7:Ear Exam & Care Flashcards
Pinna or auricle
External portion of the ear that catches sound waves and transmits them to the canal
Plural:pinnae
Tube that transmits sound from the pinna to the tympanic membrane
External auditory canal or external ear canal
Tissue that separates external ear from middle ear
Tympanic membrane (eardrum)
Area from tympanic membrane to inner ear
Middle ear
Middle ear contains ___ bones of the ear
3, transmit sound vibrations
What part of the ear transmits sound vibrations
Middle ear
Where the inner ear is located
Embedded in bone of skull
Part of the ear that contains sensory receptors for hearing and balance
Inner ear
Part of ear that transmits signals to the cranial nerves, which go to the brain stem
Inner ear
Behavioral indications of ear problems is
Scratching ears Shaking head Rubbing on floor Whimpering or pulling away when ears are touched Head tilt Circling
Head tilt may indicate
Inner ear problems (balance)
Circling may indicate
Inner ear problems (balance)
What a tipped ear is, why
Distal 1/4” removed from right pinna indicating cat has been spayed or neutered
Typically done in ferals
Double check for spay scar (frostbite)
What frostbite looks like
Usually effects both pinnae
Edge tends not to be smooth
May be scar tissue
Sunburn is most common in
Like haired, fair skinned animals
More common in cats bc less hair
Nose and dog abdomen
What sunburn on ears looks like
Blistered if new
Red, “crispy” looking
Deformed
Sunburn can result in
Cancer
Most common tumor on pinnae
Squamous cell carcinomas
Tumors may result from
More common in
Previous sunburn
Cats than dogs
Tumors look like
Red or black nodules
Aural hematoma
Accumulation of blood within pinna
What causes an aural hematoma
Often associated w
Shaking of head, rupturing blood vessels
Often associated with other ear conditions: parasitism, allergies and inflammation, infection, etc
Possible causes of scar tissue on pinna
Healed aural hematoma Frostbite Sunburn Fighting Etc
Excoriation
Scratching of the skin
Excoriation usually happens where
Behind pinnae, sometimes inside pinnae, on face
Excoriation looks like
Is usually due to
Blood, scabs, hair loss
Ear mites
Indications of ear problems
Redness Inflammation Discharge (excessive wax, ear mite debris, pus) Ulceration Foul odor
Otitis
Inflammation of the ear
Causes of otitis
Hypothyroidism Allergies Ear mites Behavior (swimming) Breed disposition Anatomical characteristics (shape, amount of hair) Improper treatment Bacteria, yeast
What kind of medicine is used to treat otitis externa
Topical medicine
Hypothyroidism suppresses _____
which allows ______ growth
Immune response
Microbial
Causes of otitis externa
Hypothyroidism
Mites and allergies (causes scratching)
Bacteria and yeast facilitated by warm moist environment (swimming, hair in ears, droopy ears)
Eardrum ruptures and inflammation/ infection moves into middle ear would be
(Otitis externa, media or interna)
Otitis media
Possible causes of otitis media
Chronic (ongoing or recurring) ear infections
Ear mites
Allergies
What kind of medicine would you administer for otitis media
Systemic antibiotics
Adenocarcinoma
Tumors of the ear canal,
Where adenocarcinoma originates
Most common in
The glands that line the ear canal
Most common in dogs w chronic otitis
Scratching ears
Shaking head
Sensitivity to ears being touched
Crumbly brownish red debris from ears
Ear mites
Ear mites are more common in
Cats
Secondary problems of ear mites
Excoriations
Aural hematomas
Bacterial infections
Ruptured tympanic membrane
How to do a mite check
Place drop of mineral oil on slide
Swan ear, collecting debris
Put debris on slide and make a wet mount
Look at slide under low power
What is an otoscope
Device used to look into ears
How to use an otoscope
Select tip size Turn on light Firm restraint critical Insert tip in a rostroventral direction(towards nose and down) Follow curve of canal
Cerumenolytic
Ear cleaner designed to break down wax
Kind of ear cleaner we use at Newell
Epi-optic (antibacterial and anti-fungal)
Ear cleaning process
Pull pinna up Squirt solution in canal in a rostroventral direction Allow to over fill Massage upwards Work debris w cotton balls Wipe
How to clean ears with chronic otitis
Often need sedation or gen anesthesia
Use a soft rubber bulb syringe
Lavage (flush) the external canal w lots of warm normal saline
Wipe w cotton balls
DIY ear cleaner for otitis
Dries ears out
50-50 water to white vinegar
1-2 times a week
Helps dry ears out (good for dogs that swim)
You should always do what before instilling medication in ears
Clean ears
How to instill medication in ear
Insert nozzle or teat cannula in a rostroventral direction
Hold head and massage canal gently
Do not wipe out
Note in animals record
What to note in animals record after instilling ear medication
Date Medication Amount Which ear Your initials
Plucking is
Commonly done In poodles and other small breed dogs
May prevent accumulation of wax, debris, and moisture
Best to use fingers, if using hemostats don’t insert in ear canal
Vertical ear canal resection (partial ear ablation)
Treatment for chronic otitis externa
Vertical canal is removed
Opening is made from horizontal ear canal to outside and
Total ear canal ablation TECA
Treatment for chronic otitis
Removed entire ear canal and scar tissue
What you should communicate to your client
Educate on how ear infections, mites, etc develop or are spread
Demonstrate how to clean and instill medications
Instruction handout
Schedule recheck app.
The pinna is also known as the
Auricle
