Causes Of Floppy Ears In Dogs And Treatment
There are different conditions that can cause a dog to have one ear up and the other down. However, they are usually accompanied by other symptoms. These other symptoms will generally be more obvious and should lead you to your vets office to rule out serious ailments.
When the dog is not treated in time, as can be the case with abandoned dogs, the ear may never lift. Unfortunately, this is often the case with stray dogs. They may have a flabby or misshapen ear due to malnutrition, fighting, illness, fungal ear infections, parasites, or other causes.
Some of the more common causes include:
- Bite wounds: when dogs fight or play, it is not uncommon for their ears to be injured, as they are vulnerable and accessible areas. Animal bites are often complicated by ear infections. Except for minor injuries, they need veterinary attention and even surgical intervention as a means to avoid deformations.
- Otitis media: Otitis is a general term for inflammation or infection of the ear. This can occur only in the outer part of the ear , but it can also occur in the inner ear or even middle . For the latter, it is common for the dog to regularly keep its head to one side and even shake it in frustration. It is caused by an infection that enters the ear and can affect other parts of the dogs face if it is acute. Some dogs are predisposed to otitis and, in these cases, they may need a surgical intervention to solve the problem permanently.
Is There Anything I Need To Know About Administering Medication In The Ear
“It is important to get the medication into the horizontal part of the ear canal.”
It is important to get the medication into the horizontal part of the ear canal . Unlike our ear canal, the dog’s external ear canal is L-shaped. The vertical canal connects with the outside of the ear and is the upper part of the ‘L’. The horizontal canal lies deeper in the canal and terminates at the eardrum. The goal is to administer the medication into the lower part of the ‘L’ – the horizontal ear canal.
The ear canal may be medicated by following these steps:
“Do not use cotton tipped applicators to do this, as they tend to push debris back into the vertical ear canal.”
Correcting My German Shepherds Ears
Many German Shepherd owners jump the gun and start thinking about correcting their dogs ears while they are only three or four months old. Please note, theres no need to correct your puppys ears in any way until he has finished teething.
Depending on a dog, the teething can last 16 to 20 weeks, and by that time the cartilage in the ear will become strong enough to hold an erect ear.
You should get interested in your German Shepherds ears if five months have passed and they havent perked up yet. This could be a sign that your pup is lacking some essential nutrients and isnt developing properly.
So before you opt to correct your German Shepherds ears, take him to the vet for a full check-up. And if everything turns out fine, your pup has most likely inherited the floppy ears from one or both of his parents.
In this case, you should ask yourself whether a correction is really necessary and whats in it for your dog. On the other hand, if you find your German Shepherds floppy ears funny and cute, you dont have to stress if they are going to perk up at all.
But if you decide to correct your pups ears, do it after he has finished teething and do it right. Its unnecessary and cruel to put your dog through pain and discomfort just for the sake of beauty.
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How To Tape A Floppy
Taping your German Shepherds floppy ears is easy to try and only take a few items.
- Foam rollers
- Self-adhering waterproof dog wrap
- Clean popsicle sticks
Dont use regular tapes that you have around your house or they will tear and rip your dogs tender skin. Its best to use self-adhering dog wrap thats waterproof so you wont injure your puppy.
Next, follow these steps to prop your puppys floppy ears upright.
When Will My German Shepherd’s Ears Stand Up
- For some owners the worry mode can already be reached at 4 months old if their German Shepherd Dog still has floppy ears, and by 6 months it can be full on panic stations!
But some German Shepherd owners panic too early and start taping their pups ears at the young age of 3 or 4 months because theyre ears are not standing up. Stop!
- Its best to be patient and wait until the pup stops teething.
For the ears to go up, it usually has to happen when the teething has finished.
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- But nevertheless there is
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- Some owners have experienced the ears going up as early as 4 weeks old, but it can realistically happen anytime, especially in the teething period which is the first 5-6 months.
Why does this happen? Simple. When the pup is teething the body will need to borrow some calcium for the teeth to grow well, along with important bones. The cartilage of the ear at this time is not that important overall, so they will resume using the calcium only once the teeth and bones have used it.
Now it gets a bit more complicated! You need to be aware that the ears can also go up, come down, and go up again during teething. And it sometimes isn’t even that simple!
Wait until 5 months of age and then seek a vets advice again if they are both down, or one up, one down.
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- But
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Do German Shepherds Have Cropped Ears
A common misconception that many people have is that German Shepherds have cropped ears that account for their erect posture.
It often surprises some people to learn that the AKC standard calls for naturally erect, not cropped ears.
According to the German Shepherd Club of America, the breeds appearance is best designed to exemplify its work as a flock guardian.
But Perhaps The Biggest Factor Is Environment And Upbringing
Like always with a dog, you have to be prepared beforehand, or you will have to play catch up later!
- A German Shepherd Dogs ears can be easily damaged from fighting, playing and pulling! The damage can be from other puppies and dogs and young children, usually by accident. Never let anyone even other dogs to fold, bend, pull, fondle, or play with your German Shepherds ears. There is some research that suggests that massaging the base of the ears and not the ears themselves can help as this can increase blood flow to the cartilage.
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How Can I Treat My German Shepherd Ear Bleeding
German Shepherd ear surgery is typically what will need to happen to properly cure and get rid of GSD ear hematomas. To drain out the fluid, your vet will need to make an incision in your GSDs ears, then tack them down afterwards to ensure they heal properly. This type of German Shepherd ear surgery is typically done with your GSD under anesthesia.
