The most common reasons for ear surgery are end-stage otitis externa/media, cholesteatomas and neoplasia. Here at ChesterGates Veterinary Specialists we routinely perform video otoscopy, digital radiography and advanced imaging with a 16-slice CT or a 1.5T MRI, to investigate cases of otitis or peripheral vestibular disease.
End-stage otitis externa/media is by far the most common reason for patients presenting to ChesterGates Veterinary Specialists for surgery of the ear canal. End-stage ear disease is often secondary to recurrent ear infections or underlying disease such as allergic skin disease or neoplasia. In these chronic cases the changes that have occurred within the ear canal are irreversible and predispose to recurrent ear infections. At this stage medical management frequently fails to resolve the signs and surgery is usually undertaken.
