Canine and feline otitis: symptoms, causes and treatments.

Did you know that animals also have otitis? As in humans, the animal otitis It is an annoying and irritable disease that affects the pinna and the auditory canal. It is one of the most common diseases in cats and dogs. Although the main thing is to see a specialist, it is important to know what its symptoms, causes and treatments are in order to identify it in time.

Do you know how to prevent and cure it? In petssos.com , we will collect this data so that you know how to identify it in your animal.

Classes of Animal Otitis

The animal auditory system is quite similar to the human auditory system, so the types of otitis are similar. Depending on the area where the infection occurs, animal otitis can be:

• External otitis: This is the most common among our pets and affects the area of ​​the auricular pavilion and the external auditory canal.
• otitis media: This type of disease affects the tympanic bullae.
• Internal otitis: The most dangerous of all since it is the most internal and affects the nervous structures, the cochleas, etc. This animal otitis can be prevented if otitis media is meticulously assisted.

This information is for informational purposes only. y The veterinarian’s assessment and microscopic study is always needed to end up differentiating the type of otitis.

Causes of Animal Otitis

Among the main factors that can cause otitis in your pet are these three:

1. bacteria, generating a bacterial ear infection: It can appear in your animal by simple actions such as scratching, rolling or dirt. The bacteria are deposited in the ear canal and cause otitis media or interna. Its manifestation occurs in the form of dark brown discharge with a bad smell
2. Fungi, causing a fungal otitis: In this case, otitis occurs due to fungi deposited on the skin called malasezzias. These fungi, when they come into contact with moisture, can cause problems. The secretion of this disease is yellow and with a very peculiar smell.
3. Animal otitis caused by mites: As in bacterial otitis, mites come into contact with our pet through daily acts. It is one of the most annoying to the animal and secretes a very dark black liquid.

Symptoms of animal otitis

The symptoms of this disease are varied depending on the cause of the infection, as we have said before, the type of secretion changes. However, there are some common symptoms that can allow us to identify animal otitis.

If our animal shakes its head a lot or scratches it excessively, it may have the disease. Like humans, they also complain and if we observe that they eat restlessly, are usually somewhat upset or press the base of their ears, these are also symptoms of the disease.

In some of the most serious cases where the infection has penetrated to the innermost area of ​​the ear, the animal may suffer episodes of deafness and loss of balance.

Treatment for animal otitis

As in all cases of medicine, the veterinarian will be in charge of determining the personalized treatment for his patient. To do this, it is likely that for the exploration it will be necessary to sedate the animal to be able to inspect the eardrum without complications and discomfort for the animal.

The most common treatment in these cases of animal otitis is based on the use of antibiotics to eliminate the bacteria. Generally, with this type of technique, the symptoms improve in 48 hours. A middle ear rinse or cortisone treatments may also be applied to reduce inflammation.

Maintaining optimal hygiene of our pets and being attentive to their behaviors can help prevent animal otitis. Foreign bodies, especially plant spikes, can sometimes be the triggering cause of otitis. In the eastern area, this type of plant is very common, so you have to pay special attention.

If you observe any of these symptoms in your animal and you suspect that it may be due to an episode of otitis, go to the vet. A disease treated in an early circumstance can prevent many more serious ones..