Chronic Ear Problems
Chronic ear problems and chronic ear infections can cause an inflammation of the external auditory canal and can cause great discomfort to your pets.
Symptoms to look for
- Shaking the head (the most common)
- Scratching of the ears
- Foul odor from the ear canal
What Causes Chronic Ear Problems?
The most common causes are:
Atopy
An inhalant allergy characterized by scratching, paw licking and face rubbing.
Food allergy
An allergy due to hypersensitivity of certain foods or food additives.
Seborrhea
Characterized by the excessive production of oil in the skin and the formation of greasy scales.
Ear mites
Ear mites are a parasite which commonly causes the onset of ear infections. Once the diseases is initiated, the mite will leave the ear canal or will be destroyed by inflammation or a secondary infection.
Foreign bodies
Such as foxtails, dirt, grass, loose hairs, etc. are also frequently responsible for Otitis externa.
Also...
Bacteria Infection
Moisture
Yeast Infection
Tumors
Ruptured Ear Drums
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Advanced Diagnosis & Treatment with
Video Otoscopy
Video Otoscopy Helps Us Treat Chronic Ear Problems
A routine ear examination using a handheld otoscope could miss easily treatable problems. By using our in-clinic Video Otoscope, we are able to provide better and more accurate treatment.
What Does This Mean For My Pet?
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Having the video otoscope allows us to more accurately diagnose and treat inner ear problems in our patients that might otherwise go undiagnosed.
What is An Otoscope?
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The handheld otoscope light is less bright than the video otoscope and magnifies only 2-4x. |
An otoscope is an instrument for examining the external canal and tympanic membrane of the ear. A typical handheld otoscope is pictured to the right. You may reckognize this from visits to your family doctor.
What is the Video Otoscope and What Can You Do With It?
The video otoscope is powerful tool in aggressively treating chronic ear infections and other ear problems. It has a built in camera and a powerful, bright light. It connects to a video system that allows us to capture, view, and record images at a magnification of 15x.
Powerful treatment Options when combined with Endoscope and Laser
This not only means we can see better, brighter images at a much larger magnification, and when combined with an endoscope, we can treat problems that might lie even further in the ear.
We can even send tools through the video otoscope, including our state-of-the-art laser, to biopsy, remove and/or treat problems.
If your pet has symptoms of chronic ear problems, please speak with our staff (408) 252-6380.
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