Dog Red Ear Problem

by Christy
(Dallas TX)

My dachshund/chiwienie mix is a 3 yr old female. She has redness and a little scaliness in one of her ears. I notice in the morning that there is no heat or redness...but at the end of the day both dog ears get hot and red. The scaliness (even a little bumpy texture) around the edge of her ear is there but not too much. Should I just rub some tea tree oil on the ear flap at night? She doesn't shake her head like it's a dog ear infection, but she is always licking/chewing her paws. Maybe does she just have allergies?

Editor Comment - Dog Red Ear Problem

Dear Christy,

Thank you for your question and sorry to hear about the dog red ear, bumps, scaly skin and hot ear problems.

A dog ear normally contains microbes (parasites, bacteria and fungus) and dog ear wax. The immune system of a dog's body keeps all of these in limited and required populations to maintain dog ear health. But, if a dog faces some type of localized and/or generalized condition, especially in the case of skin conditions, the immune system gets depressed and the microbial population increases, causing dog ear problems.

In this case, it seems that your pet has some type of primary condition which originated on the skin and paws, and then spread to the ears. It is probably

an allergy. Confirmation of the condition can only be made through an examination of the dog ear condition and possibly the use of laboratory tests. What ever this condition is, it seems to be in its initial stages.

You can try some measures at home. Bathe your dog with a quality shampoo such as Clinical Care Antiparasitic and Antiseborrheic Medicated Shampoo, or a quality herbal shampoo, to control any underlying generalized microbial activity over the skin.

The chewing and licking of paws indicates that your pet is experiencing itchiness, which can be an allergy or may be a parasitic infestation. You should use a medicated spray such as Top Paw Itch Ease Medicated Spray, particularly on the paws and outer ears. This can help to reduce any itchiness and to control any possible underlying mild condition.

Tea tree oil is effective, but using it only over the outer ear will not help the inner ear. You can use it for the external ear, but better to use a natural ear remedy such as Ear Dr., to control microbial activity in the inner ear. Use this remedy on both of the ears, for effective control.

If the condition persists even after these measures, or you feel some extra ordinary symptoms developing, you should consult a nearby veterinarian for a detailed examination and diagnosis.

Please keep us up to date on the dog red ear problem.