Ear disease is among the most painful and common conditions in dogs; prevention through appropriate management and prompt treatment prevents chronic suffering in affected animals.
Ear disease in dogs causes significant pain that is often underestimated by owners and even veterinarians. The chronic recurrent otitis that develops in some predisposed dogs — cocker spaniels, labradors, golden retrievers — causes ongoing pain that affects behaviour and quality of life. Early treatment of acute episodes prevents the chronic changes that make long-term management much more challenging. Prevention through appropriate ear hygiene in predisposed breeds and management of underlying allergies that predispose to ear infection reduces the prevalence of this common painful condition.