Consult With A Veterinarian If Your Dogs Ears Stink
If you have any other concerns about your dogs health or wellbeing, you should always take her to the vet. Even if you think her smelly ears may be related to a simple problem, it may be a good idea to have them checked out by a professional, especially if this is the first time you have ever noticed the problem.
At OrlandoVets, we always put the health and comfort of your pet first, because we want them to live a quality life with you. With four locations in the Orlando-area, you can be rest assured that your dog will always receive the care they need. Well help get to the underlying cause of why your dogs ears stink and the best course of action to take to help treat them. If you have any questions, never hesitate to contact us.
Diagnosis Of Foul Smelling Ears In Dogs
Any ear infection has the potential to not only affect the outer ear, but to also go deeper into the middle and inner ear. It is for this reason that, if any of the above symptoms are noted, it is vitally important to get veterinary medical advice and treatment.
It is important for you to be prepared to give your veterinary professional detailed information about the symptoms youve noticed, the severity and the duration. Noting if the symptoms came on suddenly or more gradually will be helpful for your vet, too. He might also need to know about the dietary regimen youre feeding your canine family member, as well as exercise routines, bedding materials and any hereditary issues if known. Providing as complete a health and vaccination history as possible will be very helpful as well unless the attending veterinarian has access to that information.
Your veterinarian will do a physical examination and may order blood testing to rule out some of the systemic issues and determine if the infection is bacterial, fungal or parasitic. Once he has all of the results of his preferred testing, he will develop and initiate a treatment plan.
Other Skin And Scalp Conditions
Dandruff, eczema, seborrheic dermatitis, and frequent sensitivity rashes can all cause dry, irritated skin. This alone can weaken the skin, but it also prompts you to scratch. That makes your skin even more vulnerable as you introduce bacteria and pollutants to the area.
Emotional or physical stress can increase the desire to scratch, further promoting these conditions.
You may get rid of a bad smell behind the ears by simply treating its cause.
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What Are The Signs & Symptoms Of Maple Syrup Urine Disease
Newborns with MSUD have pee or earwax that smells sweet, like maple syrup. They also may:
- have problems with feeding
- have a low energy level and be very sleepy
A baby or child with MSUD also might have:
- trouble growing and gaining weight
- unusual muscle movements and muscle tightness
- developmental delays
When Should I Call The Doctor
Maple syrup urine disease is treatable when found early. Doctors will closely watch kids who have it.
Some people with MSUD may have episodes of metabolic crisis. These are triggered by stress, such as:
- going a long time without food
Call your doctor right away if your child is sick, has a fever, is not eating well, or is very sleepy, or if you notice balance problems, trouble walking, or changes in behavior.
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What Are The Treatments For Maple Syrup Urine Disease
Doctors can manage MSUD by controlling the level of the three amino acids in the patients body. People with MSUD must always follow a strict diet that provides essential nutrients but severely limits the amounts of the three amino acids . Thiamine-responsive MSUD can be managed with high doses of vitamin B1 and a strict diet.
Doctors monitor people with MSUD throughout their lives to make sure the three amino acids do not exceed a persons tolerance level and begin to cause harm. When patients with MSUD get sick, have fever, cannot keep food down due to vomiting or diarrhea or when amino acids rise to dangerous levels, the patient must be hospitalized immediately. In the hospital, doctors may:
- Give glucose and insulin through a vein to adjust the level of amino acids in the body.
- Use an IV or nasogastric feeding tube to deliver particular nutrients, including the types of amino acids the person can tolerate.
- Filter the persons blood plasma and return it to their body to lower the level of the three amino acids.
- Monitor the patient for signs of brain swelling or infection and acid buildup.
When It Feels Like Your Ear Is Wet All The Time
To be honest, this isnt really earwax, but it is understandable that you might think it is cerumen. Wet ears typically mean disease, most likely infection. Ear infections create pus, so that might be why your ear feels wet. That is not the only possible cause, though.
It is also possible that you have a type of skin growth inside your ear canal called a cholesteatoma. A cholesteatoma is a lot like a cyst, but one that appears inside the ear blocking the canal. When that happens, stuff like earwax and dirt build up. This blockage can cause debris to overflow and come out the ear. Any drainage from your ear means you need to see a doctor and find out why that is happening.
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The Scent Of Your Earwax May Yield Valuable Information
Warning: It doesnt get any less gross from here.
ByFrancie Diep | Published Feb 13, 2014 11:30 PM
As an Asian lady, I cant get over that people of African and European descent have moist earwax. I learned this years ago. I still cant get over it! I assumed everyone had earwax like me, so it was just too weird to learn otherwise.
