Head shaking, scratching at one ear, a sour smell or dark discharge usually mean an ear infection, and it should be seen within a day or two, before the canal swells shut. The vet looks down the canal, checks a swab under the microscope to see whether yeast, bacteria or mites are growing, and matches the drops to what is found. Petfolk Veterinary & Urgent Care - Indian Land is a veterinary clinic on Sherbrook Avenue, just off Charlotte Highway, in Indian Land, South Carolina, and it treats ear infections in dogs and cats.
Most ear infections have a cause behind them, such as allergies, moisture or a narrow canal, so the plan covers both the infection and the reason it started.
Call (803) 232-9817 or book online.
What happens at an ear infection visit?
At Petfolk Indian Land, an ear visit follows six steps, so the treatment matches what is actually in the ear.
1. Before you come in. Don't clean the ears that morning; cleaning washes away the debris the vet needs to see. Note when the scratching started, whether your pet swims or gets bathed often, and any drops you have tried. Bring the bottle. 2. History and the outer ear. The vet asks about itching elsewhere, such as paws, belly or rear end, because itchy ears often travel with skin allergies. 3. Looking down the canal. With an otoscope (a lighted scope), the vet checks for redness, swelling, discharge, foreign bodies such as grass seeds, and the eardrum. Whether the eardrum is intact matters, because some ear medicines should not be used when it is torn. If the ear is too sore to examine, pain relief or sedation may come first. 4. A swab under the microscope. This test, called ear cytology, shows whether yeast, bacteria or both are present, and roughly how many. Some ears have mites, which are more common in puppies and kittens and spread between pets in the same home; the Companion Animal Parasite Council has more on ear mites. If an infection keeps coming back, a culture may go to an outside lab to find which antibiotic will work. 5. Cleaning and treatment. Depending on the swab: an in-clinic ear flush if the canal is packed with debris, prescription drops matched to yeast or bacteria, a longer-acting medicine placed in the ear by the vet for pets who fight drops, or medicine by mouth for pain, swelling or deeper infection. 6. Home care and the recheck. Lift the ear flap, fill the canal, then massage the base of the ear. Finish the full course even if the ear looks better. A recheck, often 10 to 14 days later, confirms the infection has cleared; stopping early is a big reason ears relapse.
Ask the vet about the side effects of whichever medicine your pet goes home with, and what to watch for.
How common are ear infections at Petfolk Indian Land?
Ear problems are a steady reason for sick visits at Petfolk Indian Land, and nearly all of them are dogs.
About 1 in 12 Petfolk Indian Land sick visits (8%) are for ear problems (May 8, 2026, when the clinic opened, to Oct 19, 2026).
Dogs make up 93% of Petfolk Indian Land ear visits, and nearly 9 in 10 ear visits (89%) include an in-house cytology test, a look at an ear swab under the microscope (same window).
Across Petfolk's Charlotte-area clinics, ear problems made up about 11% of sick visits in both winter (December to February) and summer (June to September), so they are not only a summer problem (Oct 2025 to Sep 2026).
Why do ear infections keep coming back in the spring?
Allergies are a common reason, and Charlotte-area springs are heavy. WSOC reported that spring allergens hit maximum levels in late March 2026, with tree pollen the largest share. Pollen inflames the skin lining the ear canal, which lets yeast and bacteria overgrow. Ear flare-ups that return each spring are a clue the vet at Petfolk Indian Land will want to hear about. If allergies are behind repeat infections, the allergy testing and treatment page covers the next steps.
Can I use leftover ear drops from a past infection?
No. The last infection may have been yeast and this one bacteria, and some drops are unsafe if the eardrum is damaged. The vet at Petfolk Indian Land needs to check the ear first, and an ear infection rarely clears on its own; long-standing ones can thicken the canal for good.
When is an ear problem an emergency?
Go to a 24-hour emergency hospital if your pet suddenly can't stand, falls over, walks in circles, has rapid eye flicking, or refuses food and water along with a head tilt. A mild head tilt in a pet who is still eating normally can usually wait for a visit at Petfolk Indian Land the same or next day.
How do I book an ear visit in Indian Land?
If you are looking for a vet in Indian Land to check an ear that smells or itches, Petfolk Veterinary & Urgent Care - Indian Land is at 1150 Sherbrook Ave, Ste B109, Indian Land, SC 29707. Call (803) 232-9817 or book online.
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Itchy ear questions
Sherbrook Ave, just off Charlotte Highway