Based on the age, breed, and history - an ear infection would fit the description (LINK HERE).

Other causes such as allergies for example can not be ruled out based on description alone.

Allergies in the summer can actually predispose to an infection.

For these cases, what is most commonly performed is a swab of the ear to look under the microscope (cytology). A swab of the ear is taken, rolled onto a glass slide, and then the slide is evaluated under the microscope.


This allows us to make the diagnosis - to see if there is an ear infection - for example yeast in the ear, bacteria, or commonly both.

An example of an infected ear cytology:


If there is an ear infection, specific medication to treat the ear infection will be prescribed.

Aside from medication, we need to clean the ear - medication can not just be applied on top of the dirt and infection.

Ear cleaners considered include
- Zymox (EXAMPLE)
- Epi-Otic (EXAMPLE)
- Vet Solutions (EXAMPLE).

When applying ear cleaners, they are applied directly into the ear canal, and to prevent injury or pain to the ear or ear drum, a cotton ball is then used to clean out the ear.

Here is an example of the ear to see the normal structures:



Many of our pets actually need routine cleaning of the ears. Especially those that have long and heavy ear flaps. A heavy ear flap can make it hard for the pet's ear to “breathe”, keeping the canal damp and warm - which leads to an easy yeast infection and odor.

A good example of this is the Cocker Spaniel breed.

Moreover, some pets have excess cerumen (earwax) and debris in their ears, which would be good for routine cleaning to remove the debris, prevent ear infections and improve comfort.

Because the infection leads to quite a bit of irritation and inflammation, other common therapies include Steroids (Prednisone - LINK HERE) - which your veterinarian can prescribe or even over the counter antihistamines your veterinarian may recommend such as Benadryl (LINK HERE).

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With this communication - we are here to guide you in making the best decision for your pet. This is for informational purposes only. We are not allowed to diagnose and prescribe medications - rather provide a course of action to speak to your veterinarian about - and any medical therapy and treatment should only be performed after an in-person examination with your veterinarian as a professional-client relationship has not been established on the site. While information may be discussed, this is not intended as an encouragement for you to self treat your pet, rather information online, and any treatment provided should only be performed after consulting your veterinarian.