Puppy Ear Infections

Some puppies can develop ear infections easily---particularly those that are exposed to other ill animals or animals that have mites. You should inspect a puppy's ears frequently for unusual discharge or odor and take him in for an examination if he shows other signs of irritation or illness. Most ear infections in puppies, if caught in the early stages, can be cleared up easily with the proper medication.

  1. General Symptoms

    • Puppies with ear infections may scratch at the affected ear (or both, if both are infected), may shake her head and you may notice a discharge or a bad odor coming from the ear.

    Mites

    • Ear mites are more common in puppies than in adult dogs. Upon inspection, you may notice small black or brown specks in the puppy's ear. This may be dirt or mites. Puppies that have not been exposed to other animals that have mites are unlikely to catch these. If the puppy has been exposed and has symptoms of ear problems, however, the chance is very likely. Your veterinarian should be able to tell if the puppy has ear mites and will prescribe ear mite medicine.

    Yeast Infections

    • Yeast infections are not common in healthy puppies---they can occur, however. Yeast, which live naturally on the skin, may grow to large colonies in a puppy's ears and cause irritation. Some yeast infections give off a "yeasty" or other foul-smelling odor, but this is not always so. If the vet determines yeast is the cause of your puppy's ear infection, the puppy will need treatment---this may be special drops, oral medicine or both.

    Bacteria

    • A variety of bacteria may infect the puppy's ear. Bacterial infections usually cause a bad odor and yellowish discharge, according to the Veterinary Services Department, Drs. Foster & Smith, Inc. at peteducation.com. These must be treated with antibiotics.

    Foreign Objects

    • Flies, dirt and other objects can get stuck in the puppy's ear and cause infection. These may lodge deep in the ear where you can't see them. If your vet rules out other causes of infection, she may explore the ear for these potential irritants.

    Considerations

    • Possible ear infections in a puppy should never be ignored. Ear mites or infections can lead to other illnesses or cause permanent hearing loss. Before trying treatments at home, take your puppy to a veterinarian. Over the counter ear cleaners may not do a lot of good if the puppy has a yeast infection, bacterial infection or ear mites.