Last Updated on January 2, 2022 by Griselda M.
Yorkie ear infections can cause a lot of pain to your pet. Learn how to examine and prevent Yorkie ear infections the right way.
Maintaining healthy ears is crucial for the general health of your Yorkie. It’s essential to recognize the signs of infection early. Symptoms of ear infection can include whining, scratching, or uncoordinated movement of the head.
Usually, dogs that have floppy ears are affected by this problem. But it doesn’t mean Yorkies won’t suffer from these kinds of infections.
Most Yorkies won’t tolerate ear cleaning. That is common in dogs, so try to use a type of restraining and make it enjoyable for them.
Table of Contents
Ear Anatomy Of A Dog
Ear anatomy is crucial to be understood, so you have the capability of helping your Yorkie. The ear has three important components: the exterior ear, central ear, and internal ear. These play a different role in ear infections. For every ear part, there is a type of infection and distinctive symptoms.
- The outer ear consists of two parts, the ear flap, and the ear canal. The ear flap’s job is to tunnel sound to the ear canal. Unlike humans, dogs have a long ear canal that goes deeper into the ear parts.
- On the other hand, the middle ear consists of three parts. The first part is a thin membrane called the eardrum, splitting the outer and middle ear. This membrane is very fragile, and we need to be careful when cleaning the Yorkie ears.
- And lastly, the inner ear. It’s connected to the brain and contains nerves that primary purpose is for balance and hearing.
Depending on the ear infections, your capability of cleaning it can vary. We recommended taking your Yorkie to a veterinarian and doing an ear inspection, so you surely know which kind of infection your Yorkie has.
Dog Ear Infection Types
As an owner, it’s good to know the types of infections. Some infections can get cleaned and treated at home. But if you are not confident about how to act, therefore go to a veterinarian.
There are three types of ear infections recognized in canines:
- Otitis Externa – This infection can cause inflammatory processes in the ear canal. It’s common in canines to experience this kind of infection and often in the outer ear.
- Otitis Media – These types of infections are generally in the middle ear, and if untreated, they can result in an infection in the outer ear.
- Otitis Interna – Infections can occur in the outer ear, but it’s not as common as the other types.
All these infections have some symptoms that correlate, and you can easily spot them. You must keep an eye on your dog and understand them.
Causes Of Yorkie Ear Problems
The number one cause of ear infections is floppy ears, and Yorkies having this issue are prone to have health problems with their ear canals. An additional causing is hair growth in and outside of the ear canal. Managing the hair density around these spots is crucial for avoiding ear infections.
If your Yorkie enjoys water and you live near water surfaces, we suggest checking the ears of your Yorkie after baths.
Another cause can be food or skin allergies. If a dog is exposed to skin allergies often, it has a better chance of producing ear infections.
The most common causes are the ones we previously mentioned. However, there are more that you should take into consideration:
- Thyroid Disease – If your Yorkie has endocrine disorders or you think so, ear infections can be the leading connection to those types of issues.
- Foreign Bodies – Grass Seeds are the most common. These can inflame the ear canals and thus develop an ear infection.
- Excessive wax buildup – Lower ear hygiene can lead to this, but remember, avoid excessive cleaning.
- Ear canal injuries
Lastly, but rarely, as well autoimmune disorders can cause ear infections. If you suspect that this is a cause of ear infections, do a detailed medical check-up with your veterinarian.
Symptoms That Lead To Yorkie Ear Infections
Ear Infections symptoms can be effortlessly visible to you as an owner. Ear scratching, head shaking, or rubbing the ears of other objects are the most visible symptoms of ear canal inflammations.
Another symptom that you can spot with ease is an odor coming from the ears. If you smell this, check for redness in your Yorkie ears or if any discharge comes out of them.
In some cases, your Yorkie can experience pain. If it doesn’t let you touch its ears or they seem sensitive, that could be a symptom of ear infection as well. Another leading sign can be the formation of crusts or scabs in its ears.
In extreme cases, facial nerve paralysis can be seen or decreased hearing due to fluid in the middle ear.
Treatment And Prevention
Do dog ear infections go away on their own? The answer is an absolute no. You should consider medication and external or internal cleaning in all cases.
If you want to learn how to treat your Yorkie ear infections, it’s best to consult a veterinarian of your choice. Many online guides are from credible sources. One of them it’s the Washington State University guide about ear infections.
The best way to clean a dog’s ear is by using cotton balls. Try to avoid q tips because they can harm the Yorkie ears. Use ear washes before proceeding with the cleaning process. After a successful cleaning, insert medication drops into the ears or ointments to further prevent ear infections.
Taping or tying Yorkie ears on top of their head can also enhance ear airflow. Another way is by pulling out extra hairs in their ears.
Depending on the type of infection, surgery may be the only option. If the inflammation is too extensive and it’s in the middle ear, medications can help.
Conclusion
Ear infections play a big part in the health of your Yorkie. They shouldn’t be taken lightly and need proper treatment for the sake of your Yorkie happiness. If you see some of the signs and symptoms of ear infections, firstly try to clean them yourself if you have the confidence.
Otherwise, try to communicate with your veterinarian and appoint ear cleaning. If you have any questions or thoughts on this issue, feel free to comment down below.
Find out more about Yorkie Breathing Problems.