Chronic ear disease (otitis externa) is one of the most common reasons for veterinary visits in dogs, causing significant pain, head shaking, and progressive hearing loss when poorly managed.
Ear pain is significantly underrecognized in dogs. Owners often interpret the classic signs — head shaking, pawing at ears, odor, discharge — as minor nuisances rather than indicators of significant chronic pain. A dog with advanced otitis may have been living with daily ear pain for months or years before diagnosis. The ear canal is richly innervated; chronic otitis with secondary infection causes pain comparable to otitis media in humans. Prompt treatment with appropriate topical and systemic medications, combined with identification and management of underlying causes (particularly allergies), prevents the progressive canal changes that lead to surgical necessity. Regular ear examinations and cleaning protocols appropriate to the individual dog's anatomy and risk factors are the foundation of prevention.