Dog Ear Infections: Causes, Symptoms & Natural Prevention
Ear infections are one of the most common (and uncomfortable) issues we see in dogs. While they can be frustrating and recurring, understanding the why behind them is the first step toward keeping your dog’s ears healthy long-term.
The Two Main Types of Ear Infections
Most ear infections fall into one of two categories — yeast or bacterial — although sometimes both can be present at the same time. A veterinary cytology test is the only way to accurately determine what’s going on inside the ear and ensure appropriate treatment.
Common Symptoms to Watch For
If your dog has an ear infection, you may notice:
• Persistent scratching or rubbing of the ears
• Head shaking
• Discharge from the ear canal
• An unpleasant smell
• Redness, heat, swelling, or pain
Why Some Dogs Are More Prone
Dogs with long or floppy ears are particularly susceptible due to reduced air circulation in the ear canal. Dogs who swim frequently are also at higher risk. Yeast and bacteria thrive in warm, dark, moist environments — exactly what an untreated ear canal can become.
Bacterial vs Yeast Ear Infections
• Bacterial infections typically produce clear, yellow, or green discharge and are often very painful. These infections usually require veterinary treatment, as a culture may be needed to determine the correct antibiotic ear drops.
• Yeast infections usually present with brown, waxy discharge and a distinctive “corn chip” smell, along with inflammation and discomfort. NAS Ear Clear is an effective treatment and preventative option for yeast-related ear issues.
Preventing Ear Infections & Supporting Long-Term Ear Health
If ear infections are recurring and not linked to swimming, they’re often a sign of poor gut health or underlying allergies or food intolerances.
Yeast feeds on carbohydrates, starches, and sugars — which means diets heavy in dry kibble can unintentionally fuel the problem.
If your dog has no other major skin issues, these are our top tips to help banish cranky ears for good:
1. Improve Air Circulation
Keep hair around the ear canal and underneath the ear flap trimmed short. When your dog is resting on one side, gently lift the ear flap to allow airflow. Poodle and doodle breeds may benefit from professional ear hair plucking if recommended.
2. Support Gut Health
Feed a high-quality, dog-specific multi-strain probiotic. Human probiotics contain the wrong strains, and any bacteria in yoghurt remaining after pasteurisation rarely survive a dog’s stomach acid.
Be cautious of heavily marketed probiotics with only 2–3 strains and inflated price tags. When choosing a probiotic, look beyond the branding and count the strains — more diversity equals better gut support.
Ours contains 7 strains, and we also stock Saccharomyces boulardii, which is not affected by antibiotics if your dog is in a course.
3. Optimise Nutrition
Reduce or eliminate high-carbohydrate foods that yeast loves to feed on, including:
• Dry kibble
• Pasta, rice, potatoes, bread
• Dentastix (cereal based)
• Peas, chickpeas, lentils
Starve yeast of its fuel by feeding a balanced, fresh whole-food diet with plenty of fibre-rich, pulped plant matter. The more variety in your dog’s diet, the more diverse their gut bacteria — and the stronger their immune system. Don’t fear appropriate “human foods” or leftovers — when chosen wisely, they can be incredibly beneficial.
4. Add Natural Anti-Fungal Foods
Support the body naturally by incorporating foods and herbs with antifungal properties, such as:
• Virgin coconut oil
• Oregano
• Calendula
• Spearmint
• Garlic (no it’s not toxic to dogs in small appropriate amounts)
• Turmeric
5. Use Preventative Ear Drops
Having a preventative on hand can make all the difference. Using ear drops once weekly or fortnightly can help maintain healthy ears. Our most trusted option is NAS Ear Clear. At the first sign of irritation, using it for a few days can often prevent a full-blown infection from developing.
6. Clean — But Don’t Poke
Clean the outer ear flap only using probiotic ear wipes or diluted raw apple cider vinegar (1 part vinegar to 1 part filtered water) applied with cosmetic cotton pads. Always use a fresh pad for each ear to avoid cross-contamination.
❌ Never insert cotton buds or poke anything down the ear canal.
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