Autumn rain in Surrey reliably brings a wave of ear problems. Moisture trapped in the ear canal changes the environment inside it and lets yeast and bacteria multiply. The early signs are head shaking, scratching, an unusual smell and redness. Ears deteriorate quickly, so early veterinary attention saves your dog considerable discomfort.
Why the rain matters so much
A dog’s ear canal is not a shallow dish like ours. It runs downward and then turns inward, forming a long L-shaped tunnel. That shape protects the eardrum well, and it also means anything that gets in has a hard time getting out again, water included.
From late September onward in Clayton Heights, dogs are wet more often than they are dry. Rain on walks, wet grass on the morning garden trip, puddles, muddy fields and damp bedding all add up. Every soaking leaves moisture in a warm, dark, enclosed space.
The ear canal normally hosts a small, balanced population of yeast and bacteria that causes no trouble at all. Raise the humidity inside it and that balance shifts. Populations multiply, the lining becomes inflamed, it produces more discharge, and that discharge feeds further growth. Once that cycle starts it very rarely settles on its own.
Which dogs suffer most
- Drop-eared breeds. Cocker spaniels, springers, labradors, golden retrievers, basset hounds and similar. The ear flap sits over the canal like a lid and stops it drying out.
- Dogs with hairy ear canals, including poodles, doodles, bichons and many terriers, where hair holds moisture against the skin.
- Dogs with narrow canals, notably shar peis, pugs and French bulldogs.
- Dogs who swim, right through until the lakes and rivers get too cold.
- Dogs with allergies. This is the big one. Allergic skin disease very often shows up in the ears first, and an autumn flare is common.
- Dogs who have had ear problems before. Recurrence is the norm rather than the exception, which is why the underlying cause matters.
Cats get ear problems too, though less often from damp. In cats the causes tend to be different, so a cat with a sore ear should be assessed rather than assumed to have the same thing.
The early signs, before it gets painful
Ear problems escalate faster than most owners expect. Catching them in the first few days is much easier on your dog.
- Head shaking, particularly repeated bouts
- Scratching at one ear, or rubbing the side of the face along furniture or carpet
- A yeasty, sweet or sour smell when you lift the ear flap
- Redness inside the flap or at the canal opening
- Discharge, which may be brown, waxy, yellow or dark
- Holding the head slightly tilted to one side
- Flinching, pulling away or yelping when the ear is touched
- A dog that has become oddly reluctant to have its collar or harness put on
Signs that need same-day attention: a dog in obvious pain, a head tilt that does not resolve, loss of balance or circling, sudden apparent deafness, or a swollen ear flap that feels like a cushion. That last one is a blood blister within the flap, usually caused by violent head shaking, and it needs assessment rather than time.
The single most important thing not to do
Please do not put anything into your dog’s ear before it has been examined. Not leftovers from a previous episode, not a product bought online, not a friend’s bottle, and not a home remedy from the internet.
There are two solid reasons. First, ear problems have several different causes that look very similar from the outside, and what helps one can make another considerably worse. Second, and more importantly, if the eardrum has been damaged, which happens more often than owners realise in a longstanding ear problem, some products can reach the middle ear and cause lasting harm including balance problems and hearing loss.
Nobody can tell whether the eardrum is intact by looking at the outside of the ear. That check requires an otoscope, and it is the first thing our team does.
The same applies to cotton buds. They push debris deeper into an L-shaped canal rather than removing it, and they can damage the lining. Wiping the visible part of the ear flap with a soft cloth is fine. Going into the canal is not.
What happens at the appointment
The first step is looking properly, which means examining the canal with an otoscope down to the eardrum on both sides. That alone tells us a great deal, including how inflamed the canal is, how much debris is present, whether the eardrum is visible and intact, and whether there is anything physical in there such as a grass seed.
Looking at a sample under the microscope is the other half. It tells us whether we are dealing with yeast, bacteria, both, or something else such as ear mites, and that genuinely changes what is appropriate. Our medical services team will talk you through what they find and what happens next.
