Those of us who live with dogs know that it is often easy to communicate with them, however, on other occasions it can be difficult for us to understand what is happening with our furry friend. If this is the case, you may have watched your dog scratching his ears non-stopand wondered why he does it. The ears are a delicate part of the body of dogs, for this reason it is very important that you know what problems can occur in them so that you can act quickly and solve in time whatever is causing a problem in this area.
Continue reading this article on our site and discover the different reasons that answer the question of why your dog scratches his ear a lotand find out what you can do in each case to help him.
Parasites
External parasites in dogs are one of the most common reasons why your dog scratches his ears a lot. These are easily spread and make our furry ones scratch nonstop and rub on the floor. Due to tick, mite and flea bites, dogs can spend their days trying to relieve itching and pain, and some may even have allergic reactions. They are usually in the ears of dogs because in this part of the body they can easily bite and feed. So if your dog's ear itches and jerks, or scratches both ears, he may have one of these parasites:
Ticks
There are many species of ticks on dogs, but these are mainly divided between hard and soft ticks. Some of these species are Ixodes, Haemaphysalis, Hyalomma, and Dermacentor. It is possible that your dog only has a tick in one of its ears or, on the contrary, it has a more serious infestation, where there are several ticks that feed on its blood. In the latter case, they can be all together in the same area, such as the ear, or in various parts of the animal's body, preferably those with less fat.
It is important to remove ticks properly to prevent damage to your dog's ear. You must use a special product recommended by your veterinarian or some tweezers and remove the parasite very carefully To do this, you will have to take the parasite as close to its mouth possible and pull it little by little without turning it or making sudden movements. The risk of this technique is that the head of the tick remains inside the dog's body, causing an infection.
Fleas
Fleas are another of the most common parasites in dogs and normally spread throughout their body So if you observe If your dog scratches his ears a lot, but also scratches other parts of his body, he probably has fleas. In this case, you will notice that your dog has brown things in his ears, since fleas, to the naked eye, are seen as small brown dots that move. Consult with your veterinarian which antiparasitic product is best to use to eliminate fleas from your dog and be careful with the indicated dose according to the weight of the animal. Currently, we find both pipettes and spray products and even tablets and syrups.
Mites
There are several mites that can affect dogs, however, there are two specific species that prefer to be in the ears and ears: mites Otodectes cynotis cause the otodectic mange and the mites Demodex canis cause localized demodectic mange. If your dog has ear mites, you will see a lot of dark wax in the ear, you will see that in addition to scratching his ears he shakes his head abruptly and you may also see some wound or scab on his ears due to intense scratching. In this case, you should go to your veterinarian to diagnose what type of mite it is and prescribe the best treatment.
In this other article we talk in depth about these mites: "Dog ear mites - Symptoms and treatment". In addition, in this video we detail the different types of scabies, including those that affect the ear canal, and their treatments:
Mushrooms
Another possible cause of your dog scratching his ears a lot is fungus, which grows easily when it's humid and hot. One of the best-known fungi in dogs is ringworm, but there are many more species. If you notice that your dog has an injury to its ears, it does not stop scratching, it has lost hair in this part and the skin has reddened or darkened, it is likely that it has some type of fungus that causes itching and discomfort.
In this case, if you think your dog has ringworm or another type of fungus that causes his ears to itch, you should go to your trusted veterinarian to diagnose what kind of fungus is the one that is causing problems in the he alth of your dog and prescribe the antifungal treatment
In this other post we talk in depth about ringworm in dogs.
Otitis and other ear infections
otitis in dogs is one of the main reasons why they can scratch nonstop due to the intense itching they feel. This is inflammation of the ear canal which can be caused by a foreign body lodged in the ear, parasites or allergies, among other possibilities. Some symptoms that will help you know if your dog has inflammation in the ear are:
- Scratching his ears a lot.
- Rubbing your head against surfaces like the floor, sofa, or your bed.
- Shake your head a lot.
- Secretions in the ear canal.
- Swollen ear inside and out.
- Wounds and hair loss.
- Loss of balance.
Many times, it leads to an ear infection and, for this reason, you should see a specialist to diagnose otitis and possible infection before they get too serious and cause more ear problems and your dog's ears.
Strange bodies
In addition to all the previous causes that answer why your dog scratches his ear a lot, there are some simpler possibilities that are easy to solve if they are treated right away. For example, a foreign body intrusion can be very bothersome and easy to remove if detected before it enters the ear and develops an infection. A blade of grass if it has run across the field, for example, can cause your dog to scratch his ear and cry because he cannot remove it. In this way, you should inspect your ear to immediately remove the foreign body and thus avoid problems that lead to infections.
Wounds
An itchy ear can also be caused by injuries caused by a fight or playing with other dogs In the same way that we feel that slight itching when the wound is healing, our dogs experience that sensation and, therefore, it is common for them to scratch when they feel it. The problem is that the wound will not heal and, therefore, the dog will not stop scratching his ear. In these cases, it is important to go to the veterinarian to tell us how to clean the wound to prevent it from becoming infected, but also to tell us if it is preferable to use an Elizabethan collar in order to avoid constant scratching.
In a complementary way to the treatment, you can apply these Home remedies to heal wounds in dogs.
Seborrhea or seborrheic dermatitis
When the sebaceous glands produce more sebum than normal, we have seborrheic dermatitis, also known as seborrhea. It is one of the most common types of dermatitis in dogs and can occur for different reasons, including fungi, parasites, poor diet or autoimmune diseases. It is also possible that it is of genetic origin, without any of the aforementioned circumstances occurring.
There are two types of seborrhea, dry and oily. The second produces even more fat, a stronger body odor, more wax in the ears and more itching than the dry one. Therefore, if your dog has a lot of wax, scratches his ear a lot and smells bad, he may have seborrhea. In this case, the veterinarian must first determine if it is a dermatitis of genetic origin or if it has occurred as a result of another problem. Likewise, he will start the best treatment, which usually includes an anti-seborrheic soap and proper hygiene of the ears
To learn how to properly clean your dog's ears, don't miss this step-by-step video:
