Otitis externa in dogs (prevalence, etiology, clinical course, and treatment regimens)

Otitis externa is a reasonably common problem in dogs. The most difficult is the treatment of recurrent chronic otitis media. After all, otitis externa in dogs is a polyetiological disease; therefore, to prescribe effective treatment, the doctor needs to identify the primary cause and take it under control, as well as identify and eliminate secondary infections and develop a prevention plan following predisposing factors. That is why a detailed analysis of the scientific literature on the distribution, etiology, clinical course, and scheme of treatment of dogs with the development of otitis externa was made. To ensure the accuracy and speed of diagnosis of otitis externa, it is promising to develop a diagnostic algorithm that will help the general practitioner clearly understand the etiological factors and eliminate them or take them under control. Many researchers have confirmed that otitis is characterized by seasonality (18.6 % occurs in summer, 30.2 % in autumn, 15.6 % in winter, and 35.6 % in spring). Depending on otitis's etiology in small domestic animals, microorganisms, fungi, and mites are decisive. According to the reports of some authors, otitis externa can be secondary; that is, the etiology of such pathology is already an infection (Staphylococcus and Pseudomonas bacteria, Malassezia yeast). Clinically, otitis externa in dogs, as a rule, is manifested by characteristic symptoms, while the existing peculiarities of the course are, in most cases, determined by etiological factors. In most cases, otitis externa is treated locally with drugs applied directly to the ear. Most of these products contain different ingredients that are active against bacteria, yeast, and inflammation at the same time. There are several remedies for the treatment of otitis externa at the veterinarian's choice, which require different treatment regimens. Recently, the practice of veterinary medicine has increasingly included complex drugs that, on the one hand, are effective in the treatment of otitis and, on the other hand, are safe for the animal body. Such drugs, as a rule, should show, at the same time, anti-inflammatory, anti-parasitic, anti-allergic, analgesic, immunomodulating, and other types of action. Because of this, the search and development of new drugs in the system of comprehensive measures for the prevention and treatment of inflammation of the external ear is relevant and promising.