Relapsing or persistent ear disease

If your pet suffers from chronic, recurrent ear infections then you are constantly treating the secondary factors of otitis, defined as inflammation of the ear (see ear canal diagram below).

The list of predisposing, primary, and perpetuating factors that contribute to those infections is extensive; however, allergy is responsible for the vast majority of recurrent otitis.

A chronically relapsing ear infection may be an indicator that the infection no longer just involves the external ear canal, but the infection has moved to the middle ear cavity. In which case, the veterinary dermatologist is trained to thoroughly flush the infection. However, treatment success can only be achieved once the veterinary dermatologist has considered and addressed all underlying factors.