Ear Infections

Ear Infections

More than half of the patients I see daily have some form of ear disease (Otitis Externa). Most of these cases are preventable with some regular ear maintenance. This month’s article will review ear disease causes and some easy prevention techniques.
Signs of ear problems include itching leading to head shaking and scratching at the area. Soon to follow can be redness, a malodorous discharge from the ear or ears and possible a head tilt.
Common causes are flea allergy, food allergy, atopy (like hay fever), mites and others. Predisposing factors include pets with floppy ears, hot humid environments (Florida), narrowed ear canals in certain breeds, pets that swim, tumors as well as others. Secondary to these conditions, the patient will develop a bacterial and/or yeast infection.
Treatment involves identifying the primary cause of the infection. Whereas fleas and atopy are the number one underlying reason in Florida for otitis, recent research has shown that food allergy is very common as a cause of treatment failure. (See the monthly article archive for further information regarding Flea Allergy, Food Allergy and Atopy) Microscopic evaluation of the ear discharge is necessary for identification of the bacterial and/or yeast involved. Once identified, topical and if necessary, oral medication is prescribed for a week or longer to clear the infection. A recheck is usually required at this time to assess treatment success.
Prevention is the best treatment, especially when it comes to ears. Pets which are predisposed to these diseases will require more regular care than others. Simply using an approved veterinary ear cleaner weekly, after baths and swimming will prevent visits to the veterinarian for treatment. We use V.E.T. Ear Cleaner exclusively because of studies which show excellent yeast and bacterial kill as well as effective gentle cleansing. I do NOT recommend alcohol, vinegar/water or most over the counter ear cleaners which tend to be irritating.
As always, if you should have any questions or concerns regarding this months health article, please feel free to call the office.

Skin Disease: Flea Allergy Dermatitis

Skin Disease: Flea Allergy Dermatitis

This is the most common presenting problem in patients I see at Olive Branch. Florida ranks number one in the country for Heartworm Disease, Flea Allergy Dermatitis and Atopic Dermatitis. Florida’s tropical climate is a haven for mosquitoes which cause Heartworm Disease, fleas which cause an Allergic Dermatitis and various grasses, pollen, trees and dust mites which cause Atopy. In addition to Flea Allergy Dermatitis and Atopy is Food Allergy Dermatitis which also causes skin disease either alone or in combination with the other two syndromes. So, basically 3 things cause skin disease I see daily in my practice:
  • Flea Allergy
  • Atopy
  • Food Allergy
  • In this article we will discuss Flea Allergy Dermatitis.
Some pets are allergic to the saliva in the flea’s bite. If allergic, 1 bite can cause itching for up to 2 weeks in these pets. A study published a few years ago, when the topical flea preventions (Advantage, Frontline Top Spot) were initially being tested, showed up to an 80% reduction of allergic symptoms not only from fleas, but also from Atopy. Therefore, this is the first line of treatment for generalized skin disease…monthly flea prevention. Treating the home and enviroment help, but topical treatment on the pet is by far the most effective prevention. Some clients will say however their pet doesn’t have fleas. They may not see fleas on their pet, but a flea will bite their friend when they go outside, then jump off the pet. Fleas have been around for centuries and have a knack for survival. Remember, we are the number one state for fleas in this country. Companies who make flea prevention come to Florida to test their products.
In the next article, we will discuss Atopy which is the second most common cause of skin disease.

Skin Disease: Food Allergy Dermatitis

Skin Disease: Food Allergy Dermatitis

This is the most common presenting problem in patients I see at Olive Road. Florida ranks number one in the country for Heartworm Disease, Flea Allergy Dermatitis and Atopic Dermatitis. Florida’s tropical climate is a haven for mosquitoes which cause Heartworm Disease, fleas which cause an Allergic Dermatitis and various grasses, pollen, trees and dust mites which cause Atopy. In addition to Flea Allergy Dermatitis and Atopy is Food Allergy Dermatitis which also causes skin disease either alone or in combination with the other two syndromes. So, basically 3 things cause skin disease I see daily in my practice:
  • Flea Allergy
  • Atopy
  • Food Allergy
  • In this article we will discuss Food Allergy Dermatitis.
Food Allergy Dermatitis is becoming a more common problem in the skin disease arena. In my experience, it is seen more commonly in dogs than in cats. The most typical presenting clinical sign is either the ears or generalized skin are slightly pink and itchy. The offending agent is the protein component of the food being fed. Most commercial over the counter foods contain chicken, beef or a combination thereof. Treatment involves feeding a hypo-allergenic diet for 8 to 10 weeks and sometimes longer. The two current diets are Hill’s Science Diet Z/D(dry formula only) or Innovative Veterinary Diet’s Venison/Potato, Fish/Potato, Kangaroo/Potato and others (dry and canned formulas). Hill’s Z/D protein molecule is formulated to be so small in size, it is not recognized by the patient’s immune system. Innovative Veterinary Diets provide a “novel” protein (proteins not available in over the counter foods) that the patient’s immune system has not been exposed to, thus the pet should not be allergic when consuming. The most important thing is the patient can only be fed the hypo-allergenic diet for the trial period. Any variance from the diet renders the results less than optimal. Results are sometimes seen immediately and other times later in the trial. Unlike Flea Allergy Dermatitis and Atopy, Food Allergy Dermatitis is not very responsive to steroids. After the trial period, it is recommended removing the hypo-allergenic food and returning to the patients original diet. Owners usually balk at this notion since the pet’s skin looks the best is has in years. It is acceptable to continue to feed the hypo-allergenic diet long term, although more expensive than over the counter foods. I have found in my practice that hypo-allergenic diets help pets improve more quickly and sustain their improvement regardless of the true allergy cause.
For more information on skin disease, see the previous 2 articles which cover the 2 most common forms of skin disease, Flea Allergy and Atopy.