Q: Why is my dog getting ear infections?
A: Dogs can develop itchy ears and ear infections due to a variety of causes. Some breeds of dogs, such as Basset Hounds and Cocker Spaniels, are prone to ear infections due to the conformation of their ears.
The most common reason for recurrent ear infections is underlying allergies, such as allergies to food or their environment. Some ear canal infections may not resolve on initial treatment and can appear to be recurrent while still being a continuation of the same infection. Such persistent infections and/or underlying primary causes (like allergies) need to be corrected in order to effectively treat dogs with ear problems.
Dr. Jangi Bajwa is a Board certified veterinary dermatologist at VetDERM Clinic in Surrey BC. He is also the dermatology feature editor for Canadian Veterinary Journal. Dr. Bajwa’s special interests include otitis and allergic disease in pets; as well as helping improve quality of life of pets and their families.
