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Images of a normal ear and a diseased ear before
and during fiber optic-guided cleaning and debridement.
  
Ear disease affects at least one-third of all dogs and up to ten
percent of all cats at some time during their lives. These diseases
are among the most painful and debilitating of all animal diseases.
Fiber optic otoscopes have completely transformed the practice of
otology in veterinary medicine.
- What kinds of Ear Disease do pets get?
Chronic and acute otitis in dogs and cats is often initiated
by allergies, parasites, or foreign bodies.
- What are the symptoms of Otitis? Head
shaking, scratching at the ears, head tilting, ear drainage,
difficult swallowing, and loss of balance are common symptoms.
Loss of balance, loss of hearing.
- How is Ear Disease diagnosed? An ear
examination begins with a physical examination, fiber optic
examination, microscopic cytology and possibly an ear culture.
Advanced ear disease usually requires additional diagnostic testing
under anesthesia such as deeper fiber optic examination, X-rays,
and/or biopsies.
- How is Ear Disease Treated? The specific
treatment for ear disease depends on the disease diagnosed. Medications
are always indicated and may include antibiotics and/or antifungals
given orally and topically, ear cleaning solutions, and anti-inflammatory
medications. Mild to moderately diseased ear canals and middle
ears require deep fiber optic ear cleaning. Severe ear disease
often requires conventional or laser surgery.
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