Otology (including diseases) Flashcards
What are the pinnal conformations in cats?
Erect (normal)
four ears
folded ears
curled ears
What occurs in cats with the four-eared condition?
small extra pinna bilaterally
reduction of the size of their globes
slightly undershot jaw
normal body size
What breed of cat has folded ears?
Scottish Fold
- born with normal ears
- after about 4 weeks the ears fold rostrally
- all have some degree of osteochondrodysplasia of the distal limbs
What breed of cat has curled ears?
American curl
- ears fold back at pinnal apex
What is the musculature of the pinnae like?
muscles of the pinna are numerous and act to move the ear
- Rostroauricular muscles
- Caudoauricular muscles
- Ventroauricular muscle
What is the antitragus?
thin, elongated piece of cartilage caudal to the tragus and separated from it by the intertragic incisure
has medial process, lateral process
What is the intertragic incisure?
the anatomic region used to guide the otoscopic cone or otoendoscope into the ear canal for the otoscopic examination
What is hair like in the ear canal?
most breeds: hairs are fewer, simple, not present the length of the ear canal
- very few fine hairs are found distal to the tympanic membrane
- should decrease in number from distal to proximal
Cocker spaniels: excessive compound hair follicles in the horizontal ear canal
What are ceruminous glands?
modified epitrichial glands in the ear canal
- some open directly onto skin like atrichial glands
Cockers, English spaniels and Labrador retrievers have more than usual
may become hyperplastic with chronic otic disease
- may initially appear as prominent white specks along the canal
- Cockers more prone to hyperplasia
Cerumen formed from exfoliation of cells and glandular secretions
- Protective role with IgA, IgG, IgM – mostly IgG
More are present in the lower 1/3 of the canal
Located below sebaceous glands (like other epitrichial glands)
How does vasculature pass from the concave to convex pinna?
via foramina in elastic auricular cartilage
What is the tragus?
quadrangular plate of cartilage that forms lateral boundary of canal (opposite of anthelix)
What is the anthelix?
low ridge on medial wall of canal
What is the cavum conchae?
circular cavity created by the anthelix, tragus and antitragus
Basal conchae twists as it forms tube (vertical ear canal)
Proximal auricular cartilage creates funnel shape
What is the anular cartilage?
Separate cartilaginous band, overlaps with osseous external acoustic meatus
- Gives ear canal flexibility, articulates with meatus via ligaments
What organisms are present in canine and feline ear canals?
Normal: Staph, Strep, bacillus, E. coli, Corynebacterium, micrococcus, yeast
Otitis: Staph, Strep, Pseudomonas, Proteus, Corynebacterium, Enterococcus, E. coli, yeast
What is cerumen?
Emulsion that coats the ear canal
Contains desquamated keratin, sebaceous and ceruminous excretions
In otitis it has lower lipid content and is more acidic
The clearing mechanism is altered in otitis
What is the pH of dogs ears?
Normal= 4.6-7.2
Otitis:
- Acute= 5.2-7.2
- Chronic= 6.0-7.4 (organisms change?)
How is the tympanic membrane typically oriented relative to the central axis of the horizontal external acoustic meatus in dogs?
45-degree angle
* can be used to advantage when removing saline from ear after flush
How many layers is the tympanic membrane?
3
Inner layer - epithelium from pharyngeal pouch origin
Central layer - fibrous connective tissue from pharyngeal wall
Outer layer - stratified squamous epithelium from pharyngeal groove and part of external ear canal
What is the pars flaccida?
Dorsal part of the tympanic membrane
Has small blood vessels
Can bulge with otitis media due to pressure (rarely found in normal dogs)
Histopathology: collagen, rare mast cells, and keratinized epithelium
- no histopathology difference between bulging and not
What is the pars tensa?
Ventral part of tympanic membrane
Very thin but extremely tough and robust
Has radiating ridges
The stria mallearis is visible
- has a concave shape due to internal surface tension from this attachment
Histopathology: more collagen, no inflammatory cells, keratinized epithelium
What is the stria mallearis and how is it different between dogs and cats?
outline of the manubrium of the malleus visualized through the pars tensa
- tension from this makes the tympanic membrane have a concave shape
Dog: hook- or C-shaped
- concave aspect of the “C” facing rostrally
Cat: straight
Umbo is the point of the greatest depression
How long should a normal tympanic membrane take to heal following a myringotomy?
regenerate by day 14
Complete healing between 21 and 35 days
Will be thicker than normal (scarring)
What maintains the thinness of the tympanic membrane and self-cleaning function of the external ear?
epithelial migration
- tympanum follows centrifugal/outwards pattern of epithelial migration
- never migrates from pars flaccida to pars tensa or vice versa
if it fails you will get cerumen accumulation