Many busy clinics are missing a huge opportunity to help clients and their pets through proper
handling of ear disease.
Issues such as allergies, swimming or improper bathing, food allergies, mites and other parasites can all contribute to different
forms of ear disease.
Though ear mites are the most common
type of ear disease, cats can suffer from other disease as well.
There are other
causes of ear diseases in cats, and since treatment follows diagnosis, a professional diagnosis should be made.
Clearly, successful
treatment of ear disease can be expedited if we know exactly what we are treating and with which medications.
Symptoms of ear disease are shaking the head, scratching at the ears, discharge from the ear canal, odor from the ear, or redness of the ear flap or entrance to the ear canal.
If your dog swims a lot, has long floppy ears, or a
history of ear disease, more routine cleaning (often once or twice a week) is recommended.
The Dermatology Service has access to advanced imaging modalities such as computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to evaluate advanced
cases of ear disease.
• Ear infections — a video otoscopy, myringotomy and bullae (middle ear) irrigation is the gold standard for diagnosing and treating chronic and / or severe ear infections which often have middle ear infections as a
component of the ear disease.
As Croakey has covered on numerous occasions, the
rate of ear disease and hearing loss among Indigenous Australians is 10 times that of the non-Indigenous population.
And it's this passion that's led Kong to playing a starring role in these fantastic film clips, aimed particularly at Indigenous children and families but also providing straight and easy information for the broader community to allay fears about the detection, treatment and
ramifications of ear disease.
See also another moving story from the Aboriginal Hearing Program published by the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) and, at the bottom of the post, a call from Menzies School of Health Research for more investment in the prevention and
treatment of ear disease and hearing loss in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.
When you look at the causes
of ear disease in cats, they can be divided into primary or secondary factors.
There is no reliable data on the level of incidence of
either of these ear diseases.
Ear mites are a common cause
of ear disease and infection, although other ear conditions may cause similar clinical signs.
In recognition of Hearing Awareness Week (August 21 - 27), leading ear health experts at Menzies School of Health Research (Menzies) are calling for more investment in the prevention and treatment
of ear disease and hearing loss in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.