Helping Cats & Dogs with Ear Infections at Cats & Dogs Animal Hospital
Dogs and cats have been with us for thousands of years, sharing our burdens, brightening our lives, and providing loads of fun, and love. But when something is going wrong with the health of our furry little pals, they can’t tell us about it easily. Most of the time, our pets endure pain silently and we go on blissfully unaware of their suffering until it becomes so great that they cannot help but show it in their movements and other behaviors.
A prime example of a problem that often goes undiagnosed for too long is ear infections. Most of the time, you will not know your dog or cat has an ear infection until it gets so bad that you see them pawing at their ear. Other indicative behaviors include the animal lying on their side, sleeping for long periods, or trying to warm the ear with sunlight or by laying, near a heater vent and so on.
Spotting & Treating Animal Ear Infections
Here at Cats & Dogs Animal Hospital, in Long Beach CA, we’ve seen lots of animals with ear infections. Unfortunately, the owners often didn’t realize their pet had a painful ear infection, leaving the animal to suffer for some time.
While this is not the owner’s fault, some things can be done to help ensure your fuzzy pals don’t have to suffer from prolonged ear infections any longer than necessary.
Signs & Symptoms of Ear Infection in Animals
- Unusual head movements: Dogs and cats may try to nurse their sore ears by pawing at them.
- Visible ear discharge: Infections may cause a visible discharge in the form of puss, darkened earwax, or other unpleasant-looking viscous fluids.
- Strange odors from the ear: Infections caused by mold, fungus, or bacteria can produce an unpleasant smell which you may notice.
- Redness and swelling: If the area around the base of the ear is visibly red or swollen, the animal may have an advanced infection that should be treated right away.
- Mouth related symptoms: Just like in humans, dogs’ and cats’ oral cavities are connected to their sinus and ear cavities. This means unusual odors, redness or other conditions of the mouth or sinus can be related to an ear infection.
- Nervous system symptoms: In very advanced cases, the infection may reach the nervous system. This is extremely dangerous and requires immediate medical intervention to prevent serious injury and death.
Here at Cats & Dogs Animal Hospital, we’ve seen a lot of animal ear infections, and we know how to treat them. As always, the best treatment is regular checkups with your veterinarian to prevent ear infections.
Call or stop by today if you believe your dog or cat is suffering from an ear infection.