Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for Otoscope Ear Infection

1. My dog has an ear infection?

If you take your dog to the vet they will use an otoscope to look down his ear canal to determine the amount of inflammation he/she is dealing with. A cotton swab will pull out a sample of the overgrowth. The material will then be wiped onto a slide, stained, and looked at under a microscope. This procedure will help to identify whether it is a bacterial or yeast infection.

Your vet will prescribe ear drops for your dog. Do not give your dog hydrogen peroxide as this is dangerous.

Hope this helps!

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2. What does it mean when you are getting a cold and can hear a bubble-poping/ running water sound in the ear?

I had this. I avoided the doc. I got a throat infection first and then the entire nasal septum and the ears got blocked. The doc put in some instrument and could actually see the well formed bubbles. Eventually, they gave me an antibiotic for the throat, but said that the nose and the ears need to clear on their own. He said, lots of inhalations and gargling with hot water is the only way.

So i guess, if it is just congestion, you could try that too.

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3. What could cause discomfort in a dog's ear?

Inner ear infection, ear mites, grass seed. All require veterinary treatment. Not an immediate emergency but as your pet is in discomfort it should not be left beyond your vet's normal opening hours. Also, leaving any of these can result in more serious problems, which would be more expensive to treat and could lead to suregery to correct, and prolonged ill health.

You do of course have a legal and moral obligation to get veterinary treatment and not allow your pet to suffer. That is animal abuse and neglect and libel to presecution.

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4. Pus oozing from ear - does she need to go to the ER or can it wait till Monday?

This Site Might Help You.

RE:

Pus oozing from ear - does she need to go to the ER or can it wait till Monday?

My friend heard an odd crackling noise and then a pop, and there was liquid in her ear. Her ear is now dripping pus and she is in a lot of pain. Her doctor is closed and she is being difficult about going to the ER.

Can you guys please give me some ideas of what could be wrong with her and if...

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5. I think that I may have an ear infection....What kind of eardrop should I get?

you could to a pharmacist/chemist and ask them but it would be preferable to see a doctor and have it properly diagnosed and get a prescription for something that might be better and possibly an antibiotic.

it might be simple but there again ......

different things work for different people/problems and you may get some answers which could be worse for your condition.

ear infections are hideous and you have my sympathy for what it is worth. hope it clears soon.

edit: no answers when i started, oh well thems the breaks.

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6. my 10 year old rott had an ear problem . the vet treated it but she wont stop shaking her head even after it?

You won't necessarily see anything. Advise that you do take to the vet as soon as possible as if it is a grass seed then they can end up travelling through the body and causing problems. If it is an ear infection setting up caused by anything (mites or whatever), the sooner treated the better. When there is a problem the ear canal inflames and narrows. This makes the inner ear warmer and the bacteria produce more in that environment and so the whole thing gets worse and can then become ongoing

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7. what does it mean when the inside of my ear feels like a bomb went off inside of it and then it feels like it?

Dena, a little more history would help. Age? How long you've had any ear trouble? Any present illness, like a "bad" cold? Perhaps a middle ear infection caused a build up of fluid behind the ear drum which then caused the drum to suddenly rupture (explode) outwards and leak some pus and a drop of blood. Consider visiting a physician who can look in your ear with an otoscope and give you a quick answer, perhaps prescribing appropriate antibiotics or other treatment. Protect your hearing

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8. my right ear is numb whats wrong with me?

sounds like you have an ear infection

infection can affect the ear canal (otitis externa), the eardrum, or the middle ear (otitis media). Most ear injuries are caused by pressure changes during direct injury (such as a blow to the ear) or sport scuba diving, but, a persistently painful ear may signal an infection that requires treatment. Because an ear scope (otoscope) may not be available to examine the canal and inner ear in remote locations, starting therapy may be appropriate until a doctor can be reached.

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9. I've been experiencing a hear loss in my left ear for nearly a month now and am struggling.......?

Unfortunately I seen a show on discovery on a man who had the same symptoms and if I remember correctly he had a weird condition where his brain was oozing into his ear because he naturally had a hole in his skull right by his ear canal. It took a long time for them to find this out though. Sorry don't mean to scare you, I think the guy was ultimately ok but he suffered for a long time before they actually found the cause.

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10. Is it okay that my new kitten doesn't land on her feet?

Just take her to the vet. We obviously can't provide 100% correct answers. Just keep her from jumping a lot until you're able to get her checked out by your vet. It doesn't matter if you've already got her checked out before. Go to the vets again, and they'll tell you what's wrong. She could have a balance issue, which is caused by different things. So, your safest bet is to just GET HER CHECKED OUT BY A VET. easy peesy.

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11. Dog still tilting head after 2nd antibiotic and vet, what should I do, now cost is a major factor?

"How do I light a fire under the vet?" By not complaining about the cost and paying them. And/or go to another vet and/or vet school to see a specialist.

I became disabled before I was old enough to retire now I'm a disabled senior on a fixed income, Vets like doctors are just another business, if you don't have the money you can't get care, thankfully most people have insurance, that covers a portion of the costs.

