Canine Ear Infection Complications | Dog Ear Infection Complications

There is no doubt that serious complications will arise if you choose to ignore a canine ear infection. At the very least, your dog will experience continuous pain if you choose not to seek medical assistance. No one wants to put their dog through that. Your dog also risks eardrum rupture from bacterial enzyme activity that creates pressure on the eardrum; the eardrum ruptures when it can no longer stretch to accommodate the pressure. Ruptured eardrums, in turn, lead to middle ear infections from the introduction of inflammatory material originating in the outer ear. Your dog will experience greater pain at this point and may exhibit head tilting and increased pain sensitivity in the head and mouth areas. Hearing may also be affected.

An examination of the middle ear could reveal draining pus (if the eardrum has ruptured) and a buildup of fluid and inflamed tissue. If left untreated, mucus membranes in the middle ear will eventually thicken from the presence of infected material, encouraging further fluid accumulation and the development of chronically inflamed tissue. Over time, this inflammatory tissue transforms into a thicker connective tissue and scar tissue that encourages the deposit of mineral and boney particles.

The branch of the facial nerve that intersects with the eardrum is also at risk from a middle ear infection. If this nerve is affected by eardrum rupture, the upper lip and ear on the compromised side of your dog’s head will droop. The injury may also trigger the onset of Horner’s Syndrome, a complex of eye symptoms characterized by a small pupil, drooping upper eyelid and protruding third eyelid on the affected side of the face.

If still left untreated, a dog ear infection may move on from the middle ear to threaten the inner ear. If so, seek veterinary help immediately, as this is an emergency. The additional damage will manifest as balance and coordination problems, circling, head tilt, abnormal eye movements and hearing loss. In some extreme cases, untreated dog ear infections have spread up the acoustic nerve and caused fatal brain infections or spread from the middle to the inner ear and on to the central nervous system to seriously threaten life itself.
Dog ear infections are not to be ignored. Seek treatment at the first signs of an infection to prevent more serious complications later on.