Red Light, Green Light: Treatment of Canine Otitis Externa

ArticleJanuary 20232 min readSponsored
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Sponsored by Dechra

Osurnia® (florfenicol, terbinafine, betamethasone acetate) is a valuable option for the treatment of canine otitis externa caused by susceptible strains of bacteria and yeast. Unlike other otitis treatments, which require clients to clean and medicate their pets’ ears at home, Osurnia® allows the veterinary team to perform all treatments in-house.

Before administering Osurnia®, veterinary teams must first clean and dry the external ear canal. Then, 1 dose of Osurnia® is applied to each affected ear. In 7 days, the pet should return to the veterinary clinic to check treatment response and receive the second dose in the affected ear(s). At this time, owners should be advised to avoid cleaning the ears for 45 days, and a recheck appointment should be scheduled.

Although Osurnia® is convenient, effective use relies on practitioner ability to identify which cases would benefit from this treatment. In all cases of otitis, treatment modalities such as oral anti-inflammatories, sedated ear flushes, and investigation of underlying causes should be considered in addition to topical therapy.


IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

As with all drugs, side effects may occur. In field studies and post-approval experience the most common side effects reported were vomiting, increased liver enzymes and loss of hearing. Other signs reported were ear discharge, ear irritation and pain, vomiting, head shaking, head tilt, ataxia, vocalization, corneal ulcer, keratoconjunctivitis sicca, nystagmus, tympanic rupture, and facial paralysis.

OSURNIA® should be administered by a veterinary professional. Do not use in dogs with known tympanic perforation or a hypersensitivity to florfenicol, terbinafine or corticosteroids. OSURNIA may cause eye injury and irritation. Wear eye protection when administering OSURNIA and restrain the dog to minimize post-application head shaking. Do not use in cats. Refer to the prescribing information for complete details or visit www.dechra‐us.com.

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