What to do When Your Teacup Pomeranian Has Chronic Ear Infections

Why Does my Teacup Pomeranian have Chronic Ear Infections?

Learn to manage and detect chronic ear infections in your teacup Pomeranian.

Has your teacup Pomeranian begun to scratch at its ears or shake its head? Is there swelling or discharge coming from its tiny fox-like ears? Your poor little pup likely has an ear infection. teacup Pomeranians are overall a very healthy breed. More than likely, you will get many years to spoil your lap warmer, but in order to make these years as comfortable as possible, invest in healthcare and education for your pup. Dogs with chronic ear infections experience debilitating symptoms that can affect their hearing over time. Learn to manage your Pomeranian’s chronic ear infections by early detection and utilizing proper treatment.

A teacup Pomeranian has stolen your heart and your lap, which is a common side effect of choosing this breed for your family. This pint-sized dog is the ideal companion with its affectionate and playful disposition. You can expect a lot of cuddles and love from this fluffy pup. However, don’t let its small size fool you; Pomeranians are known for their big dog personality.

What is an Ear Infection?

The Merck Veterinary Manual describes an ear infection as inflammation of the layer of cells that line the ear canal. The most common disorder is known as otitis externa, which is inflammation of the external ear canal. Otitis externa affects the tubular portion of the outer ear that carries sound to the eardrum. In people, we often call this type of infection “swimmer’s ear.”

Another common ear infection occurs in the middle ear. This infection is known as otitis media. Inflammation and infection of the middle ear may lead to contamination of the inner ear. Inflammation of the inner ear is known as otitis interna.

Chronic ear infections occur whenever a typical ear infection does not heal. You can also consider your pup’s ear infections chronic whenever they are reoccurring. Reoccurring ear infections are known as acute otitis media because fluid is trapped or blocked within the middle ear.

Prolonging the care of a dog ear infection in your teacup Pomeranian can not only lead to debilitating pain and discomfort, but the disease is also capable of spreading. It’s crucial to decipher dog ear infection symptoms to maintain your pup’s overall comfort and health.

Symptoms of Chronic Ear Infections in a Teacup Pomeranian

The American Kennel Club describes the Pomeranian’s ear as small, mounted high, and carried erect. The ears on your pup will give it a fox-like appearance, which is excellent for noticing ear infection symptoms. You do not have to worry about floppy ears, like in Cocker Spaniels. The AKC explained that Pomeranians developed these short, pointy ears in order to avoid frostbite compared to a floppy ear style. Since Pomeranians come from a colder climate, hence they have a bountiful amount of fur.

However, according to the American Society of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), a dog’s ear canal plunges downward and horizontally from the ear opening. This structure makes it hard to remove debris and water from a dog’s ear, thus making canines more susceptible to chronic ear infections.

ASPCA recommends bathing your dog at least once every three months. When cleaning your Pomeranian’s ears, make sure to check for skin irritations around the ear. Outer ear infections often present themselves with a foul-smelling brown, yellow, or bloody discharge. There can be redness and swelling within the ear canal. You might find crusted or scabby skin near the outer part of your dog’s ear. Your pup could experience hair loss from repeated ear scratching. A canine in ear pain might rub its ear on the floor or nearest furniture and aggressively shake its head.

The severity of symptoms of a dog ear infection increases the further down in the ear the infection contaminates. For middle or inner ear infections, typical symptoms like ear scratching and rubbing might present themselves. However, according to the Merck Veterinary Manual, because the facial and sympathetic nerves travel through the middle ear, your teacup Pomeranian might show symptoms on its face. Inflammation of facial nerves can cause facial nerve paralysis, constriction of the eye pupil, a drooping eyelid, the sinking of the eyeball into the orbital cavity, and protrusions of the third eyelid on the same side of the affected ear.

In the most severe cases, an inner ear infection can cause your teacup Pomeranian to lose its balance and coordination. These symptoms can make it hard for your pup to walk. This type of infection may also cause rapid eye movements and abnormalities in the condition of the eyeball. If your puppy is experiencing these symptoms, you might be able to detect which side is suffering by the way its head is tilted. Canines typically lean their head towards the ear that is causing discomfort. It’s essential to seek medical advice when your beloved pet is experiencing similar symptoms. Neurological damage can occur if this infection reaches your puppy’s brain.

