Otitis and Diseases of the Ear Flashcards
Perpetuating Causes of Otitis Externa
- Yeast
- Bacteria (cocci, rods)
- Chronic changes
- Otitis media
Acute signs of otitis externa
- Head shaking
- Ear scratching
- Head carriage
- Erythema
- Facial trauma
- Aural hematoma (scaphe)
- Malodor
- Debris
Chronic signs of otitis externa
- Lichenification
Pinna
- THin plate of cartilage covered on both sides by skin (sandwich)
What is the vertical canal?
- SEgment continuous with the pinna, surrounded by auricular cartilage
What is the horizontal canal?
- Segment from the vertical canal to the tympanic membrane; surrounded by annular cartilage
- Cartilage gives support, funnels sound, and protects the tympanic membrane
What is the tympanic membrane?
- Semitransparent membrane that separates the external ear canal from the middle ear
What are the two parts of the tympanic membrane?
- Pars flaccida
- Pars tensa
Pars flaccida
- Pink, small, loosely attached region forming the upper quadrant of the TM, contains small blood vessels
- May appear prominent and bulge in some dogs and could be mistaken for a mass
Pars tensa
- Remainder of the membrane
- Thin, tough pearl grey structure attached to surrounding bone by a fibrocartilaginous rnig
Stria mallearis
- Outline of the manubrium of the malleus that is visible through the TM where it attaches to the medial surface
- Manubrium has a hook that points rostrally in the dog
Label the parts of the ear
- Apex
- Scapha
- Lateral or caudal border of the helix
- Cutaneous marginal pouch
Where do you insert your otoscope?
- Intertragic incisure
Histology of the ear
- Extension of the skin
- External ear canal lined by stratified squamous epithelium, overlying the dermis
- Dermis contains numerous sebaceous glands and fewer ceruminal glands (modified apocrine glands)
- Density of the ceruminal glands varies among breeds, therefore so does the amount of waxy secretions
- Canals contain hair follicles, which also vary in density among breeds
What is cerumen?
- waxy debris in the canal consisting of sebaceous and apocrine secretions and desquamated epithelial cells
- Functions to trap foreign matter and may be antibacterial
Epithelial migration
- Self-cleaning mechanism of the ear canal
- Surface of the epithelium moves laterally from the inner horizontal canal to sweep debris out of the ear
Relative humidity and pH of the ear
88.5%
mean pH= 6.2
- Relatively stable in normal ears
Microflora normally in the ear
- The ear canal is host to lower numbers of yeast (Malassezia pachydermatis) and Gram Positive bacteria
What is otitis externa?
- Inflammation of the external ear canal
- No insight to cause of inflammation
What happens to relative humidity and pH with otitis externa?
- Significant rise in relative humidity and pH
What are the three Ps that cause otitis?
- Primary causes
- Predisposing Causes
- Perpetuating Causes
Primary causes
- Parasites
- Allergies
- Foreign bodies
- Disorders of Keratinization
- Neoplasia
- Autoimmune diseases
Parasites that cause otitis externa?
- Otodectes
- Otobius
- Demodex
- Sarcoptes/notoedres
Otodectes cynotis - who gets?
- Dogs and cats
Appearance of otodectes cynotis?
- Coffee grounds
Appearance of ears with otodectes?
- ears can be normal
- Often visualized during exam
Demodex mites that can cause otitis externa
- Canis
- Injai
- Catai
Demodex implication in otitis externa?
- Ear canals can be affected as part of generalized infestation and cause heavy cerumen accumulations
Where does Sarcoptes tend to cause problems with otitis externa?
WHat question may suggest Sarcoptic mange?
- Ear pinna
- If the owner is itchy, that’s a big clue
- Rarely affects the canal itself
Notoedres - where does it tend to cause problems?
- Pinna mostly
Most common parasite of the ear canal?
- Otodectes cynotis
Otobius megnini - common name? where is it seen in the US?
- Spinous ear tick
- SW
Eutrombicula alfreddugesi common names? Who gets? Lesions?
- Chiggers
- Seen on free-roaming cats
- Pruritic papules on ears, head, and neck
WHat is the MOST COMMON cause of persistent or recurring otitis?
- ALLERGIES (atopy, food, contact hypersensitivity)
Atopic pruritus areas
- Face, paws, axillae, inguinal
Atopic dermatitis - what % of atopic pets can develop otitis?
- Up to 80%
What % of pets with food allergies can have otitis externa?
- Up to 80%
- Some may ONLY have recurring otitis as a clinical sign (i.e. no pruritus)
- Food allergy is an important rule out in young dogs with recurrent otitis
Contact hypersensitivity otitis - what agents are generally implicated?
- Neomycin
- Propylene glycol
- Anything placed on the skin or ears can cause irritation
Foreign bodies as causes of otitis - examples of causes?
- Grass awns or fox tails
- Concretions of medications and/or long-acting medications like compounded BNT or Otipacs
Clinical appearance of dogs with foreign bodies
- Often acute onset, unilateral
Keratinization disorers that can lead to otitis?
- Primary seborrhea
- Sebaceous adenitis
- Hypothyroidism
- Cushing’s disease (?)
Primary seborrhea
- Disorder of increased epithelial turnover and proliferation of sebaceous secretions
Who gets primary seborrhea?
- Cocker Spaniels and Basset Hounds
What can primary seborrhea lead to that predisposes to otitis?
- Increased cerumen production - environment for microbial overgrowth
- Increased sebaceous secretions can produce altered fatty acids that are irritating to the canal
Sebaceous adenitis - how can it lead to otitis?
- Can affect sebaceous glands in the ear canal resulting in dry, hyperkeratotic canals
- Especially in Akitas
Hypothyroidism - how can it lead to otitis?
- Can cause seborrhea and increased epithelial turnover and proliferation of sebaceous secretions
Neoplastic causes of otitis externa?
- Inflammatory polyps
- Benign
- malignant
Apocrine gland cysts in cats
- Little brown cerumminous cysts
- If you poke them, it’s brownish in color
Autoimmune causes of otitis externa?
- Pemphigus foliaceus
- Systemic lupus erythematosus
List of primary causes of otitis?
- Parasites
What should you primarily think with predisposing causes?
- Think anatomy**
- Think lifestyles
- Don’t rule out primary causes those
Anatomical predisposing causes for otitis externa?
- Pendulous pinnae (think Cocker spaniels; Bassets)
- Stenotic ear canals (Shar Pei; Chow Chow; poor ventilation and microbial overgrowth)
- Increased hair (trap cerumen and debris; poodles and labradoodles)
- Increased ceruminous glands have a favorable environment for microbial overgrowth (German Shephard, Spaniels, Setters)
Lifestyle factors that can predispose to otitis externa?
- Swimming
- Grooming or plucking
- Overzealous cleaning
What do swimming, grooming/plucking, or overzealous cleaning tend to do to the ear that predisposes to otitis?
- It can become macerated and can lose its protective lipid barrier allowing microbes to overcolonize the area
Perpetuating causes of otitis externa
- Yeast
- Bacterial cocci or rods
- Chronic changes
- Otitis media
Which yeast tend to be involved in otitis externa?
- Malassezia pachydermatitis
Which bacterial cocci and rods tend to be involved with otitis externa?
- cocci: Staphylococcus
- Rods: E. coli, Proteus, Klebsiella, Corynebacterium, Pseudomonas
What % of dogs with chronic otitis externa can have concurrent otitis media, and what is the clinical significance?
- Up to 50-80% of dogs and cats with chronic otitis externa can have concurrent otitis media and can reinfect the external canal