In the Literature
Corb E, Griffin CE, Bidot W, Hall M, Kirby A, Rosenkrantz W. Effect of ear cleaning on treatment outcome for canine otitis externa. Vet Dermatol. 2024;35(6):716-725. doi:10.1111/vde.13292
The Research …
Ear cleaning is often recommended for management of otitis externa in dogs, but few studies have evaluated whether cleaning improves treatment outcomes.
In this study,a the effect of ear cleaning in dogs (n = 22) treated for otitis externa was assessed. Exclusion criteria included ear canal ulceration, known or suspected ruptured tympanic membrane or signs of otitis media, and occlusion of >50% of the ear canal by a mass or proliferative tissue. Twenty ears were cleaned with a commercial ear flush containing 0.2% salicylic acid, and 20 ears had the external canal wiped with dry or saline-moistened gauze to remove debris (and thus maintain investigator blinding). All ears were then treated with an otic suspension containing hydrocortisone, miconazole, and gentamicin every 24 hours for 5 days. Patients were evaluated via cytologic scores, modified otitis index scores, the pruritus visual analog scale, a modified pruritus visual analog scale, and pet owner questionnaires.
Both groups had successful treatment outcomes, regardless of cleaning. Dogs with rod-shaped bacteria had a significant decrease in cytologic scores in cleaned ears only.
a This study was funded by Virbac Animal Health.
… The Takeaways
Key pearls to put into practice:
Dogs in both study groups improved with treatment, but cleaning before medication application was particularly important in patients with rod-shaped bacteria. Whether a different ear flush product that is more cerumenolytic or antimicrobial would produce different results is unclear. Regardless, in-clinic ear cleaning is a simple step that may improve outcomes.
Patients with ear canal ulceration were excluded from the current study. Dogs with ulcerated ear canals often have more purulent discharge, and further study is needed to evaluate the importance of flushing the ears prior to medication application in these patients.
In this study, ears were cleaned in the clinic by trained veterinary staff; however, many owners are instructed to clean their pet’s ears at home prior to application of an otic suspension. Efficacy of owner ear cleaning and whether this affects treatment outcomes of dogs with otitis may be of interest for future investigation.
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