Poodle Ear Problems

Poodle ear problems are rare but they do happen.

Due to the conformation of the poodle ear, infections of the ear canal can happen due to the fact that the ear flap covers the ear canal.

An infection of the ear is called otitis. Depending on where the ear is inflamed it is called otitis externa, otitis media, and otitis interna, for the external ear, middle ear, and inner ear respectively.

Signs of Poodle Ear Infections

Some common signs of ear infections in dogs include reddness of the skin around the ear.  Pain upon trying to touch the ear.  Swelling of the area around the ear canal.  A bad smelly yeasty odor. 

In severe cases, a bad ear infection could cause your dog to loose its appetite and have a fever.

Causes of Poodle Ear Problems

The most common causes of poodle ear problems are bacteria and yeast.  Bacteria and yeast are normally present in the ear canal, but are usually low in number and result in no inflammation or reddening of the ear canal.

In certain situations however, the bacteria and yeast can grow exponentially overwhelming the poodle's immune system.

Bacteria and yeast grow well in environments where there is moisture and lack of fresh air, which describes the ear canal perfectly.

Another reason why some poodles may get more ear problems than other dogs is due to the conformation of the ear canal.

Some dogs have stenotic ear canals or a narrowing of the canal which makes them ore prone to infection.

Treatment of Poodle Ear Problems

To treat a poodle ear infection it is best left to a veterinarian, because in severe cases it require not only antibiotic drops into the ear, but also oral antibiotics.

Before you put in the ear drops you need to clean the ear first.  With your poodle sitting in front of you, put of few drops of an ear cleaner into the ear canal and massage it in for a few seconds.  Allow your poodle to shake its head and then clean out any debris with cotton swabs or cotton balls.

Only after you have cleaned the ears can you put antibiotic drops in. 

In situations where the ear is even too painful, it is best left to the veterinarian to instill the ear drops into your poodle.

Ear drops usually need to be given two to three times a day to be effective. 

In cases where there is a physical problem with the ear, surgery might be needed.  This type of surgery is usually called an ear canal ablation due to the fact that the ear canal opening is made bigger to allow for better drainage.

Poodle ear problems should be dealt with quickly, to prevent them from becoming more severe.