Dont know what Im talking about? In 2006, scientists discovered there is a geneindeed, a single letter in all of human DNAthat determines whether people have wet or dry earwax. People of African and European ethnicity usually have the wet type. Nearly all people of Native American and East Asian ethnicity have the dry type.
Now, scientists have made a second important discovery about my favorite gene. It also leads to earwax that smells different. Ugh, I know, right? But yes, a team of researchers from Pennsylvania gathered samples of earwax, baked them to get them to release their volatile compounds, then analyzed those compounds with gas chromatrography and mass spectrometry. The earwax came from eight men of Asian descent with dry wax, and eight men of European descent with wet wax.
Is There A Permanent Treatment For Maple Syrup Urine Disease
Since 2004, liver transplants have been very successful in treating individuals with classic MSUD. With a new liver, people with MSUD can produce the enzymes they need to break down the three amino acids that build up in body. After a liver transplant, people with MSUD can eat an unrestricted diet, live without symptoms, and avoid further cognitive problems. People with MSUD still carry the gene for the disorder and therefore can still pass it to their offspring. Genetic counseling is recommended.
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What Can Your Earwax Tell You
Earwax isnt exactly everyones favorite topic, but you can actually learn a lot about your health by studying some of the things your body makes things just like earwax. The state of your earwax can point to potential health issues, or it can help you to know that things are working just as they should. Here are just a few of the things your earwax may be trying to tell you if youre listening!
If Its Watery and a Weird Color
Sometimes when you sweat, it can go down into your ear canal. Same if youre in the pool or shower. But if youve not been doing any of those things and you find that your earwax is watery and a strange color , then it might be a sign of infection. Make sure to see a medical professional to have it checked out!
If It Smells Strong
Earwax shouldnt really smell like anything. If it does, then it could be a signal that you have an infection or damage to the middle part of the ear. Foul-smelling discharge, problems with your sense of balance, ringing in the ears, or a feeling that your ears are full may be an indication of middle ear issues. See a medical professional as soon as you can!
If You Lack Earwax
If You Have Flaky Earwax
This is a pretty normal issue and its generally just a sign that youre getting on in years. As you age, the wax your ear produces gets flaky instead of being stickier like peanut butter. The glands that produce earwax tend to dry out as you age, so its nothing to get too alarmed about.
How Can You Prevent Maple Syrup Urine Disease
There is no way to prevent maple syrup urine disease. You can lower your risk of having a baby with MSUD by ensuring that your partner is not related to you. If you have siblings or other relatives with MSUD, you should talk to your doctor before becoming pregnant to discuss the possibility of passing the disease to your child. Your doctor may test you and your partner to see if you are carriers for the gene that causes MSUD.
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Your Earwax: What Might It Be Trying To Tell You
by Carson Hearing Care | Apr 10, 2018 | Hearing Loss Articles
Is your earwax trying to tell you something about your health? Earwax is more than just the icky stuff that comes out of your ears. Cerumen, the medical name for it, has a purpose in your body. It protects the skin inside the ear canal from damage that can lead to infection. It is also a source of lubrication and helps waterproof the inside of your ear.
Thats all good stuff, but earwax also provides information about you. How it looks, the texture and smell all supply key details about what is going on inside your body. What is your earwax saying to you?
What Will The Veterinarian Do To Treat My Dogs Ear Infection
First of all, your dogs ears will be examined, and a sample collected , to obtain and identify the type of yeast or bacteria that is present. In addition to a thorough cleaning, a prescribed treatment will probably involve some type of antifungal or antibacterial drug, as well as an antibiotic. These will come in the form of internal or topical medications. Your dog may also be given something for pain and inflammation.
Secondly, if ear infections are recurring, further testing will be needed to find the root of the problem. For a successful remission of chronic infections, that problem will also have to be addressed and remedied.
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Can Babies Get Cradle Cap Behind Their Ears
Despite the name, cradle cap is really just a common name for a specific type of dermatitis.
Cradle cap is a common baby skin condition caused by excessive oil production and a certain type of yeast. In some infants, cradle cap may extend beyond the scalp and include the area behind their ears, the back of their neck, and other areas where the skin folds.
Treat these areas just like you would treat a case of cradle cap on your childs scalp. Home remedies include olive oil, coconut oil, or petroleum jelly. Washing the affected areas daily with mild baby shampoo may also help.
If your childs skin is particularly irritated, crusty, painful, or appears infected, contact your childs pediatrician. Anti-fungal cream or steroid cream may be prescribed to help combat it.
It Matters Where Your Family Is From
Asian and non-Asian ears produce different types of earwax according to scientists at the Monell Institute in Philadelphia. Chromosome 16 is home to the wet or dry gene for earwax with the wet variant dominating.
A small change in the gene ABCC11 is related to both the dry-type earwax and also for reduced underarm body odour found in Chinese, Japanese and Korean individuals.
The American study measured the concentration of 12 volatile organic compounds found in earwax in groups of East Asian and white men.
In 11 out of the 12 compounds the Caucasian earwax had greater amounts of odorous compounds.
Kate Prigge from Monell says their analysis of the smell of ear wax is a first step towards finding out whether they might eventually use it to detect disease.
The institute studies a rare genetic disorder called maple syrup urine disease, which can be easily diagnosed through the scent of earwax compounds. Swabbing someones ears is a much simpler and cheaper process than doing a genetic test.
Dr Prigge does realise how odd her choice of career might sound. She says: You tell someone that you work in human body odour you get a good laugh, says Prigge. But when you explain the importance behind it or how much information can be gained in these types of studies, people often understand why.
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Earwax That Smells Bad
When your earwax smells terrible, pay attention because it most likely indicates a severe infection. Anaerobic bacteria, that means the organism doesnt require oxygen to thrive, tend to emit a foul odor that can make earwax smell bad.
A bad smell can also mean an infection is causing middle ear damage. You might notice your balance is off and there is ringing or other phantom noises in the affected ear. Time to see the doctor.
In 2009, a group of Japanese scientists also linked smelly earwax to a gene associated with breast cancer. Although more studies are needed to prove this connection, its something you should talk to your doctor about especially if breast cancer runs in the family.
Should You Clean Inside Your Babys Ears
This question might seem obvious but many parents are cautious about cleaning inside their babys ears because they are so small and they dont want to get water down into the canal.
Although your first instinct might be to grab a cotton swab and go to town, most doctors recommend against using such an invasive tool on your childs ears. Using a cotton swab can actually push gunk and ear wax further into the ear canal, increasing the risk of infection.
Do not use your finger either to try and dig out wax or dirt from your childs ear. Pushing any foreign object into the ear can also cause serious damage to the eardrum or ear canal.
In addition, earwax is actually beneficial to the ear and in most cases should not be removed. So despite the temptation to remove it, it is generally recommended to leave earwax alone.
If you still feel that your little one has excessive earwax, you could try softening the wax with a few drops of baby oil or hydrogen peroxide before attempting to remove it. After the wax has successfully been softened , you can spray warm water into the ear while allowing it to tilt down to drain. Dry thoroughly to prevent infection and be sure to consult a doctor if you have any questions or concerns.
Remember, if you have any questions or concerns regarding your childs ears, especially if you suspect the presence of an infection, be sure to contact your childs doctor.
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The Side Effects Of Excessive Earwax
But for many people, earwax is manifestly too much of a good thing. An ear canal plugged up with earwax can cause earaches, infections, and other problems. If it gets lodged in a certain way, earwax can cause a cough by stimulating the branch of the vagus nerve that supplies the outer ear. And, not surprisingly, an excess of earwax can result in some loss of hearing.
Guidelines from the American Academy of OtolaryngologyHead and Neck Surgery stress a let-it-be attitude toward earwax and warn against removal unless the earwax is causing a problem. Of course, sometimes itâs difficult to tell if the wax is the source of a problem without removing it and seeing whether the problem goes away.
Causes Of Foul Smelling Ears In Dogs
Ear infections are the most common cause of foul smelling ears in canines. These infections can come from:
- Various bacterial organisms which are common to the skin and ear canal of the canine can take advantage of opportunities created by abrasions, cuts and other wounds allow the bacteria to cause an infection
-
Fungal organisms There are a variety of fungal organisms which are known to cause stinky ears in your canine family member, one of which is yeast
- Ear mites and other parasites can cause parasitic infections which will produce a foul smell
-
Earwax buildup Periodic cleaning of your pets ears may keep this cause under control
- Allergies This can include food allergies as well as inhaled irritating allergens
- Trauma to the ear
-
Hormonal abnormalities This might include hypothyroidism
- Ear environment This includes moisture which is retained or other ear environment which prevents the normal natural cleaning process that is built into the canine ear
- Hereditary conditions, immune issues and tumors
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Who Is Affected By Maple Syrup Urine Disease
MSUD can affect anyone, but people whose parents are closely related are much more likely to have the metabolic disease. For this reason, MSUD frequently occurs among Mennonites in the United States, where members of the community often marry each other. MSUD occurs in 1 of every 380 births in the Mennonite population.