Dog ate chocolate?

 ask a vet

Dog is scratching his ear.

Species: Dog
Breed: shepard/pit bull mix
Age: 8-11 years
For the past couple of weeks, Shilo has been scratching his ear and rubbing it on either the carpet or furniture. He does not seem to be in any pain but when I scratch in front of his ear, he pulls away from me (he did not always do this). He appears to be healthy and as active as usual. What should I do?


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

It sounds like you may be dealing with an ear infection.

Sometimes it is not easy to see if the ear is infected or not. While we usually see an increase in waxy debris and some odor, sometimes we just see a little bit of redness.

Dogs with sarcoptic mange can have itchy ears along the ear margin which is the side of the ear as opposed to the inside. These dogs are usually itchy behind the elbows as well.

I would highly advise a vet visit. If there is an ear infection it will not go away without a prescription medication.

I hope all is well!

Dr. Marie.

---This question was asked in our Ask A Vet For Free section.---


Do you have a pet website? Interested in learning more about SEO for Wix?

Check out our dog age calculator and cat age calculator.

Want to receive pet coupons, vet advice and info on new pet products in your inbox?

* indicates required

We'll only send you great stuff, never spam. Unsubscribe any time.

Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

Search for similar questions:

ask a vet

Popular questions...

Scrubbing Bubbles toxic? My Toulouse is a male. I discovered one day that after I would exit the shower &... (28187 views)

Puppy has runny nose. Heavy clear drool vomited once this morning Oct 29th 2010 7am. Very wet nose no loss... (14503 views)

Foods unsafe for dogs? Hi Dr. Marie, I have a 6 year old Shih Tzu. I have given him human food his... (11935 views)

Possible laryngeal Parlysis Rex is having breathing difficulties for the last few days primarily while eating or... (11193 views)

Problems after ear cleaning. I took my cat to the vet about three weeks ago to his ears flushed out because he... (15162 views)

Problems with Rimadyl? she seems to have paralysis of her front left paw. she can not stand on her own and... (27463 views)

Hypothyroidism in Sheltie. Hi My dog had a thyroid test and the results came back as .8 which he said was low... (10812 views)

Blood in poop. Hi There, I found a few drops of blood last night in and near my puppies poo. Not... (59705 views)

Bump on dog's ear. I noticed that the flap of my dog's ear has this pimple like bump on it. you can't... (23859 views)

Dog ate battery fluid. My dog chewed up a AA battery. It doesn't appear that she ingested any pieces of it... (20010 views)

See all questions...

Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.