For dogs with heavy coats, hairy canals or a history of recurring problems, our medical grooming service can keep the area around the ears clipped and manageable, which makes a real difference to how well ears dry through the winter.
Why they keep coming back
If your dog has had three or four ear problems in as many years, the ear is usually the symptom rather than the cause. The most common underlying driver is allergic skin disease, whether environmental or food related, and autumn is a classic time for a flare as mould spores rise and everyone moves indoors with the heating on.
Other recurring causes include a narrow or scarred canal, hormonal conditions, foreign material, and ear problems that were never fully resolved before the previous course ended. Chasing each episode individually without identifying the driver is how dogs end up with permanently thickened, painful canals that are far harder to manage.
If yours is a repeat visitor, ask us to look at the bigger picture rather than only the current episode. Skin and ears are closely connected, as our guide to ringworm in cats and dogs touches on from a different angle.
Keeping ears drier through a Surrey winter
- Dry the ears after every wet walk. Lift the flap and gently dry what you can reach with a soft towel or cotton pad. Ten seconds per ear.
- Dry after every swim or bath. Same routine, without going into the canal.
- Lift the flaps and look twice a week. You are checking for redness, smell and discharge. Thirty seconds.
- Keep the hair around the ears trimmed so air can circulate.
- Wash bedding regularly and make sure it dries fully.
- Towel dry the whole dog rather than letting them air dry indoors on damp bedding.
- Ask us about cleaning if your dog is prone to problems. There is a right way and a wrong way, and it is worth being shown once.
Frequently asked questions
My dog shakes his head occasionally. Is that enough to bring him in?
If it is repeated over a few days, yes. Occasional head shaking after a swim is normal. Repeated bouts, particularly with any smell or redness, is the earliest stage of a problem and is much easier to sort out now than in two weeks when the canal is swollen and sore.
Can I use the drops left over from last time?
Please do not. The cause may be different this time even though it looks the same, an opened bottle may no longer be suitable, and if the eardrum has been affected some products can cause lasting damage. Bring the bottle with you so we know what has been used before, and let us check the ear first.
Why does my dog only ever get problems in one ear?
That pattern is worth investigating properly. A consistently one-sided problem raises the possibility of something physical in that ear, such as a grass seed or a growth, or an anatomical difference in the canal. One-sided problems deserve a closer look rather than a repeat of whatever worked before.
Is it safe to clean my dog’s ears at home?
Routine cleaning suits some dogs and is unhelpful or harmful in others, particularly if the ear is already inflamed or if the eardrum is not intact. Ask us about your specific dog, and if cleaning is appropriate we will show you the technique. Never clean an ear that is painful, and never use cotton buds in the canal.
My dog’s ear flap has suddenly swollen up like a pillow. What is that?
That is usually a collection of blood within the ear flap, caused by vigorous head shaking, and it needs to be seen. It is uncomfortable, it will not resolve on its own, and it is a signal that something has been irritating the ear enough to cause that much shaking, so the underlying cause needs finding too.
Do ear problems affect hearing permanently?
A single episode dealt with promptly usually does not. Repeated or long-standing problems can cause the canal to thicken and narrow over time, and that can affect hearing and become much harder to manage. That is the strongest argument for coming in early and for finding out why they keep recurring.
Speak to the team at Avon Animal Hospital
If your dog is shaking its head or scratching at an ear, book an examination before it becomes painful.
Published by the team at Avon Animal Hospital.
This article is for general educational purposes only and is not a substitute for an in-person veterinary examination or advice about your individual pet. If you have an urgent concern about your pet, contact Avon Animal Hospital or your nearest emergency veterinary hospital right away.
Avon Animal Hospital
19475 Fraser Hwy, Surrey, BC V3S 6K7
Phone: (604) 532-7600
Email: avonanimalvet@gmail.com
Hours: Monday to Friday 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM; Saturday 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM; Sunday 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM