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Dog Ear Fungal Infection



 Submitted by Michael Adams on February 2, 2010
Dogs tend to have various kinds of fungal problems and the locations of these may differ. The ear is yet another susceptible spot in a dog for a fungal infection. Such fungal problems in dogs tend to occur around other such areas like folds of the dog’s coat. It can be easy to miss the various signs of dog fungal infection, since while some may be as obvious as red, itchy patches on the coat, other fungal infections could cause physical ailments like jaundice. When the ear has succumbed to fungal infection, it would be best to let a veterinarian handle the infection since it would be advisable not to treat the problem without knowing more about the nature of the infection. He or she would also check for other symptoms present in the dog which might have gone unnoticed or which might seem unrelated.

Your dog’s veterinarian will take a look at the ear and may call for some tests before attempting to get rid of the fungus. For instance, a yeast culture may be required if the dog ear infection looks to be a yeast one. In general, the way to deal with fungal infections would be to keep your dog free from moisture while still cleaning him or her. Talk to your veterinarian about the more gentle antifungal shampoos and their necessity in your dogs case. Even stronger shampoos to deal with fungal infections are available if you check with the vet. If the fungus is localized, such as the ear, such shampoos would not really be a necessity. In such cases, it would be more likely that the vet would suggest some antifungal creams or other such medication. There are various such ointments for the dog’s ear which can be bought and the vet can suggest a more aggressive treatment for ear fungal infections that appear to be stronger. If the dog’s ear itches, the veterinarian might also suggest the use of an Elizabethan collar, which can even be made at home. Such a collar may look ridiculous but it plays an important role in keeping your dog from making the infection worse by attacking the ear or constantly scratching it. One should always get a proper diagnosis because such ear problems could range from problems with mites to presence of foreign objects. It could be that what looks like a fungal problem in the ear of the dog is actually another physical ailment altogether.
 
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