{"id":4135,"date":"2024-04-10T08:09:40","date_gmt":"2024-04-10T08:09:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vetic.in\/blog\/?p=4135"},"modified":"2025-11-01T10:04:34","modified_gmt":"2025-11-01T10:04:34","slug":"middle-ear-infection-in-dogs-signs-causes-and-treatment-of-otitis-media-in-dogs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vetic.in\/blog\/pet-health\/middle-ear-infection-in-dogs-signs-causes-and-treatment-of-otitis-media-in-dogs\/","title":{"rendered":"Middle Ear Infection in Dogs: Signs, Causes and Treatment of Otitis Media in Dogs"},"content":{"rendered":"

What is the Middle Ear?<\/span><\/h2>\n

\"An<\/p>\n

Middle ear refers to the space behind the eardrum or tympanic membrane that contains the 3 tiny bones – malleus, incus and stapes.<\/span><\/p>\n

It also contains the eustachian tube, which helps in draining fluid and stabilising the air pressure in the ears.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What is Otitis Media or Middle Ear Infection in Dogs?\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

\"An<\/p>\n

Otitis media or middle ear infection commonly begins with an <\/span>injury to the eardrum<\/span><\/a>. Other ways the eardrum can become ruptured or injured include infection, very loud noises, foreign objects and exposure to toxins.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What Causes Middle Ear Infection?<\/span><\/h2>\n

If you are flying with your pet, remember that sudden changes in the atmospheric pressure can also cause trauma to the eardrums.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When the eardrum is perforated or torn, bacteria and fungi can enter the ear canal from the outside. It results in otitis media or middle ear infection in dogs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What are the Signs of Middle Ear Infection in Dogs?<\/span><\/h2>\n

A middle ear infection and a ruptured eardrum in dogs may have the same signs since they often overlap.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"infographic<\/p>\n

Here are some common signs of middle ear infection in dogs –<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Thick, pus-like or bloody discharge from the ears<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Loss of hearing<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Inflamed ear canal\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  4. Redness and pain<\/span><\/li>\n
  5. Head tilting<\/span><\/li>\n
  6. Staggered gait<\/span><\/li>\n
  7. Nystagmus<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Facial nerve paralysis<\/span><\/a> is not a common sign, but it can occur in dogs whose ear canals have swollen too much and press on the nerves that control the muscles of the face and mouth.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Facial paralysis in dogs can present as the inability to blink or open an eye, drooping of the face and mouth.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    How is Middle Ear Infection in Dogs Diagnosed?<\/span><\/h2>\n

    A middle ear infection in dogs can only be confirmed by a veterinarian via otoscopy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    If the ear is inflamed, oozing discharge and painful, the veterinarian may recommend a culture and sensitivity test for determining the type of <\/span>microorganism causing the infection<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Sometimes, the veterinarian may also recommend an X-ray or CT to determine if there\u2019s any involvement of the inner ear as well.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    How is Middle Ear Infection in Dogs Treated?<\/span><\/h2>\n

    \"An<\/p>\n

    Middle ear infection in dogs needs to be treated rapidly after diagnosis.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Depending on the severity, the veterinarian may complete a thorough ear flushing under sedation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Topical antibiotics and antibiotic drops are the most <\/span>common medicines used to treat middle ear infections<\/span><\/a> in dogs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Sometimes, it is easier to treat middle ear infections with oral antibiotics especially if the dog is in too much pain, uncooperative and aggressive.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Systemic pain medication and corticosteroids may also be prescribed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Rarely, the vet may recommend surgery for those dogs who have irreversible changes of the outer ear simultaneously as the middle ear infection.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    What is the Prognosis of Middle Ear Infection in Dogs?<\/span><\/h2>\n

    More than 90% of all dogs with middle ear infection heal without any significant complications after correct and timely treatment.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    All dogs will require frequent follow-ups after the ear flushing, meds and\/or surgery to ensure zero recurrence of their ear infection.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    In few of the cases where the facial nerves were paralysed, the dogs may retain permanent changes to their faces, eyes, lips and even lose their hearing.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    That\u2019s why if your dog is showing even the slightest <\/span>sign of ear infection<\/span><\/a>, you should consult your veterinarian immediately. <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    What is the Middle Ear? Middle ear refers to the space behind the eardrum or tympanic membrane that contains the 3 tiny bones – malleus, incus and stapes. It also…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":4131,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[119,64],"tags":[8,96,99,122,97,98],"class_list":["post-4135","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-dogs","category-pet-health","tag-dog","tag-dog-disease","tag-dog-health","tag-dog-injuries","tag-dog-treatment","tag-pet-health"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vetic.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4135","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vetic.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vetic.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vetic.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vetic.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4135"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/vetic.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4135\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6800,"href":"https:\/\/vetic.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4135\/revisions\/6800"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vetic.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4131"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vetic.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4135"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vetic.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4135"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vetic.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4135"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}