While you pat or play with your dog, you may notice that its ears are warmer than usual, or even hot. There could be several explanations for this, including:
- Ear infection: your dog could have a bacteria or yeast infection in the ears. You may notice a redness, inflammation, discharge or smell from the infected area. Infections can be caused by many things, such as allergies, fleas and mites for example. There are ways to prevent ear infections in dogs, click here.
- Fever: if your dog is experiencing an infection, its immune system will be trying to fight it. Part of your dog’s automatic response will be to elevate its body temperature, making your dog’s ears hot in the process. Shivering, vomiting, fatigue and loss of appetite are other symptoms of fever.
- Injury or trauma: physical injury or trauma can result in swelling and a hotness around the ear. Injuries can be self-inflicted (e.g. the dog is scratching itself due to an itch caused by infection, fleas, mites or allergies), or it can be accidental (e.g. during a play fight with other dogs or sticking their heads in tight spaces).
- Allergies: dogs are prone to allergy-related ear problems. The natural skin layer can be broken or disrupted, and the ear canal can overproduce ear wax. The ears can also become inflamed and itchy, leading to frequent scratching and infection. Allergies in your dog can be caused by eating certain foods or coming into contact with certain things (e.g. grass). Allergies can also be seasonal, due to increased environmental allergens around the same time each year.
- Ear mites: if mites have managed to settle around your dog’s ears, then it may cause skin irritation amongst other issues. The waste produced from the mite’s feeding can cause a reaction in your dog. Mites can be picked up from other infected animals.
- Fleas: flea bites can cause irritation and discomfort. Dogs can be allergic to flea bites, and this is called flea allergy dermatitis (FAD). Fleas actually leave some of their saliva in the skin of their host when they bite. FAD can result in rashes, bumps, hair loss or bleeding around the bite.
What to do if my dog’s ears are hot?
If you notice your dog’s ears are hot, and you recognize any of the symptoms above, it’s best to notify your vet. Your vet may be able to prescribe antibiotics for an ear infection, or antihistamines to help them with allergies. If the hotness in your dog’s ears is caused by fleas, then oral tablets or topical flea treatments may be available. Likewise, ridding of mites may just involve a special anti-parasitic shampoo. In any case, it’s best to get any ear problems looked at by your vet to find the right solution.
