What Are Dog Ear Exams?

Dog Ear Exam:

1. Outer ear examination

Examination of the outer ear is mostly done by inspection and palpation. When inspecting, attention should be paid to the size and position of the animal's auricle, whether it is symmetrical, and whether there is any deformity. Healthy large animals, except cattle and sheep which have half-drop ears, mostly have erect ears; dogs can be divided into erect ears, semi-erect ears, drop ears, and half-drop ears according to different breeds. The auricles of animals often suffer from hematoma, ulceration and even partial mutilation due to trauma. Dogs with lop and semi-lop ears often suffer from ear hematoma, otitis media and otitis interna. In addition, in addition to local changes, animals can be seen shaking their heads frequently, rubbing and scratching diseased ears and other movements. Severe otitis externa can also show purulent discharge from the ear canal. Palpation should note the firmness, moisture, and tenderness of the pinna. Inflammation of the subcutaneous tissue of the pinna is swelling, hyperplasia, tenderness, and pigmented skin redness of the affected area in animals. When cellulitis occurs, the skin in the affected area becomes thickened, hardened, or swollen. Skin edema is obvious during photosensitivity reaction, and fluctuating swelling is more common in hematoma.

2. Otoscopy

The animal was fully secured, and the reflective focus of the forehead mirror was aligned with the opening of the external auditory canal for observation. Check the external auditory canal for swelling, thick juice, discharge, parasites, foreign objects, etc. Observe the color and swelling of the eardrum. In otitis media, the tympanic membrane is light yellow or reddish. Dogs and cats often have black discharge due to mite infection.

3. Listening test

The hearing test is to check the response of sick animals to sound. Generally, in a quiet environment, use sounds at different volumes or at different distances to observe whether the animal responds. Obvious changes in animal hearing (such as deafness) are easy to detect, but minor impairments (such as hard of hearing) and some lateral or bilateral impairments are more difficult to determine.

How to clean dog ears:
1. Prepare related tools for cleaning ears, such as ear hair scissors, mineral oil, and cotton swabs.

2. Put the dog on the table, or add it between your legs. Be careful not to hurt the dog, and at the same time make sure that it cannot move around.

3. First remove the dead hair in the dog's ears, and the ears, and pull out the excess hair.

4. Drop a little mineral oil into the dog's ear canal, and then gently massage the ear. After 1-2 minutes, use a cotton swab to help clean the earwax in the ear canal.