The Ears

• Dogs and cats both have a great sense of hearing. To protect their hearing and prevent damage to the ear drum, their ear canals are L-shaped. Unfortunately, this configuration allows the ears to trap parasites, moisture, debris and earwax, any of which can lead to ear infections. AwakeningCharlotte.com indicates that up to 80 percent of ear problems in dogs are linked to allergies, and ear mites are often the cause of ear infections in cats.
  
  

Symptoms

• Symptoms an animal will exhibit when it has an ear infection include scratching and rubbing its ears along the floors or on furniture, shaking its head repeatedly to remove any debris or fluid which may be in the ear, inflammation and a foul-smelling wax discharge. The animal may also tilt its head to one side which usually is an indication of a middle or inner ear infection.
  
  

Causes

• Causes of an ear infection include ear mites, accumulation of wax in the ear, faulty drainage of the ear, matted hair in the canal or a yeast or bacterial infection. Dogs with floppy ears or who have fur inside the ear are particularly at risk because of poor air flow around the ears. Pets who enjoy being in the water are also prone to ongoing ear infections as a result of the water that can get into the ears.
  
  

Treatment

• Combining a crushed garlic clove in a one-quarter cup of olive oil, letting it stand for three days then straining the mixture and putting one to two drops into the animal's ear is a remedy for getting rid of ear mites. Other treatments for ear infection include applying a warm compress several times a day to the affected area, or applying single drops of cod liver oil or vitamin E oil to the animal's ear to relieve pain.
  
  

Prevention

• To help prevent ear infections, clean your pet's ears on a regular basis. Being careful not to go too deeply into the ear canal, gently massage a solution of 50 percent vinegar and 50 percent water into the ear using cotton balls to clean out any debris. You can warm the solution to make it more comfortable for your pet. This can be applied two to four times a week, depending on the severity of the ear infection.