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12. Is it okay if the doctor put an otoscope in my ear without cleaning it/putting on a new tube?

You should have stopped her and asked her if the otoscope had been cleaned before putting it in your ear. You have the right to question. I questioned my dentist who had been using hand sanitizers and not washing his hands between patients. My doctor uses a disposable shield on the otoscope before he puts it in my ear. Don't feel that you cannot point out your concerns to your doctor. They need to know that their patients have concerns. Some, not all, are sloppy about hygiene

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13. I think I have an ear infection...?

yes, you may have an ear infection, you may feel popping and what not. A doctor can diagnose the ear infection with an otoscope and prescribe an antibiotic if it is an infection. You may also have fluid in your ears, If you have allergies, this causes your nose to get plugged up, then fluid fills into the eustachian tubes. But again, I would speak with a Doctor! Go

od luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!GO OR YOUR DED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You may want to try a warm washcloth and lay on the affected side.

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14. My ear aches and this is NOT your usual ear problem! HELP!!!?

Go to the doctor where they can properly examine your ear using an otoscope and see if there is any damage/if there is any foreign objects present. If there is an infection they may give you some antibiotics and they will certainly be able to provide you with some medication to alleviate the symptoms.

It is important you dont try and put things in your ear yourself as you can damager the internal structures, you should only insert cotton wool buds etc as far as you can see.

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15. What to do about Swimmers Ear?!HELP!?

You need to begin a course of oral antibiotics immediately. It will not get better wothout them.

It sounds as though the infection has spread to your jaw joint which can be very serious indeed. If left untreated, you could end up with chronic temporomandibular joint disorder.

Severe ear infections left untreated can cause a conductive hearing loss, nerve damage, damage to the jaw, and even death - I am NOT kidding.

Please see a doctor right away so he can actually have a look inside with an otoscope and prescribe you with the correct antibiotics.

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16. I have pain one of my ears, what could it be?

Kathleen- What you describe sounds most like a middle ear build up of fluid in the right ear. It could be due to either an infection (most probable) or an allergy. Either can be painful. It might be related to your week-ago pool/ocean experience. A physician could easily use an otoscope to look at your right eardrum to see if it is bulging out as a result of the middle ear fluid build-up, and then recommend either a decongestant and/or an antibiotic. A check-up should only take a few minutes

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17. How do you know you have a hole in your ear drum???

You can't tell if you have a hole in your eardrum unless you have a doctor or nurse do an otoscopic exam. You can't see the eardrum by looking without an otoscope. If you have had injury recently, been hit in the head with a ball or slapped upside the ear or had an infection with severe pain that relieved sudden or had any bleeding from your ear you should get checked. In the meantime be sure not to get water in your ear.**

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18. baby ear infections, check at home?

The fact that the drum was bulging should really have made you think again about the antibiotics. When the ear drum is bulging theres an awful lot of crap behind it and without treatment could easily burst. While I agree that sometimes you can forego antibiotics, when it comes to a childs hearing I wouldnt risk it. Your child will appear better if the infection goes down and also if the ear drum bursts as the pressure thats causing the pain has now gone. Ear drums do heal but scar tissue develops

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19. Should I clean out my puppy s ear?

Does his ears stink? Either way keep cleaning them until they see the vet. Using a Q-tip if your finger doesn't fit with cotton is fine, the inside of a dog's ear is in an "L" shape, and the ear drum as after the curve. This means that you'd have to push it in very far to touch the ear drum. By the way if his ears stink there's a greater chance it's an infection of some sort

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20. What's wrong w/ my guinea pig?? He's lethargic and not really eating or drinking.?

hi,i had a guinea pig that had the same problem,i had to literally pull the poop out of him,as for his teeth, i suggest you do look at them,if theyre not meeting together that means he cannot chew,his teeth are overgrown,this is serious,i t will cause ypur pet to dehydrate,i suggest you take your piggie to the vet and have hi/her check his teeth,if theyre overgrown the vet could trim them down and your guinea pig will then be able to eat again

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21. Anyone know the significance of pulling the ear up versus pulling the ear down on a physical examination?

Anytime an ear gets examined it's best to start with the least invasive step then advance from there,

step one; look at the outer ear without touching it, step 2; press on the tragus (hard bony thing outside the ear canal), 3-pull the earlobe up, down or back, 4- look in the ear with an otoscope.

Sure he/she could have just jammed an otocsope in the ear and looked around without testing if there is pain but wouldn't have been the best way to examine an ear.

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22. My inner ear virus has come back?

Sky Bird, your "inner" ear problem could be a virus OR a bacteria. First, it would be wise to visit a health clinic or your doctor to get a Rapid Strep Test or throat swab culture for a bacteria like the bad Streptococcus. If positive for beta-hemolytic Strep, antibiotics will be prescribed. If not, an ear exam (otoscope) by your doctor may still prescribe an antibiotic for a middle ear (inner) infection. If it's a virus, then antibiotics won't help but an antihistamine or decongestant may help. Good luck!