Our dogs are faithful companions, and they depend on us for good care. To help your canine friend live a healthy life, you should know some of the most common health problems dogs face, their signs, and what you can do about them.

Dogs and Ear Infections

Ear infections are a common canine health problem, and they can be caused by allergies, yeast, ear mites, bacteria, hair growth deep in the ear canal, and more. Symptoms your dog may have with an ear infection include:

Head shaking or head tilting

Ear odor

Vigorous scratching

Lack of balance

Unusual back-and-forth eye movements

Redness of the ear canal

Swelling of the outer portion of the ear

Brown, yellow, or bloody discharge

Always take your dog to the veterinarian if you think they have an ear infection. In most cases, cleaning and medicating the ear canal will quickly clear up an infection. However, surgery can be needed for chronic infections or if forceful head shaking results in the rupture of a vessel within the outer part of the ear.