Why does my dog squeal when I touch his ears if there's no infection?

Your dog could have a middle or inner ear infection. The symptoms for middle and inner ear infections are often similar to outer ear infections, and include pain in the ear, head shaking, infected or bloody discharge, and scratching or pawing at the head or ear. Your vet can diagnose an ear infection, and because untreated ear infections can lead to hearing loss, I'd recommend taking Speckles into your vet to have them examine the ear. If it is an ear infection, Speckles will need an antibiotic to treat the infection.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question. Poor Sam. This could be a sign she has an ear infection. Ear infections in dogs can be caused my ear mites, yeast, or bacteria. I’d call her vet to make her an appointment. The vet can diagnose if she does have an ear infection, what’s causing it, and can treat it. I hope this helps!

Hello. I am glad that you had your veterinarian take a good look in Moka's ears & no infection or foreign material was seen. However, she might have a very mild or allergic condition in her ears. Your veterinarian could swab the ears & submit the sample for a culture & sensitivity, or your veterinarian can prescribe a short course of a steroid to see if this calms the signs. If so, then a plan can be discussed as to the best treatment to keep Moka healthy & pain free. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Bo Duke. I recommend that he sees a veterinarian. I am concerned that he has an ear infection. Ear infections can be very painful and cause him to cry when you touch near his ears. The veterinarian will examine each ear canal and take a sample to evaluate under the microscope. This will diagnose an infection if present. If so, treatment will be prescribed. I hope this information helps!

Hi and thanks for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If Jax has not had his ears checked by a veterinarian for an ear infection, then he could still have one causing the continued sensitivity near his ears. Your vet will need to look not just at the outside of the ear (the pinna) but inside the ear canal with an otoscope to get a good view of what is going on. A sample of any debris in his ears should be taken to confirm the presence of an infection. If his vet has already rechecked his ears and he is free of infection, then he may still be guarding his ears as this once was a painful or sensitive area. This may be true if he just got over a recent infection. I hope this helps!

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.

It could be that Jax is suffering from an ear infection. This would be painful to him, and it would cause him to touch his ear. In dogs, ear infections can be caused by yeast, bacteria, or ear mites, and the cause of the infection needs to be diagnosed so it can be treated correctly. Only the vet can do this, so I would take him into the vet on Monday to have his ear examined, diagnosed, and treated. Best of luck, I hope this helps!