Dogs ears come in many shapes and sizes. Whether they are short and pointy or dangling on the ground, all dogs are susceptible to suffering from ear problems.

But it's the breeds with long, floppy ears and those with lots of fur around the inside of their ear canal that are more prone to ear problems. In fact, they account for up to 80 percent of all dogs suffering from ear infections. Some other common ear problems occurring in dogs include injury, hearing and allergies.


Ear infection

An ear infection (otis externa) is an inflammation of the outer ear and inner ear canal and is one of the most common problems affecting dogs ears. Symptoms of an ear infection include vigorous shaking of their head or whimpering when their ears or head are touched. You may also notice an excessive accumulation of ear wax accompanied by an unpleasant odor or possibly a black or crusty discharge.

There are several reasons why a dog's ears might become infected. Dogs with droopy ears or those with an abundance of fur inside have very little airflow inside their ears, creating the perfect warm, moist conditions for bacterial growth. If not regularly cleaned and dried, this can quickly lead to an infection. Likewise, dogs with these ear types often attract grass seeds or fox-tails in their trailing ears which can make their way into the ear canal leading to an infection.

Dogs can also become infected with ear mites, highly contagious tiny parasites that live inside the ear canal. There can be thousands of these microscopic mites scurrying around inside a dog's ears causing extreme irritation. Dogs affected with mites suffer from intense itchiness, whereby they'll scratch at their ears or shake their head trying to relieve the symptoms.

As well as the possibility of them tearing their own skin through scratching, the inside of their ears can become extremely red and inflamed. And dogs can easily pick up ear infections from parasites or bacteria through swimming in stagnant water or from water that's trapped inside their ears.

Injury or swelling

Dogs ears are particularly vulnerable to injury through play, fighting or simply scratching themselves. Minor injuries can usually be treated at home but if there is a lot of bleeding, you should visit the vet. The appearance of lumps or swellings could be due to a hematoma, a blood filled swelling that will need draining at the vet.

Sudden swellings could be due to an allergic reaction to something they've eaten or come into contact with. Parasites, ticks, flea bites or tumors are further possible causes of lumps found inside a dog's ear. Keep an eye on it and if it is causing your dog any distress, visit the vet.

Deafness

Loss of hearing can be due to a number of reasons, age being the predominant cause. Signs your dog is suffering from a loss of hearing include ignoring your commands, tilting their head to one side, having difficulty in waking or excessive barking.

Temporary deafness may be caused by an infection or it could be due to a build up of ear wax. In this case you could try cleaning their ears out using special ear wipes which are available from most pet shops or use a canine ear wax softener to see if that helps. Bear in mind that over 60 breeds of dog actually suffer from congenital deafness.

Allergies

Allergic reactions can be triggered by ingredients in your dog's food or environmental elements such as pollen and dust. The inside of a dog's ear has a sensitive waxy lining which can become extremely itchy when a dog suffers from an allergic reaction. They'll want to scratch and rub at their ears causing further trauma such as red and inflamed ears.

To help keep your dog free from ear problems, have a quick inspection each time you groom them to check whether the inside of their ears looks pink, clean and healthy. And for breeds with long, floppy ears or those with lots of fur or hair growing inside, you'll need to take a little extra care with cleaning and wiping away excess moisture inside the folds of skin as well as clipping away excess fur.

Ear problems affect up to 20 percent of all dogs at some stage.  There are numerous causes, though thankfully many of them are preventable. By undertaking regular checks inside their ears you are more likely to spot early signs of an infection and so can begin treatment before the problem worsens. This should lead to a faster cure, thereby preventing your dog from any undue suffering.