7:Ear Exam & Care

Question 1

Pinna or auricle

Answer 1

External portion of the ear that catches sound waves and transmits them to the canal
Plural:pinnae

Question 2

Tube that transmits sound from the pinna to the tympanic membrane

Answer 2

External auditory canal or external ear canal

Question 3

Tissue that separates external ear from middle ear

Answer 3

Tympanic membrane (eardrum)

Question 4

Area from tympanic membrane to inner ear

Answer 4

Middle ear

Question 5

Middle ear contains ___ bones of the ear

Answer 5

3, transmit sound vibrations

Question 6

What part of the ear transmits sound vibrations

Answer 6

Middle ear

Question 7

Where the inner ear is located

Answer 7

Embedded in bone of skull

Question 8

Part of the ear that contains sensory receptors for hearing and balance

Answer 8

Inner ear

Question 9

Part of ear that transmits signals to the cranial nerves, which go to the brain stem

Answer 9

Inner ear

Question 10

Behavioral indications of ear problems is

Answer 10

Scratching ears 
Shaking head 
Rubbing on floor 
Whimpering or pulling away when ears are touched 
Head tilt 
Circling

Question 11

Head tilt may indicate

Answer 11

Inner ear problems (balance)

Question 12

Circling may indicate

Answer 12

Inner ear problems (balance)

Question 13

What a tipped ear is, why

Answer 13

Distal 1/4” removed from right pinna indicating cat has been spayed or neutered
Typically done in ferals
Double check for spay scar (frostbite)

Question 14

What frostbite looks like

Answer 14

Usually effects both pinnae
Edge tends not to be smooth
May be scar tissue

Question 15

Sunburn is most common in

Answer 15

Like haired, fair skinned animals
More common in cats bc less hair
Nose and dog abdomen

Question 16

What sunburn on ears looks like

Answer 16

Blistered if new
Red, “crispy” looking
Deformed

Question 17

Sunburn can result in

Answer 17

Cancer

Question 18

Most common tumor on pinnae

Answer 18

Squamous cell carcinomas

Question 19

Tumors may result from

More common in

Answer 19

Previous sunburn

Cats than dogs

Question 20

Tumors look like

Answer 20

Red or black nodules

Question 21

Aural hematoma

Answer 21

Accumulation of blood within pinna

Question 22

What causes an aural hematoma

Often associated w

Answer 22

Shaking of head, rupturing blood vessels

Often associated with other ear conditions: parasitism, allergies and inflammation, infection, etc

Question 23

Possible causes of scar tissue on pinna

Answer 23

Healed aural hematoma 
Frostbite 
Sunburn 
Fighting 
Etc

Question 24

Excoriation

Answer 24

Scratching of the skin

Question 25

Excoriation usually happens where

Answer 25

Behind pinnae, sometimes inside pinnae, on face

Question 26

Excoriation looks like | Is usually due to

Answer 26

Blood, scabs, hair loss | Ear mites

Question 27

Indications of ear problems

Answer 27

``` Redness Inflammation Discharge (excessive wax, ear mite debris, pus) Ulceration Foul odor ```

Question 28

Otitis

Answer 28

Inflammation of the ear

Question 29

Causes of otitis

Answer 29

``` Hypothyroidism Allergies Ear mites Behavior (swimming) Breed disposition Anatomical characteristics (shape, amount of hair) Improper treatment Bacteria, yeast ```

Question 30

What kind of medicine is used to treat otitis externa

Answer 30

Topical medicine

Question 31

Hypothyroidism suppresses _____ | which allows ______ growth

Answer 31

Immune response | Microbial

Question 32

Causes of otitis externa

Answer 32

Hypothyroidism Mites and allergies (causes scratching) Bacteria and yeast facilitated by warm moist environment (swimming, hair in ears, droopy ears)

Question 33

Eardrum ruptures and inflammation/ infection moves into middle ear would be (Otitis externa, media or interna)

Answer 33

Otitis media

Question 34

Possible causes of otitis media

Answer 34

Chronic (ongoing or recurring) ear infections Ear mites Allergies

Question 35

What kind of medicine would you administer for otitis media

Answer 35

Systemic antibiotics

Question 36

Adenocarcinoma

Answer 36

Tumors of the ear canal,

Question 37

Where adenocarcinoma originates | Most common in

Answer 37

The glands that line the ear canal | Most common in dogs w chronic otitis

Question 38

Scratching ears Shaking head Sensitivity to ears being touched Crumbly brownish red debris from ears

Answer 38

Ear mites

Question 39

Ear mites are more common in

Answer 39

Cats

Question 40

Secondary problems of ear mites

Answer 40

Excoriations Aural hematomas Bacterial infections Ruptured tympanic membrane

Question 41

How to do a mite check

Answer 41

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

Question 42

What is an otoscope

Answer 42

Device used to look into ears

Question 43

How to use an otoscope

Answer 43

``` Select tip size Turn on light Firm restraint critical Insert tip in a rostroventral direction(towards nose and down) Follow curve of canal ```

Question 44

Cerumenolytic

Answer 44

Ear cleaner designed to break down wax

Question 45

Kind of ear cleaner we use at Newell

Answer 45

Epi-optic (antibacterial and anti-fungal)

Question 46

Ear cleaning process

Answer 46

``` Pull pinna up Squirt solution in canal in a rostroventral direction Allow to over fill Massage upwards Work debris w cotton balls Wipe ```

Question 47

How to clean ears with chronic otitis

Answer 47

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

Question 48

DIY ear cleaner for otitis | Dries ears out

Answer 48

50-50 water to white vinegar 1-2 times a week Helps dry ears out (good for dogs that swim)

Question 49

You should always do what before instilling medication in ears

Answer 49

Clean ears

Question 50

How to instill medication in ear

Answer 50

Insert nozzle or teat cannula in a rostroventral direction Hold head and massage canal gently Do not wipe out Note in animals record

Question 51

What to note in animals record after instilling ear medication

Answer 51

``` Date Medication Amount Which ear Your initials ```

Question 52

Plucking is

Answer 52

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

Question 53

Vertical ear canal resection (partial ear ablation)

Answer 53

Treatment for chronic otitis externa Vertical canal is removed Opening is made from horizontal ear canal to outside and

Question 54

Total ear canal ablation TECA

Answer 54

Treatment for chronic otitis | Removed entire ear canal and scar tissue

Question 55

What you should communicate to your client

Answer 55

Educate on how ear infections, mites, etc develop or are spread Demonstrate how to clean and instill medications Instruction handout Schedule recheck app.

Question 56

The pinna is also known as the

Answer 56

Auricle