Removing a pet’s ear canal or, total ear canal ablation, is done when an animal suffers persistent and dramatic ear issues caused by allergies, antibiotic overuse and excessive hairiness in the ear canal.
Ear problems are all too often encountered in small animal veterinary practices. They mostly affect dogs and can occur at any age or in any gender. There are some breeds that are more susceptible, particularly those with long droopy ears, with lots of hair in the ears, and those dogs that classically struggle with allergies.
Ear problems are not easy to solve as many perpetuating factors may be present. These include the droopiness and hairy factors, as well as the difficulty in managing the underlying allergy. In addition, scarring that occurs in the ear over time just make things worse. All these factors create the perfect environment for bacteria and yeasts to grow. This causes more inflammation, which results in more infection, and the cycle continues.
Many of the treatments vets use are aimed at reducing these underlying factors, in particular, managing the allergies. But when repeated antibiotics have been used, and in particular used in an incorrect manner, the risk of developing infection with resistant bacteria is very high. This becomes extremely difficult and expensive to manage. At times, it cannot be treated medically with only surgical options left to explore.
Other reasons to explore surgical options include cancers of the ear canal, deformed ear canals and ear canal polyps. During surgery, the ear canal is completely removed using a procedure called a total ear canal ablation. This sounds like a very drastic thing to do, and in honesty it is. But dogs and cats respond so well to the surgery, that when indicated, it is really a very good treatment option.
Removing a pet’s ear canal: common questions
- What happens to the ear? Will my pet look deformed?
It is only the ear canal that is removed. The flap of the ear (the pinna) stays the same. Some dogs that have ears that stand up may have a floppy ear. But the ear still looks like an ear. The only difference is that there will be no hole at the bottom of the ear flap.
- Can my dog still hear?
Unfortunately, most dogs will lose most of the hearing in that ear. Some may retain some hearing that is transmitted via the skull, like people that use hearing aids. But many dogs that have come to the point of needing this procedure already have significant hearing loss due to the repeated infections and damage to the eardrum. So, one does not usually notice much of a difference.
- It is very painful?
Yes, this procedure is known to be quite painful, which is the reason for very good pain control post-surgery. We keep dogs on special pain drips for the first 24 hours to help with the pain. After that, they can usually be discharged with multiple pain medications. After two weeks, most will hardly remember what happened they recover so quickly.
- Are there other risks involved?
There is the usual risk associated with any surgical procedure. In addition, this procedure should be performed by an advanced surgeon. The nerve that supplies the face runs very close to the ear canal, so some knowledge and experience is needed to ensure that this nerve is not damaged. In the hands of an experienced surgeon, it is a safe procedure.
Surgical procedures are only advised in patients where the benefits outweigh any associated risks. And the benefits of total ear ablation certainly outweigh the risks. In the hands of an experienced surgeon, it is a safe and successful option in the right patient. We have yet to encounter one pet owner that regretted consenting to the surgery. On the contrary, most clients’ regret is only that they did not have the surgery performed sooner – as now their furry friend is happy and healthy again.
