Thorough ear canal cleaning is an integral part of management of otitis in the dog. Cleaning facilitates the removal of exudate and cerumen and allows visualization of the canal and the tympanic membrane. The extent and type of ear cleaning are determined by the severity of disease and underlying cause.
In addition, cleaning facilitates the action of medicated otic preparations. Discharge within the canal physically prevents antibiotics and glucocorticoids from reaching target areas and the presence of purulent discharge in bacterial infections inactivates many antibiotics, including polymyxin and aminoglycosides.
Related Article: How to Clean the Canine Ear
In mild cases of otitis externa, where the ear is not severely painful and the dog is cooperative, most owners are able to clean the ear canal prior to application of appropriate ear medications. However, if the ear is too painful to examine and/or the ear canal is occluded with debris, flushing of the external ear canal while the patient is anesthetized is often necessary.
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