Hairy ear canals and floppy ear flaps can trap wax, dirt and humid air in the ears, giving the germs plenty of encouragement and fertile ground. Occasionally a grass seed or splinter can also lodge in the ear and cause an infection.

Sometimes ear infections will cause the eardrum to rupture. Putting certain medications down an ear with a ruptured eardrum can risk causing temporary or permanent deafness. Therefore it is important for us to check your pet’s eardrums before anything is put down the ear canal. Sometimes the ear is so painful and full of muck that your pet may need to be anaesthetised before the eardrum can be examined.

Checking your dog’s ears regularly especially during the humid times of year, will help you detect early infections. If they have a lot of hair in their ear canal it is best to remove it by plucking. Your vet or groomer can do this for you or show you how.

If there is ever a bad smell or discharge from your pet’s ear, or if they paw at their ear or shake their head or hold their head on the side, prompt treatment could save your pet from a difficult and ongoing problem.