Otitis in dogs is not just "dirty ears" and should not be treated with random drops from a home medicine cabinet. Ear inflammation often starts with one cause and is then complicated by another: allergies or parasites may trigger itching and irritation, while bacteria or yeast can later become involved. The ear may temporarily improve after treatment, but a few weeks later it may redden again, start to smell and bother the pet.
Owners should watch for the first signs: the dog frequently shakes its head, scratches its ear, rubs against furniture or the floor, reacts painfully to touch, and there is an unpleasant odour, redness, dark or heavy discharge. Sometimes the pet tilts its head to one side, becomes irritable, sleeps worse or avoids being petted. These symptoms should not be ignored: dogs have sensitive ears and inflammation can quickly become painful.
Why does otitis come back? The main reason is that the symptom was treated but the underlying cause was not found. In dogs, ear infections are often linked to allergic skin disease, food reactions, ear mites, foreign bodies, excess moisture after bathing, ear shape features or chronic inflammation. Breeds with long floppy ears, narrow ear canals or thick hair inside the ear may be at higher risk, but anatomy alone is rarely the sole explanation.
Choosing ear drops on your own is risky: different causes require different approaches, and some products can cause harm if the eardrum is damaged. At the clinic the veterinarian examines the ear canal, assesses the eardrum and, if necessary, performs cytology — examining the discharge under a microscope. This helps to determine whether bacteria, yeast, inflammatory cells or parasites are present.
A visit to the veterinarian is essential if odour, itching, discharge or redness persists for more than a few days, if otitis recurs, if the ear is painful, or if the dog tilts its head or has started hearing less well. The sooner the cause is found, the lower the risk of chronic otitis and repeated relapses.