Why does my dog get so many ear infections?

Numerous culprits can lead to chronic ear infections in pets, but the most common reasons include: Bacterial and yeast infections — Your pet naturally has some yeast in their ears, but an overgrowth can lead to an infection. Bacterial infections can develop because of excessive moisture or debris in the ear. Yeast and bacterial infections can affect one or both ears, and chronic problems may develop over time. Food or environmental allergies — Food and environmental allergies cause skin inflammation, which can trigger ear infections when the sensitive skin inside the ear canal becomes irritated and inflamed. Breed predisposition — Dogs with floppy ears or large amounts of hair in their ears are more prone to ear infections than pets with ears that stand straight up. Excessive water in the ears — Dogs who spend a lot of time swimming are more likely to develop chronic ear infections, because excessive moisture in the ear canals leads to bacterial growth. Always dry your pet’s ears thoroughly after swimming or a bath to help prevent ear infections.

Bacterial ear infections, also known as otitis externa, are one of the most common ear problems in dogs that we treat. This is one of the most common ear problems in dogs. The symptoms of a bacterial ear infection are easy to spot. It’s true that some breeds of dogs - ones with long dangly ears such as Springer Spaniels - are more prone to ear problems than others. Dogs which spend a lot of time in water may also suffer from regular ear problems, as well as dogs with allergies. Ear mites are the next most common ear problem that we come across with our canine patients. Foreign objects, like grass seeds, can also cause ear problems in dogs, this is usually a seasonal problem occurring during the summer months when they have been playing in long grass.