If the underlying cause of the hematoma is German Shepherd ear allergies, your vet may need to prescribe a certain diet regimen and have your GSD undergo allergy tests to accurately pinpoint the cause of the hematoma.
On the other hand, your vet may need to start cleaning your German Shepherd ears if the ear hematoma is caused by ear mites. A German Shepherd ear cleaning solution will need to be used to fully rid your GSDs ears of the mites and will typically need a follow-up treatment of topical ointments for a short period of time afterwards.
How To Get A German Shepherd’s Ears To Stand Up
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- Do not despair!
- Give your GSD quality food Cheap commercial food is definitely a no-no. High-quality dog foods with no corn or wheat are ideal.
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- Like everything in life, getting a German Shepherds ears to go up is not always simple. If everything is done right, from breeding, to care, to diet, and there is no unnecessary interference, then those ears should go up.
¹ http://thedailyshep.com/german-shepherd-ears-12-commonly-asked-questions-answers/
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Dont Touch Or Fondle With His Ears
The ears on puppies are so irresistible that we always want to touch them. But this is a big no-no!Too much fondling can weaken cartilage and bones that are not yet strong or developed. This will not only prolong the time that it takes for them to stand up, but it may even damage them permanently.Some breeders advise to gently massage the base of the ear to promote blood flow. This may work, but I cannot vouch for that as I have never done it. If youre unsure, just avoid the ears.
Does Your Dog Have A Droopy Ear Causes And What To Do
There are dogs of many shapes and sizes, all with their own characteristics. These characteristics can be related to the shape of their body, the type of coat or even their ears. Some have short ears that are held upright. Some have large ears that fall past the face. However, it is not common for a dog to have one ear pricked up and the other not. In these cases, it is possible that the cause is a pathology or a related health condition.
In this article, we take a look at what may be happening when your dog has a floppy ear. We discuss if this is a normal condition or if something needs to be done about it. The same applies if both ears are floppy when they should be erect.
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German Shepherd Ear Health
Like all other purebred dogs, German Shepherds are prone to certain genetic health problems. This breed doesnt suffer from any inherited ear problems, however German Shepherds that have allergies can experience recurring ear infections.
If this is the case, the most important thing is to discover the allergen and limit your dogs exposure to it. By doing so, you will also minimize the chance of painful ear infections.
How To Tape My German Shepherds Ears
As mentioned above, its very important that you dont start taping your dogs ears too early! Give your dog time to develop and let him finish teething before you attempt to correct his ears in any way.
When it comes to taping there are two methods you can try:
Wrap
For this method, youll need foam hair rollers, thin white surgical tape, and a Popsicle stick. Dont use any duct tape or other similar products and remove the plastic part from the hair roller and use just foam.
Place the foam roller inside your dogs ear and wrap the ear around it making sure that everything is in a vertical position. Next, use the thin surgical tape to wrap the ear around the foam roller starting from the tip and working your way to the base.
Repeat the same for the other ear, and once both ears are taped use the popsicle stick and attach it horizontally across the top of both ear tips.
Keep the ears taped for a week and then remove the wrap to see if the ears are standing up. If the ears are erect you dont have to wrap them again.
But if they arent, give your dog a break for one day and tape the ears again. Continue wrapping the ears until they are standing up.
Your pooch will probably find it strange to have his ears wrapped and will most likely tear the tape several times. When this happens, just re-apply everything again and your dog will eventually get used to having his ears wrapped.
Cut
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What Is The Goal Of Ear Canal Surgery
There are several surgical procedures that are used to treat this problem. The most commonly performed surgery is called a lateral ear resection. The goal of the surgery is to remove the vertical part of the ear canal and to eliminate the swollen tissue from the horizontal canal. It is relatively easy to remove the vertical canal, but removal of large amounts of tissue from the horizontal canal is more difficult. In some cases, it is necessary to remove the entire ear canal , which may result in permanent impairment of hearing. See handout “Total Ear Canal Ablation and Bulla Osteotomy ” for information on this surgery.
Is Taping Dogs Ears Cruel
It is generally accepted that it is not cruel for a veterinarian to tape a dogs ears.There are no regulations covering this practice, so veterinarians are often reluctant to perform it even if they know of its benefits. Veterinarians sometimes neglect the potential opportunities of taping dog ears because they are unsure about whether the risk is worth it.The benefits include easier cleaning of debris from inside of the ear canal and an increase in air passage through the ear canal, which leads to freedom from ear infections or buildup of fluid behind the eardrum or being woken up by nighttime scratching against furniture due to pain..
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German Shepherd With Floppy Ears
Have you got a german shepherd with floppy ears? If so, all of your questions are going to be answered in this article!
Some of the topics that will be covered include when a german shepherds ears should stand up, reasons preventing them from standing up, how to fix ears that dont stand up and most importantly, whether it matters or not.
So keep reading to find out!
What To Do If Your Gsds Ears Are Still Floppy
If you are concerned that your puppys ears are not standing up or showing signs of erecting, you can always visit your veterinarian for a check-up.If you visit a veterinarian too early on, theres a very strong chance they are going to tell you that you need to wait.If you wait until around 5 months old, your veterinarian should no longer dismiss your puppys floppy ears and will provide further help. Having said that, if you suspect there is something wrong with your puppys ears, its always up to you to bring them to a veterinarian, regardless of their age.
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