What is an ear infection?
The medical term for an ear infection or inflammation is otitis.

Otitis is categorized by the location of the infection or inflammation in your dog’s ear: external (the ear canal), media (the middle ear including the eardrum) or internal (the innermost portion of your dog’s ear).

Otitis media and internal otitis can cause permanent deafness, and internal otitis is a medical emergency as your dog’s balance may be severely impacted. However, as most cases of otitis media and internal otitis begin as external otitis, you need to get all ear infections looked at promptly.

What will an ear infection look like in my dog?
The symptoms of an ear infection are pain when the ear is touched, scratching at the ear, shaking the head to flap the ears, swelling or redness of the ear flap or ear canal, and odor or discharge from the ear. Internal otitis may impact your dog’s balance which will make him dizzy.  As such, in addition to the pain associated with all types of otitis, a dog with internal otitis will likely have a head tilt or tilt his whole body, be unsteady on his feet, bump into things, circle or pace, and move his eyes strangely. Because your dog will be feeling dizzy and thus nauseated, your dog may also vomit. If your dog’s balance function is not working properly, this is a medical emergency and he needs to be taken to the vet immediately.