small enough that I would not be overly concerned about these spots in the photos. As long as the lesions are not getting larger and he isn't excessively shaking/scratching I would just continue to monitor his years. They look like they could be spots where he may have rubbed or scratched the ear but do not appear excessively red and the ear canal appears normal.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Hercules. I am happy to hear that he has an appointment with his veterinarian. I am concerned that his ears are bothering him. His behavior can be seen in dogs with an ear infection. Mention your concerns to his doctor. An instrument known as an otoscope to look deep within his ear canals. If there appears to be an infection, then his veterinarian to will collect a sample from each ear to evaluate under the microscope. This will confirm the infection and guide his veterinarian to the best treatment choice. In the meantime, you can clean his ears if you have an ear cleaner for dogs. I hope this information helps!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding your dog. I am concerned that he has an ear infection. He needs to see his veterinarian. The ears will be examined including deep inside as the dog's ear drum requires a special instrument in order to be visualized. Then a swab will be taken from each ear to be examined under the microscope. This will allow the veterinarian to determine if an infection is in fact present and if so, what medication will be needed to treat it. I hope this information helps!

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!

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Luke can be scratching his ear due to an infection, ear mites, or an allergic reaction. As this condition is likely uncomfortable and can progress, I recommend having him seen by a vet as soon as possible. Your vet can take a sample of any discharge in the ear to determine if the itching is caused by a bacterial or fungal infection and recommend an appropriate treatment. In the meantime, you can get Luke can E-collar or "cone" to prevent him from scratching the ear and causing further trauma. I hope this helps and that all is well with Luke!

Hi there. Unfortunately, these photos are very blurry, so I can't really see much. But, if he is scratching his ear until it bleeds, it's likely that he has an ear infection - this is a common problem in dogs. He will need prescription ear meds from your veterinarian to treat the infection, so I would recommend taking him in tomorrow for an exam. In the meantime, you can try cleaning his ears with an over-the-counter ear flush labeled for dogs such as Mal-Acetic or Epi-Otic. This will not treat the underlying infection, but may help to make him a bit more comfortable until you are able to see the vet.

These signs could be compatible with an otitis (inflammatory or infective most of the times). Often otitis can have an underlying allergic predisposing disease. A check up should be ideally seek to confirm this clinical suspicion and have it treated appropriately. Antibiotics and anti-antiinflammatory ear drops are probably needed. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.