Diagnostic Perspectives

Dogs can get affected with several ear infections like parasitic ear diseases, bacterial disease, hormonal dysfunction, auto immune diseases as well as otitis externa and treatment may be initiated even in the absence of the diagnostic imaging. Nevertheless, animals suffering from infections like recurrent or severe otitis, and those having pronounced symptoms of para-aural inflammation, discomfort in mouth, vestibular syndrome or facial paralysis, require comprehensive check-up of the middle ear and contiguous structures. The anatomical complication and comparative inaccessibility of these structures is best dealt with diagnostic imaging of radiography, ultrasonography, computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging technique. This article highlights the applications of certain imaging techniques for ear infections of dogs and cats and exemplifies some of the more representative findings.

Keywords: Canine, Dog, External ear, Inner ear, Middle ear, Otitis.