While experiencing these symptoms, it’s normal for your beloved pet to experience hearing loss. The swelling and ear wax will cause temporary issues with your pup’s hearing. It would help if you asked your veterinarian this simple question, how do dogs get ear infections, at your next visit. It’s vital to determine the cause of the hearing loss to find the treatment method to prevent permanent damage to your canine’s eardrum.

Causes of Chronic Ear Infections in a Teacup Pomeranian

More than likely, your teacup Pomeranian will experience an ear infection throughout their life. You might be wondering, how do dogs get ear infections? Some breeds of dogs are more susceptible to ear problems than other breeds. These breeds might then develop a chronic relationship with ear inflammation. A teacup Pomeranian can fall victim to chronic ear infections for a variety of reasons.

The leading cause of ear infections is bacterial overgrowth. If your pup has an injury near its ear, bacteria can find their way inside the wound. Often, water from bathtime can transfer bacteria into your pup’s ear and possibly cause an infection. With teacup Pomeranians, it’s easy to over-manicure them. Their cute little ears and fluffy hair look pristine after bathtime. However, it’s essential not to bathe your pup repeatedly because too much fluid in the ear canal can lead to this disorder. If you plan to regularly groom your teacup Pomeranian, use a cotton ball as a barrier between the water and its ear canal.

Other root causes of infection include yeast and fungi. Ear infections caused by yeast usually develop when there is too much moisture within your pup’s ear. This is why it is so critical to maintaining clean and dry ears in your pet.

Viruses, allergies, medication reactions, auto-immune diseases, thyroid disorders, endocrine disorders, or even parasites like mites can also cause a dog ear infection.

How Chronic Ear Infections Affect the Life of a Teacup Pomeranian

Ear infections are everyday annoyances that generally don’t affect the daily activities of your puppy. Your puppy might have a rough night with an ear infection but will usually bounce right back. However, chronic ear infections can become troublesome to the quality of life in your teacup Pomeranian in severe cases.

First, we never want our beloved companions to experience debilitating pain. If you’ve had an ear infection, you can understand the type of discomfort your pet is going through. The swelling and discharge can cause pain and skin irritations. It is uncomfortable not being able to hear and even worse when your little buddy doesn’t understand what is happening. It’s crucial to determine a proper course of treatment to absolve your teacup Pomeranian from chronic ear infections.

How to Treat Chronic Ear Infections in a Teacup Pomeranian

The commonality of ear infections has led to a significant amount of research and treatment. The first course of action is to manage the pain. To address this pain, it’s typical for a veterinarian to put your pup under anesthesia. The vet will gently clean your pup’s ears and remove hair in the ear canals during this procedure. Typically, when asking how do dogs get ear infections, the response has to do with adequate hygiene. Having your teacup Pomeranian groomed by a professional is the best way to avoid chronic ear infections.

It’s imperative to clean the ears of your teacup Pomeranian thoroughly. If the ear is producing an excessive amount of discharge, your treatment method will be less effective. However, you might not even be able to clean the ear exterior until you have managed the infection. Make sure to follow the veterinarian’s at-home ear care routine when choosing a care method. To avoid long-term health complications, manage your Pom’s hygiene by avoiding harsh shampoos and lotions. Shampoos or lotions can have agents that cause irritation in your pup’s already devastating condition.

Chronic dog ear infection symptoms caused by ear mites will require a strong treatment method to ensure to eliminate the parasitic infections entirely. It’s imperative to help reduce swelling and discharge to manage pain.

Never use home remedies to treat your puppy because they will irritate the lining of your puppy’s ear canal. It could also increase glandular secretions, which prompt bacterial or yeast infections. The chemicals that might not cause reactions in a healthy ear could exacerbate the symptoms of a dog’s ear infection.

If treatment for outer ear infections does not relieve the dog’s ear infection symptoms, it’s time to evaluate your teacup Pomeranian for a middle ear infection. CTs or MRIs will help diagnose and treat middle ear infections. In this case, your teacup Pomeranian will likely need to have a myringotomy and mid-ear flush. A myringotomy is a procedure where tubes inside the middle ear drain fluid and debris. You might be familiar with this form of treatment, considering ear tubes are widespread for treating ear infections in children. To treat dog ear infections, it’s important to remove bacteria and fungus. However, it’s imperative not to overdo any treatment method because you can typically only reach the lining of the middle ear, which can cause inflammation and pain.

