Pet Ear Infection Treatment
Mites, yeast, and bacteria can all leave the same dark, smelly debris, and each needs a different medication. So the doctor checks a swab under the microscope before choosing drops. Bring your pet to Petfolk's Midlothian clinic on Steam Avenue, off Midlothian Turnpike, any day of the week.
Call (804) 603-9509 or book online.
When it's an emergency: Go to a 24-hour emergency hospital if ear trouble comes with a head tilt, severe loss of balance, falling or circling, flickering eyes, or a seizure, or if the ear is bleeding heavily. Those signs can mean the inner ear or nervous system is involved. Our Midlothian clinic is open 8 AM to 6 PM, seven days a week, and we don't provide overnight care.
Signs Your Pet Needs an Ear Exam
Head shaking or pawing at one ear.
An odor from the ear.
Brown, black, or yellow discharge.
Redness or swelling inside the ear flap.
Pain when the ear is touched, or crying out when chewing.
A puffy, swollen ear flap, often a blood blister from shaking.
Mites, Yeast, and Bacteria Need Different Treatment
Ear mites are most common in kittens and puppies and spread between pets. Yeast often follows allergies or trapped moisture. Bacteria come in different shapes, and some types are harder to clear than others. A mite medication does nothing for yeast, and an antifungal does nothing for bacteria.
Petfolk does ear cytology in the clinic, so the swab is read on site and the medication matches what's actually there.
What Happens at the Visit
The doctor looks into the canal with an otoscope and checks the eardrum if it's visible.
A swab of the debris goes under the microscope.
The ear is cleaned, sometimes with sedation if it's too painful to handle awake.
Medication is matched to the findings.
A recheck confirms the infection is gone.
That recheck matters: the Merck Veterinary Manual notes that dogs with bacterial and yeast ear infections usually need repeat checkups until no infection shows, often over two to four weeks. You stay with your pet throughout the exam.
"Very thorough, professional and great with my very wiggly dog"
— Molly Ann S., Petfolk client.
When It Keeps Coming Back
Recurring ear infections usually point to an underlying cause, most often allergies, but also ear shape, hair in the canal, moisture, or a foreign object such as a grass awn. Treating each flare without finding the cause means meeting the same infection again. Allergy workups are handled under allergy testing and treatment.
When You Don't Need a Visit
A little light-brown wax with no odor, redness, or scratching is normal. Healthy ears don't need frequent cleaning, and over-cleaning can irritate them. If the doctor gave you a maintenance cleaner, use it as directed.
After a Swim in the James
Robious Landing Park puts Midlothian dogs right on the James River, and creeks along local trails tempt plenty of others. Water left in the ear canal softens the skin and gives yeast and bacteria a head start, especially in floppy-eared breeds.
After a swim, dry the outer ear with a cotton ball, never a swab pushed into the canal. If your dog is prone to infections, ask the doctor about a drying cleaner for water days, and check the ears the next day for odor or redness.
What Drives the Cost
The cost depends on the exam, ear cytology, cleaning and any sedation, the medication, and recheck visits. PetfolkCare members save $99 on every exam and 10% on lab work. You get an estimate before anything is done.
Find Out What's in the Ear
Book a visit at our clinic on Steam Avenue. A swab under the microscope tells us which treatment will work, and a recheck makes sure it did. Call (804) 603-9509 or book online.