Getting to know your pet's ears can help detect and prevent ear problems and infections. Whilst some breeds of pets, particularly breeds of dogs, are prone to ear problems, inflammation (otitis) and infections can occur in others from something as simple as a grass seed.

If you check your pets ears regularly, then you will know what they should look like, so you can identify any changes early on and promptly seek vet advice. If your pet is prone to ear problems, then daily checks are ideal, for others a weekly check is sufficient.

Look out for changes on a regular basis.

The skin inside the ear should be light pink. If there is infection or inflammation, the skin inside the ear will be red and maybe swollen.

Abnormal discharge, which may be yellow, dark brown, green or black.

Head shaking and scratching at the ear(s).

Unpleasant odour.

Pain when ears touched.

Causes of ear infection

There are several reasons why ear infections occur:

Allergies to food, pollen, dust, etc.

Foreign bodies such as grass seeds.

Parasites such as ear mites.

Predisposing factors that cause ear infections include:

Ear size and shape - the ear canal of dogs and cats is not designed for sufficient drying and drainage. This causes the ear canal to stay warm and moist and together with poor air flow, provides the perfect environment for natural skin bacteria to live.

Environmental temperature and humidity

Lifestyle (e.g. swimming)

I have noticed changes in my pet's ears what should I do?

The first step is to consult your veterinarian. Your vet will examine the ear with an instrument called an otoscope. If they detect an infection they will take a swab from the area to conduct cytology (look at a sample under microscope) to determine the likely cause of the problem, which will assist with accurate treatment choice.

Chronic ear infections can lead to narrowing of the ear canal which in itself can lead to more frequent infections and less response to treatment.