Inner Ear Infections: To a dog, his sense of hearing is the second most important of his 5 senses (second only to his sense of smell). Your dog’s ears are incredibly delicate and very important to him. Deafness, although something he can live with, will really affect the way he lives his life so if you ever suspect your dog may have an ear problem, please seek veterinary attention as soon as possible.
Loss of Balance
Unless your dog has sneakily been “down the pub”, loss of balance can be the result of an inner ear infection.
Infection can reach the inner ear from the external ear, through the Eustachian tube which connects the ear to the throat, or via the bloodstream.
Since the semi-circular canals in the inner ear control balance, any infection here will make the dog unsteady on his feet.
This causes the dog to tilt his head in the direction of the affected ear.
The eyes often flick in the same direction.
Confine the dog to prevent him from injuring himself while his balance is impaired.
A vet can control possible nausea and treat the dog with high levels of antibiotics by mouth. Surgical drainage of the inner ear is sometimes necessary.
