Otitis externa in dogs

摘要

Otitis externa in dogs is common and, in many, it can become a recurring problem. With time, the pathological changes to the ear canals will become irreversible; in these cases, the best alternative treatment is total ear canal ablation. To avoid thisoutcome, an understanding of the normal physiology and how to restore it by reversing the pathophysiological changes within the ear is paramount to successful long-term management.Otitis is considered a multifactorial condition. The primary causes (see Table 1) must be managed in order to prevent recurrence; however, managing them alone will not necessarily prevent recurrences of the ear disease, nor its progression to a chronic state. Secondary infections, pathological changes to the ear canals and perpetuating factors also need to be addressed (see Table 1). These factors interfere with the normal physiological function and alter the anatomical structures within the ear makingit more difficult to resolve. Progressive otitis externa can result in otitis media. So, to understand how a normal ear functions and how anatomical changes result in ongoing disease, the following questions need to be addressed.