Episode 18 - ’Ear All About It!

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(00:00) John introduces the podcast and welcomes our guest for this episode - the founder of the Dermatology Referral Service in Glasgow, Peter Forsythe.

Chapter 1 – The Ears

(02:58) John welcomes Peter Forsythe, who talks about how he got involved in dermatology and how ear disease makes up half the caseload in the referral practice he works at.

(04:41) John asks why it is important dogs have clean ears and Peter discusses the long tube made up of the auricular and annular cartilages which are lines with glandular skin which produces wax - which combines with skin cells to make up what we know as wax. He says a build-up can alter the environment on the ear canal, increasing humidity and increasing the number of microbes such as bacteria and yeast, which - whilst normally present - can develop into an overgrowth or even infection. He also talks about the concretions, or balls of ear wax which can form adjacent to the tympanic membrane or ear drum, and they are called ceruminoliths and can sit on the ear drum and damage and even perforate it. So it is important to manage this ear wax and keep the ear clean.

(07:55) Sue asks about the ‘self cleaning’ mechanism the ear called epithelial migration and Peter describes this as similar to the shedding of cells we have on our continuously growing skin cells, but in the ear these have a sliding, upward motion to them as they do this, and this slowly carries cells and wax up and out the ear like a slow moving escalator – at the speed our nails grow at.

(09:49) Sue asks if this changes with age and Peter says there isn’t information on age changes, but in cases of inflammation or disease this is affected, slowing it down and then leading to increased build up of wax. Peter says the human ear produces 2 kilos of wax in a lifetime!

(11:32) Sue asks what Peter recommends to clients in terms of ear cleaning with puppies and he doesn’t recommend routine ear cleaning in puppies if they are healthy, as the mechanism is working well; however, he does think in those breeds where they are prone to ear disease, that it is good to get them used to you handling their ears at a young age.

Chapter 2 – The Cleaning

(13:34) Sue asks about hairy ear canals or plucking ears and Peter says in his view plucking hairy ear canals in poodles and bichons for example, where the hair can trap the wax, can irritate and inflame the ear and begin ear disease, so he wouldn’t pluck them. If the dog has got ear disease (otitis) then some plucking maybe necessary – but ear phobia – where a dog has had bad experiences and they won’t let people go near their ears, is more of an issue and plucking can lead to this. He would prefer then to begin cleaning if you can see wax building up. This is the same with a dog with a pendulous (flappy outer) ear (which can also contribute to ear disease) – but he does point out too much cleaning can overly wet the ear and cause more problems – so each case must be considered carefully.

(17:15) Sue asks as a pet owner who can see so many different ear cleaners, what can help you decide and what to look for and Peter divides these into two. Firstly softening or dissolving ear wax products called cerumenolytics, containing things like propylene glycol, mineral oils, glycerine; through to secondly salicylic acid or even stronger sodium docusate (DOSS) or