Ear infections are a prevalent condition in both bulldogs and French bulldogs, often beginning at a young age and advancing swiftly without appropriate preventive care.
Without diligent preventive care, bulldog ear disease can become a chronic, painful, and often irreversible end-stage disease.
Due to a natural wide self-cleaning ear canal, most other dog breeds, cats, and humans rarely suffer from ear disease.
Ear infections in bulldogs COMMON CAUSE:
ANATOMY
The flat, compressed head of your bulldog has a direct impact on the anatomy and health of their ear canal.
OPTIMAL CONDITIONS FOR INFECTIONS
The stenotic, narrowed ear canal in bulldogs creates a damp, warm, and moist environment, ideal for the proliferation and growth of bacteria and yeast.
ALLERGIES:
Bulldog predisposition to allergies such as food allergy and environmental allergies (atopic allergic dermatitis) compounds the problem.
Remember the ears are the extension of the skin.
HORMONAL:
Such as hypothyroidism and hyperadrenal disease
Pain due to an ear infection in bulldogs:
Inflammation, infection, itch, swelling, and a wax-packed ear canal lead to chronic disease and intense pain.
Surgery for bulldogs with end-stage ear disease:
When the ear’s normal lining is replaced by permanent fibrosis, resulting in calcification and mineralization, the condition cannot be reversed.
Under these circumstances, the only effective treatment to relieve your bulldog’s pain is to undergo a total ear canal ablation surgery (TECA with Bula Osteotomy).
BULLDOG EAR DISEASE WARNING:
Otitis externa can lead to more serious inner ear disease otitis media and otitis interna (inner canal disease vs. external ear canal disease).
BULLDOG EAR DISEASE PREVENTION
Preventing unnecessary pain for your bulldog and French bulldog puppies lies in the early and regular practice of ear cleaning, rinsing, flushing, wiping, and drying.
REPETITION EQUALS EXPERTISE
Keep in mind that becoming a bulldog expert involves a learning curve. Repetition will aid you in identifying even the slightest deviations from the norm and prompt you to take necessary actions.
Feel free to access our complete toolbox of photos, diagrams, and videos if you require any assistance.
Dr. Kraemer’s Ear Infection in Bulldogs PREVENT & TREAT:
APPLICATION:
Fill the ear canal to the top with a proper ear rinse, making sure to coat the entire canal.
CLEAN & RINSE:
Take our bully ear cleanser wipe or a cotton ball and stick it in as far as it will go using your fingers. There’s no need to be scared, as you can’t go past the curve of the ear; therefore, you will not be able to poke the eardrum using a finger.
WARNING: Q-tips should only be used for the ear folds, don’t stick them deep into the ear canal
DRY:
Twist the cotton ball around and bring it up for inspection.
MONITOR:
Don’t forget to survey the texture and color of the inner pinna (inner part of the ear leading to the canal)
Ear Infection in Bulldogs and French Bulldogs RULE OF THUMB:
For bullies whose ears are in good condition, a maintenance rinse with a flush-like
- Dr. Kraemer’s “V4B WaxLess Ear Rinse once or twice weekly should suffice.
In cases of chronic or acute otitis and persistent infection, it is advisable to consider daily or alternate-day rinsing with an antiseptic ear rinse.
This antiseptic ear flush can assist in controlling yeast and bacteria, preparing the ear canal, and enhancing the effectiveness of the topical otic prescription recommended by your veterinarian.
For drying and wiping the ears, you can use
The information provided on this platform is for general informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your veterinarian regarding any medical condition. It's important to always consider professional medical advice promptly and not to delay seeking it based on information you've read on this platform. Any reliance on the information provided here is entirely at your discretion.
Dr. R. J. Kraemer: With a specialization in Bulldogs, French Bulldogs, and other Brachycephalic breeds, Dr. Kraemer has dedicated his career to educating the bulldog community about the unique medical and surgical requirements of the breed. These encompass preventive care and wellness, customized anesthesia, and employing a multimodal approach to address their unique medical conditions.
Some of the breed-specific medical issues he focuses on include
Airway obstructive disease
Orthopedics tailored for bulldogs
Ear canal disease preventive care
Skin and allergy management
Skinfold Dermatitis
Eyes and eyelid abnormalities
Pain and stress control
As a leading provider of cutting-edge regenerative and alternative medicine, Dr. Kraemer offers services such as stem cell therapy, laser treatments, and PRP. Additionally, he maintains a longstanding relationship with Bulldog Rescue, contributing funds and providing shelter, medical, and surgical services for their bulldogs.