Middle Or Inner Ear Disease In Dogs

Though this disease can be debilitating for your furry friend it is not life threatening.

Middle or inner ear disease in dogs.

The external ear the middle ear and the inner ear. Peripheral vestibular disease generally affects senior and geriatric dogs over 8 years of age. The outer ear the middle ear and the inner ear. Your dog rsquo s ear consists of three main parts.

It is more common in older dogs. Long eared dog breeds with excessive hair and non erect outer ears such as the cocker spaniel labrador retriever and springer spaniel are believed to be more. In some cases of vestibular disease in dogs the cause is not identified and this is referred to as idiopathic vestibular syndrome. If your dog has ear mites in the external ear canal this can ultimately cause a problem in the inner ear and pose a greater risk for a bacterial infection.

The ear is divided into 3 main areas. Dogs with narrow ear canals such the cocker spaniel and the shar pei and dogs with hairy inner ear canals such as the poodle and schnauzer can also be susceptible to middle and inner ear infections. The equivalent term in cats is feline idiopathic vestibular disease. Drugs that have a toxic effect on the inner or middle ear.

However such inner ear disturbance can occur in dogs of any age so the term canine idiopathic vestibular disease is more accurate. An ear disease can cause a series of problems in your dog. Causes of vestibular disease include middle or inner ear infections drugs that are toxic to the ear trauma or injury tumors and hypothyroidism. The term old dog vestibular syndrome has been used to describe a disturbance of unknown idiopathic origin in the inner ear balance system in dogs.

Similarly inner ear infections may develop if disease exists in one ear canal or when a benign polyp is growing from the middle ear. Although typically sporadic outbreaks are possible in herds. Vestibular disease refers to a sudden non progressive disturbance of balance. Otitis media refers to an inflammation of the dog s middle ear while otitis interna refers to an inflammation of the inner ear both of which are commonly caused by bacterial infection.

Otitis media inflammation of the middle ear structures is seen in small and large domestic animals including dogs cats rabbits ruminants horses pigs and camelids it can be unilateral or bilateral and can affect animals of all ages. Allergies which lead to ear disease in about 50 percent of dogs with allergic skin disease and 80 percent of dogs with food sensitivities endocrine disorders such as thyroid disease autoimmune. Otitis media and otitis interna in dogs.