Why Do My Dog's Ears Stink?

Question: We have a maltese shih-tzu that is almost 1 year old. His ears have a bad smell, but they are clean. Any suggestions?

Answer: Looking inside the ears is a great first thing to do, although there may be something there that you just can't see.

The Maltese Shih-Tzu is more prone to ear problems than other breeds because of all the hair and floppy ears. Breeding has created issues in dogs that were never meant to happen. Wild dogs don't have these problems, just take a look at the fox and the wolf and you'll notice their ears are upstanding, offering better ventilation - nature is wise and created dogs to be protected - but breeding has caused this problem and now it must be dealt with.

The cause for the bad odor could be an infection caused by mites or parasites. Hot, humid weather and poor ventilation contribute to these problems and worsen them. Ears that flop keep what goes in from coming out and offer a nice dark, humid, and warm environment to live and grow in. The extra hair your Maltese has in his ears holds onto whatever goes in and keeps it there.

In general, a clean, dry ear is a healthy ear. Bacterial infections are really common and a waxy ear, although wax usually protects, can help gather two or three types of organisms and provide a cozy home for them.

Ear infections can also be a secondary issue brought on by allergies, hypothyroidism, or skin diseases like seborrhea.

If your dog scratches a lot, he's sure to be uncomfortable and can cause further damage. He may shake his head enough to cause a hematoma, and if there is a lot of greasy, soiled, smelliness in the ears, long exposure without treatment can cause hearing loss.

A day in the woods, certain grasses, tiny seeds, or a romp in the car with his head outside the window can send in unwanted tiny bugs, seedlings, etc. in the ear canal which are easily treated once the item is removed.

Little nodules growing in the ear that kind of look like a cauliflower head generally have yeast and fungi living in the deeper, darker areas between the raised areas. An infection can become chronic and hard to treat.

Things to do:

• Observe your dog
• Look closely in the ears to help identify the problem
• Have your dog checked out by a veterinarian
• Keep your dogs ears clean and dry
• Watch out for certain cleansing solutions for dogs ears - even if they are specifically made for this purpose - some of them will dry out the ear to the point they cause skin problems - there is such a thing as too clean
• Use the same rule you use for your ears: don't put anything too small - to include isotopes - inside the ear!

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