Is your pet shaking its head or pawing at its ears? When you look in the ear you should see white-pinkish smooth skin. If you notice red, rough skin, an odor, or a discharge, there is a good chance your pet has an ear infection (medically called "otitis"). Otitis can be a serious problem, and left untreated it can lead to pain, fever, loss of balance and even deafness.

Recent investigations show that the number one cause of otitis is allergies. Pets can be allergic to pollen, grass, mold or even food. With allergic otitis, repeat episodes will commonly occur whenever your pet is exposed to the offending allergen. Other possible causes of ear infections include ear mites, foreign material (like grass), trauma, ticks and fleas. An ear with excessive surrounding skin folds or fur can also be the culprit. Regardless of the instigating cause of your pet's otitis, the end result is swelling, redness and an increased wax production in the ear canal. Once this process begins the dark, moist environment of the ear canal allows bacteria and yeast to grow quite readily.

We can identify these secondary invaders by looking at microscope slides made from swabs of the patients' ears. Once identified, we can direct medication to eliminate these problem bugs and cleaning agents to get rid of the excess earwax. If your pet has symptoms of otitis we can help! It is essential that the underlying cause of your pet's otitis be determined rather than simply treating the secondary infections. With early treatment, large problems can be avoided.