Medical Terms That Sound Like A Diagnosis But Really Are Not: Otitis

Infections are one of the most common causes of inflammation. It is always important to determine what type of infection you’re dealing with.

But things are not always as simple as that.

Let’s say your dog was diagnosed with otitis.

Otitis is often used as a synonym for an ear infection, though the word really stands for inflammation of the ear. Infection, however, is usually involved.

The most common type of ear infection is “otitis externa” where the infection and inflammation is limited to the outer ear canal. You might have noticed a bad odor or discharge, redness or swelling, head shaking, scratching or rubbing at the ears …

The  infection can be bacterial, fungal or parasitic (ear mites).

You don’t want a treatment based on an assumption; you want to know for sure what the cause is because the treatment is different for each type of infection.

Now the question is what caused the infection in the first place.

A one-time infection can have a simple cause and might not come back after appropriate treatment.

For example, a bacterial infection could have been caused by a foreign body (e.g., a grass awn or Foxtail) or trauma that disrupts the normal protective mechanisms of the ear. (Of course the foreign body must be removed for the infection to go away).

A yeast infection might follow after antibiotic treatment of bacterial otitis.

When he was grading our papers, our English professor would always say, “One mistake – no mistake,” and give an A on a paper with just one error.

Chronic cases, however, are a different story.

In some dogs, the anatomy of the ear itself can make it susceptible to infections. Think Cocker Spaniels with their floppy ears – cute, but they trap dampness and debris inside making them virtual Petri dishes for infection.  With some extra care, owners can often manage these types of situations.

However, ear infections can be secondary to other conditions, such as allergies or other systemic diseases!

Dogs suffering with allergies are also susceptible to ear infections. In fact, recurring otitis can be the first warning sign of an allergy problem.

Some hormonal imbalances also lead to frequent infections, including otitis.

For example, Cushing’s disease (hyperadrenocorticism) is caused by overproduction of the hormone cortisol. High cortisol levels suppress the immune system and make dogs more susceptible to infections.

As you can see, as medical and definitive as the term otitis might sound, it requires further qualification and in recurring cases warrants  additional investigation for an underlying cause.

It’s your dog’s health!
Jana

Further reading:
External Ear Infection (External Otitis) in Dogs
Ear Infections (Otitis Externa) & Ear Cleaning in Dogs
Ear Infections (Otitis Externa)
Can allergies cause my dog’s ear infection?
Ear Mites FAQ 

Related articles:
Phoenix’s Chronic Ear Infections
Medical Terms That Sound Like A Diagnosis But Really Are Not (Part I)
Medical Terms That Sound Like A Diagnosis But Really Are Not: One-thing-or-anotheritis

Dog Ear Infections: what do they look like inside the ear?

Dog Ear Infections vary form mild to severe and have many causes.  To your average owner, these all look the same, but your vet has the skills, experience and equipment to locate the cause and assess the severity of the problem.

Morris Animal Hospital has a great web page showing just what infected, dirty, hairy and blocked ears look like inside.

Very interesting stuff.

Dog Vet

Dermatology and Diseases of the Ear 
Otoscope Case Examples

A normal canine eardrum.  The eardrum is located 3 inches deep in the canal in large dogs.  Note the eardrum (green) and the small amount of wax adhered to the normal tuft of hair that frequently grows next to the eardrum (red). Â	Excessive amounts of hair can be normal in breeds such as the Poodle and Bichon Frise.  Sometimes the hair causes moisture and wax to be retained in the canal causing an ear infection. Â	This large wax plug located deep in the ear canal of a cat caused a good deal of discomfort.  It was removed under anesthesia with the video otoscope. Â
This Labrador Retriever had severe bilateral otitis and was in excruciating pain.  Note the copious amounts of discharge and wax which was subsequently cleansed from the canal with the video otoscope. Â	Polyps are sometimes the cause of chronic ear infections. Note how this large polyp is completely obstructing the canal.  Polyps cannot be diagnosed and adequately treated until the canal has been thoroughly cleaned. Â	This older cocker spaniel has likely had ongoing infections for years.  Note the hemorrhage and inflammation.  This photo was taken after a tremendous amount of wax and debris were removed. Her ear drum is ruptured but she has taken her first step toward full recovery. Â
A young female German Shepard named “Heidi” with a diseased canal lining and ruptured ear drum.  She later had surgery to reroute her ear canal which helped prevent future infections & relieved her pain.	A springer spaniel with complete ear drum rupture & otitis media (middle ear infection).  Beyond the hair where the ear drum should be, the interior of the middle ear can be seen.  This dog needed antibiotics for 6 weeks to resolve her middle ear infection.	After extensive flushing and removal of debris, a normal ear drum is finally visualized in the depths of this ear canal.  The catheter being used in this photo is only 1.5 mm in diameter.  It is impossible to clean ear canals to this extent without the use of the video ototscope.