General considerations
By now, it must be clear how susceptible to infection ears are. Some dogs seem to be more vulnerable to ear infections than others. German Shepherds and Poodles top the list.
Well, since – as we have said before – the basic problem has to do with air circulation (or lack thereof), then it stands to reason that dogs with droopy ear flaps would be more prone to ear problems. In fact, statistics have shown that 80 per cent of the cases of ear infection confront dogs with hanging ears, for example, Poodles, Basset Hounds, Bloodhounds, etc.. The theory is that erect ears allow air to circulate well in the external ear canals, and therefore allow for a better drying out of the canals and provide less favourable conditions for bacteria to proliferate. That’s the theory. Here in Guyana, we do not have many of the above-mentioned breeds; and despite the supposed statistics, here in a country close to the equator and below sea-level (where most of the dogs reside) and with extremely high humidity levels, dogs like the German Shepherds (notwithstanding their upright ears) suffer greatly from ear infections.
How do we know if the pet has an ear infection?
The ears are sensitive! One doesn’t have to be a rocket scientist to appreciate that fact. So, even if there is a
