Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Better outcomes for dogs with chronic ear infections using specialist
By Logas, Dawn & Maxwell, Elizabeth A·Published in Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association·2021·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Collaborative Care Improves Treatment Outcomes for Dogs with Chronic Otitis Externa: A Collaborative Care Coalition Study.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs suffering from severe ear infections (chronic otitis externa) were treated by their regular veterinarian before being referred to a specialist, a veterinary dermatologist. The dogs had an average of four recurrences of ear infections while under the primary vet's care, but only two recurrences after seeing the specialist. The dogs showed significant improvement in their ear health, with 91% of those treated by the specialist experiencing better outcomes. This suggests that working with a veterinary dermatologist can lead to better long-term results for dogs with persistent ear infections.
People also search for: dog ear infection treatment · chronic otitis externa in dogs · when to see a veterinary dermatologist for dog ears
Abstract
The purpose of this retrospective study was to compare outcome measures in dogs treated by a primary care veterinarian (pcDVM) before referral and after seeking collaboration with a board-certified veterinary dermatologist (BCVD) for cases of severe recurrent chronic otitis externa. Medical records of 65 client-owned dogs were retrospectively reviewed, and data were obtained regarding treatment history, referral timeframe, recurrence rate, clinical signs, and resolution of signs. The median number of otitis recurrences while under the care of the pcDVM was 4 (range 1-40) versus collaborative BCVD care of 2 (P < .01). There was a longer median time to otitis recurrence with collaborative care (171 days) compared with dogs managed by the pcDVM before referral (21 days; P > .01). Proliferative changes in the ear canals improved in 41/45 (91%) of cases under BCVD care compared with 6/45 (13%) under care by the pcDVM (P < .01). Dogs with chronic otitis had better long-term outcomes when collaboration with a BCVD was pursued within 6 mo of treatment. Referral or consultation with a BCVD should be considered for cases of chronic canine otitis that are persistent or quickly recurrent (20-30 days) over a 6 mo period.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34370852/