Taking Care of Your Pet's Ears Is an Important Aspect of
Overall Wellness
Pet ears come in many shapes and sizes. Some pets avoid ear problems for their entire lives. Other times, small problems may arise or even chronic ones over a pet's lifetime. There are ways to keep ears healthy at home. For everything else, our team at Berkley Pet Hospital in North Hollywood can help walk you through pet ear care. Whether it's looking for ways to prevent problems or treating pet ear infections or other problems, we are here to help.
Dog Ear Care
Dogs not only use ears for hearing, but also to communicate. Watching your dog's ears can help you to understand if they are interested, feeling threatened, sad, or feeling aggressive. Talk to our veterinarian about cleaning your dog's ears. In some cases, it may be a good idea, but keep in mind that cleaning too often can also cause irritation.
It is most important to watch for signs of problems with your dog's ears. Inflammation of the ears can point to a variety of health problems, including digestive tract imbalances, cervical spine misalignment, collar injuries, and pet ear infections, among others. It is key to get to the bottom of the problem instead of always turning to cleaning your pet's ears.
Other common ear problems include dog ear mites, tumors, immune or hereditary conditions, allergies, extra moisture in the ear, foreign bodies stuck in the ear, hormone problems, trauma to the ear, and microorganisms being present in the ear. Call our office in North Hollywood right away if you notice anything peculiar about your pet's ears and know that we thoroughly check ears during every wellness exam.
Cat Ear Care
Our veterinarian will check your cat's ears during an annual wellness exam, but it is important to check them often at home as well. The sooner a problem is discovered, the sooner your cat can get the treatment he needs. Cat ears should only be cleaned when necessary, as excessive cleaning can lead to more issues. Some things to look for in your cat's ears that signal a problem include: the presence of excess dirt, wax, lumps, redness, inflammation, or blood. A foul odor or persistent scratching at the ears could also be a sign of a complication. Common ear problems in cats include frostbite, squamous cell carcinoma, sunburn, otitis externa, ear mites, and ear hematoma.