What this means
It is useful to note what the discharge looks like: thin, thick, dark, yellowish or bloody, and whether it smells unpleasant. Also notice whether it comes from one ear or both.
Along with discharge your dog may shake the head, tilt it to one side, scratch the ear, avoid having it touched or seem to hear less well. Write all of this down. A tilted head, staggering or eyes flicking sideways suggest the deeper part of the ear may be affected.
Do not push anything into the ear or pour anything into it when you do not know whether the eardrum is intact. The ear canal is delicate, so discuss everything with your vet.
Possible causes
These are things that can cause this sign. It is not a diagnosis, and they are not equally likely for your dog.
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Inflammation of the ear canal
Inflammation causes dark, thick or yellowish discharge with an unpleasant smell, head shaking and scratching.
About the condition: Ear infections -
A foreign object in the ear
A grass seed or another object can cause sudden head shaking, pain and discharge, most often in one ear.
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Allergy
Allergy often shows as red, itchy ears that make more wax and are prone to repeated inflammation.
About the condition: Allergies (food, skin and environmental) -
Ear parasites
Ear mites cause dry, dark, coffee-ground-like discharge and strong itching.
About the condition: Ear mites -
The shape of the ear canal
In dogs with drooping ears or a narrow canal the ear ventilates poorly, so secretion builds up and inflammation returns.
What else to watch for
These observations help your vet build the picture faster. Note down what you saw and when.
- The colour, amount and smell of the discharge
- Whether it is from one ear or both
- Whether your dog shakes the head or scratches the ear
- Whether your dog will not let the ear be touched
- Whether the head tilts or your dog staggers
- Whether hearing seems different
When to book a routine visit
Book a visit as soon as you notice discharge or a smell, because ear inflammation can spread deeper. If your dog is in pain or staggering, go the same day.
Related conditions
Conditions whose entries mention this sign. The list is somewhere to read on, not a way to reach a diagnosis.
- Ear infections Ears and hearing An ear infection is inflammation of the ear canal kept going by bacteria or yeast, which can be started by an allergy, a foreign body such as a grass seed, ear mites or trapped moisture. An inflamed ear itches and hurts, and long-lasting or repeated inflammation can change the ear canal for good. That is why it matters not only to calm the inflammation but also to find out what set it off.
- Ear mites Parasites Ear mites are microscopic parasites that live in the ear canal and feed on ear wax and the surface of the skin. They cause intense itching and a dark, dry discharge. The mites pass easily between animals, especially from cats and among puppies; whether they are behind an itchy ear is for a vet to establish by examining the discharge.
Body systems: Ears and hearing Parasites