Middle Or Inner Ear Disease In Dogs

An ear disease can cause a series of problems in your dog.

Middle or inner ear disease in dogs.

The middle ear and the inner ear cannot be seen unless the ear drum connecting them to the external ear is ruptured. The equivalent term in cats is feline idiopathic vestibular disease. However such inner ear disturbance can occur in dogs of any age so the term canine idiopathic vestibular disease is more accurate. Allergies which lead to ear disease in about 50 percent of dogs with allergic skin disease and 80 percent of dogs with food sensitivities endocrine disorders such as thyroid disease autoimmune.

Though this disease can be debilitating for your furry friend it is not life threatening. Peripheral vestibular disease generally affects senior and geriatric dogs over 8 years of age. Otitis media refers to an inflammation of the dog s middle ear while otitis interna refers to an inflammation of the inner ear both of which are commonly caused by bacterial infection. Otitis media inflammation of the middle ear structures is seen in small and large domestic animals including dogs cats rabbits ruminants horses pigs and camelids it can be unilateral or bilateral and can affect animals of all ages.

Drugs that have a toxic effect on the inner or middle ear. Long eared dog breeds with excessive hair and non erect outer ears such as the cocker spaniel labrador retriever and springer spaniel are believed to be more. Dogs with peripheral vestibular disease have a breakdown in communication between the inner ear and the brain causing dizziness. Causes of vestibular disease include middle or inner ear infections drugs that are toxic to the ear trauma or injury tumors and hypothyroidism.

Although typically sporadic outbreaks are possible in herds. When no specific cause is found the condition is called idiopathic vestibular syndrome. The external ear the middle ear and the inner ear. It is more common in older dogs.

Similarly inner ear infections may develop if disease exists in one ear canal or when a benign polyp is growing from the middle ear. The ear is divided into 3 main areas. Dogs with narrow ear canals such the cocker spaniel and the shar pei and dogs with hairy inner ear canals such as the poodle and schnauzer can also be susceptible to middle and inner ear infections. The outer ear the middle ear and the inner ear.

Vestibular disease refers to a sudden non progressive disturbance of balance. Your dog rsquo s ear consists of three main parts. Otitis media and otitis interna in dogs.