The Best Treatment for Chronic Ear Infections is Prevention

To guarantee the successful treatment of teacup Pomeranian chronic ear infections, the owner must comply with the underlying causes. You must monitor the inflammation, complete the course of treatment, and identify what is causing your pup’s discomfort. It’s imperative to stay the course and understand that this problem will not fix itself overnight. There is a long road of treatment ahead to prevent more dog ear infection symptoms from occurring.

Instead of asking how do dogs get ear infections, ask, how can I prevent the subsequent dog ear infection. Obviously, hygiene facilitates the safest way to prevent chronic ear infections. It’s common for your teacup Pomeranian to dislike ear cleanings, but they will dislike having ointment squeezed inside their ear much more. Your puppy might enjoy a cleaning a little more if you were to use a cotton ball and a sweet-smelling cleaner. Soak the cotton ball in the cleaning liquid and then place it at the base of the ear canal. You will then begin to massage the ear canal with the cotton ball at a point in the ear that is still removable. Once you remove the cotton ball, repeat with a new cotton ball until the ear canal is clean of debris or you notice blood. It’s imperative to clean ears with a thick, waxy discharge two to three times weekly with a strong cleaner. It’s best to find a cleaner with a cerumenolytic solution, such as carbamide peroxide. Don’t forget to thoroughly rinse the ear canal with warm water to remove the ear cleaner residual.

Even after your dog’s ear canal is completely clean, you will still want to continue on your treatment course until the vet says otherwise. This will protect your teacup Pomeranian from suffering pain caused by inflammation. Most smaller breeds will require less treatment than larger breeds. Preventing chronic ear infections before increasing your routine will help avoid more aggressive forms of therapy. Increasing the number of treatment methods needed to combat a dog’s ear infection also increases the likelihood that your pup will require surgical procedures. Total ear canal ablation is for severe cases, which will be very hard on your beloved pet and your wallet.

Most teacup Pomeranians’ chronic ear infections will not clear up overnight. General aftercare takes up to 10 days to eradicate the disease. Unfortunately, for some, it can be months before dog ear infection symptoms ease. It would help if you remained consistent in treatment until your veterinarian told you to stop.

What is the Life Expectancy of a Teacup Pomeranian with Chronic Ear Infections?

A teacup Pomeranian has a good outlook on life expectancy due to its general appearance and compact size. They are typically a very healthy, energetic breed with a vigor for life. To maintain your pup’s physical and mental health, it’s imperative to give them routine exercise and attention. When a teacup Pomeranian does not get enough exercise, they will likely become agitated and irritable. This can result in behaviors, like scratching or rubbing, which are not good on their ear canals. Because of their size, it’s crucial to experiment with exercise session durations and intensity levels. Try walking your teacup Pomeranian for 10 to 15 minutes when they are a puppy to see if this is an adequate amount. You must worry about their blood sugar levels and hydration due to their size.

teacup breeds are prone to hyperglycemia due to their fast metabolisms and need frequent access to food and water. Combining exercise and a healthy diet is crucial to avoiding blood sugar disorders like diabetes. If you’re concerned about your puppy and think about how dogs get ear infections so frequently, diabetes might be an underlying cause. Brisk exercise is best for this type of breed.

Live a Fulfilling Life with a Teacup Pomeranian with Chronic Ear Infections

teacup Pomeranian puppies are perfect pets for apartment dwellers or the elderly. These mini poms are perfect for the busy parent who can’t fit in a lot of exercise time but has a comfy lap to keep warm. Understandably so, this breed is known for being intelligent, outgoing, feisty, playful, loyal, and confident. They definitely do not see that they are barely 7 pounds. You might want to consider this breed for older children because they cannot be handled roughly by young ones. Luckily, a teacup Pomeranian is very trainable and can learn to calm their famous yappy sound. It’s crucial to maintain the physical and mental health of your beloved pet. One way to do this is by socializing this breed very early. Another way is to maintain adequate hygiene. Chronic Ear Infections do not need to rule the life of your teacup Pomeranian. Learning to prevent and treat this common occurrence will give you more time to love on your best friend.