Roy-k Staff asked 4 years ago
French Bulldog Otitis Ear Surgery
French Bulldog Otitis Ear Surgery on Antibiotics. Dr. Kraemer, I would like to ask what treatment would you give a French Bulldog who has Otitis ear problems when he has been prescribed antibiotics in tablet form? I have attached his report from his vets where there only solution is surgery?
Roy-k Staff answered 4 years ago
Answer for French Bulldog Otitis Ear Surgery
Answer for French Bulldog Otitis Ear Surgery, Dear Diane otitis in bulldogs and French bulldog is a common problem and typically start early, Its usually a mix of their compressed face anatomy, the propensity to allergies of all kinds and often off-kilter immune system.
If you read my “Zen & Bulldog Maintenance” medical chapters you already know that early weekly ear cleaning/rinsing is critical and will help prevent bulldog otitis and bulldog chronic ear disease. The least expensive and most effective way is to prevent bulldog and French bulldog otitis is a weekly ear flush with a product like my V4B Bully Ear Cleanser WaxLess Wips, V4B, Yeasty Bully Ears and V4B Aloe Vera Drying & Acidifying Ear Cleaner Rinse.
It is not clear from the report you posted the extent and chronicity of your bulldog ear disease. The culture is usually irrelevant (yours showed common gram-positive staph). I have many second opinion cases who spent a small fortune on cultures, cytology, anesthetic deep ear flush on what it clearly an end-stage calcified, and even ossified ear canal. Nothing other than TECA w BO (total ear canal resection w bulla osteotomy will help those painful stenotic bulldog ear canal.
What worries me is the evidence of a vestibular problem (the vestibular nerve is situated in your bulldog inner ear). So before you proceed I recommend you get a CT image.
- Answer for French Bulldog Otitis Ear Surgery, External Ear Canal State: I often can tell just by digitally palpating the external canal and a visual exam if TECA is needed. Anything else at that point till a TECA is performed would be a palliative treatment to manage pain.
- Answer for French Bulldog Otitis Ear Surgery, Otoscopic Exam Under Sedation: at times there is a need for an otoscopic exam, there are times when the first part of the ear canal appears manageable yet under otoscopic exam it is clear it’s not so. Tumors and polyps of the horizontal canal are an example.
- Answer for French Bulldog Otitis Ear Surgery, CT: computed tomography scan is recommended especially in the presence of neurological problems
- Answer for French Bulldog Otitis Ear Surgery, Pain Management: bulldog otitis can be very painful, keep your bulldog or French bulldog on pain management such as NASID and supplements like my V4B Fish Oil and V4B Comfort Plus Advanced Formula.
- Allergies: manage your bulldog and French bulldog allergies.
- TECA w BO: Please make sure that the surgeon is experienced and performed this very technical and lengthy procedure many times. I can’t stress this enough. There are very important nerves and structures adjacent or traveling in or near the ear canal. The bulla must be scraped clean. Leaving behind infected tissue will lead to chronic draining tract and abscess.
Good Luck and keep us posted
Dr. Kraemer Vet4Bulldog
