How To Protect Your Dog’s Ears During The Summer?

If our pet shakes its head a lot, as if it’s trying to expel water even though it hasn’t been wet or showered, or if it complains a lot when we stroke it on the back of its ears, these  signs mean it could be suffering from an ear infection.

Canine otitis is more frequent in the summer, when the heat and humidity of the baths favor the emergence of dangerous microorganisms inside the ear, which cause and may even cause deafness in the animal.

Effective protection

These infections in our animals’ ears mean the inflammation of their ear canal, a key organ not only for their ability to hear, but also for maintaining balance.

If the diagnosis is not made in time and the treatment is palliative, they can become dangerous diseases, extending to the inner area of ​​the animal’s ear and, over time, causing deafness. Otitis is common in summer, not only because of the heat, but also because of the humidity caused by bathing.

Causes of otitis

Otitis is caused by bacteria and fungi that reach the dog’s ear and infect it. As we can see, the high summer temperatures, together with the humidity caused by the baths, create the ideal conditions for these organisms to grow and develop without control inside the ear, producing a great infection.

An excess of wax in the dog’s ear canals is another sign that tells us that our friend has an ear infection. On the other hand, it usually also produces an unpleasant and strong smell.

Symptoms of Dog Ear Problems

The clearest symptoms are those that derive from the discomfort and itchiness that our animal feels. We will see him shake his head and scratch his ears with an unnatural frequency. You can also see that when we caress behind his ears, he will moan and complain about the pain that our touch produces from the infection.

Guidelines for preventing otitis

After every bath in the pool, pond, beach, or after daily hygiene, it is necessary to dry the dog’s ears well. As we saw earlier, moisture will cause fungus and bacteria to reproduce and infect the ears.

When bathing, it is also necessary to protect the dog’s ears. With simple and practical cotton plugs it will be possible to block the ingress of water.

A variety of large plants can also adhere to the dog’s fur and get into its ears. To prevent this, it is good to cut as much hair as possible around the ears of our pets. Also, you need to pay close attention when walking with them.

Puppies with large ears are more likely to suffer from ear infections, among other things, because the air has less circulation. With them, precautions to avoid the risk of otitis should be maximum.

Regular cleaning of the dog’s ears

One of the main advices is to avoid internal cleaning of the ear, going beyond what we can visually control, as well as using specific products for canine hygiene. Cotton swabs can cause certain problems.

If your pet has a history of otitis, it is important to have an otoscopy exam twice a year to avoid the risk of a recurrence.

It is important to know that the ear has its own cleaning mechanism based on the migration of epithelial cells from the tympanic membrane, along the ear canal to the external ear canal. This cell migration acts as an element for removing wax, a substance composed of lipids (fat), cell debris and microorganisms that live in the region.

When the ear is inflamed, this natural cleansing system is altered, which leads to the accumulation of wax and the emergence of ideal conditions for the production of these infections. To prevent them, it is necessary to detect ear inflammation as soon as possible.

In relation to the known cotton swabs, you need to use them only in the outer folds of the ear, avoiding introducing them inside, as they will only serve to push the wax even further into the ear.