Malassezia

Malassezia is a common type of yeast that normally lives quite happily on the surface of a dog’s skin. However certain changes can cause the Malassezia to overgrow resulting in skin infections and one of the most affected areas are the ears.

Common signs include red inflamed and itchy ears, often accompanied with a strong yeasty smell and a greasy yellow discharge. Many dog breeds are predisposed to Malassezia ears. This can be due to conformation (such as Cocker Spaniels that have long droopy ears or Poodles that have excessively hairy ears), behavioural (such as Labradors that spend lots of time swimming) or genetic (such as West Highland Terriers that are prone to skin allergies).

Anything that changes the local environment of the ear can allow Malassezia to overgrow. In the summer yeast infections are much more common as hot humid conditions in the atmosphere increase humidity down the ear canal and this is the exact environment that allows Malassezia to proliferate. A similar increase in humidity is seen in dogs with excessively hairy ears as the hair traps moisture or in dogs with narrow ear canals so there is reduced air circulation. Dogs that swim a lot collect water down the ear canal- resulting in increased humidity.

If your dog has itchy ears for more than 48 hours, then you should make an appointment to see your vet. On examination they may suspect a yeast infection from the look and smell of the ear. However, it is important to rule out other reasons for an ear infection such as a grass seed. The vet may well take a swab from the ear to establish whether the infection is yeast, bacterial or a combination. This is important as the treatment is different for each.

Recurrent ear infections are common- it is important to identify any predisposing factors and eliminate if possible. In many dogs it is a case of controlling recurrent infections rather than eliminating them completely. It is also important to establish that the ear drum is intact as a rupture will change the treating.

Most treatments involve a twice daily ear drop given at home by the owner. It is important that drops are administered as directed and a follow up appointment is made to allow the vet to fully examine the ear canal and make sure the infection is clear. The ear canal is L shaped so ear drops should be massaged down to ensure the treatment gets all the way down the canal. This also means it’s impossible to visualise the ear canal properly without an auroscope.

Check out Kam giving the lovely Bramble an ear examination below.