How a Dog Doctor Treats an Ear Infection

Ear infections in dogs are probably one of the most common conditions that veterinarians treat. Ear infections are mostly seen in floppy-eared dogs especially with very heavy ears such as a spaniel. There are different ways to treat an ear infection depending on the severity.  If your dog's ears look dirty and smelly, chances are he has an infection.

Antibiotic Ear Drops

Eardrops are easy for the dog owner to use and often the first line of defense. These eardrops have a special antibiotic to kill the infection and also help with excessive yeast. The dog doctor will show you how to administer the drops so that way you can continue it at home for the specified number of days.

Oral Medications 

If your dog has a very serious ear infection, your veterinarian may decide to go the route of an oral antibiotic, as this is stronger and will help to treat an infection that has been present for a while. At the same time, you may be given drops for the ears as well to help speed up the healing process and rid the body of the infection. Your veterinarian may instruct you to clean the infected ear gently every day, since once the infection begins to break up, you will need to remove any crusty gunk from within the ear.

Ointments for the Ear

Some dog doctors prefer to treat the infected ear with an ointment that can be applied to the inside of the ear. This is especially useful in cases where the inner ear is swollen as a result of the infection and therefore, drops would not be able to get inside the ear. This will contain antibiotic and another ingredient to help reduce inflammation.