Why are my Dog’s ears hot? Being a dog owner, you spend a lot of time with them during the day. You play, walk and cuddle with them, so after some time, you get an idea of what is normal for your dog and what is unusual with their bodies.
A dog’s ear feels hot for several reasons. One of the main reasons is that they might have a temperature and their whole body, including ears, are hot.
When a dog abnormally feels cold or hot, it can set off some alarms in the head of the dog’s owners. When your dog’s health is affected by any reason, their body starts showing different signs like hot ears, etc.
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Why are my Dogs Ear Hot?
If you are a pet owner and have pets around you all the time, you develop a certain sense in which you know right away when something is wrong with your pet. Your pet is like your child, and you take care of him, feed him, bathe him and have cuddles with him.
When your dog’s health gets affected by any reason, and you notice some unusual symptoms, take your pet immediately to the vet. Your dogs might have hot ears due to several causes such as fever, infection, or other dog health conditions that might require an examination from your vet.
When dogs have hot ears, they usually show weird behavior like eating papers, dragging their butt, scratching their head more than usual, and even spraying inside your home. Being a dog owner, you should watch your pet and notice changes in their behavior due to health issues.
Here are some of the reasons why your dogs have hot ears and what does it mean.
1. Fever
One of the most obvious reasons dogs have hot ears is that they might have a high fever. Fever results from any reason, such as an illness or infection.
Fever can also occur when your dog plays with cold water in the winter season. Other symptoms of fever include vomiting, shivering, and loss of appetite.
Use a digital thermometer to get the read on your pet’s temperature. If you don’t have a digital thermometer, take your dog to the vet and get him examined. He will guide you on how to get rid of fever and give you some safety precautions to avoid fever in the future.
2. Ear Infection
Why are my Dog’s ears hot? One of the main reasons behind this is that your dog suffers from bacterial or yeast infections, which are quite common in humans and dogs.
Other common symptoms for ear infections include water trapped in the ear canal, food allergy, environmental allergy, mass in-ear, build-up of wax, etc.
When you notice that your dog is scratching their ear or shaking its head more than usual, they have hot ears or ear pain. Check their ears for any redness or odor; consult the vet immediately for further examination after finding an issue.
If your dog has sensitive ears and plays outside or swims a lot, you should clean his ears with a good dog ear cleaning solution.
3. Injury
A recent injury can also cause your dog’s ear to become hot. Due to injury, your dog might start extreme itching, head shaking, etc. A prolonged injury can sometimes lead to an ear infection, which can cause ear hematoma if left unattended when a dog shakes its head due to injury.
Blood vessels within the ear flap can rupture and cause all ear flaps to fill with blood. That’s why the ear feels hot when the dog has an injury.
If you notice any ear hematoma symptoms, you should call your vet and get treatment as soon as possible. You have to avoid such conditions because it is painful for your pet and you.
4. Heatstroke
Your dog needs to have a safe and comfortable space in extreme weather conditions. Ensure that your dog has access to the shade and water to avoid overheating.
During summer, never leave your dog in your car unattended because your dog can overheat and have a heat stroke, which can make your dog’s ears hot.
Some dog species, such as bulldogs and pugs, are overweight and short-nosed breeds, getting hot faster. Besides having hot ears, the other symptoms from overheating are drooling, heavy breathing, and panting.
Read Also: Are dogs Immune to tear Gas
5. Ear Mite
Ear mite infestation can also cause your dog’s ear to become hot. These ear mites can affect cats and dogs and damage the ear canal. Due to ear mites, your dog can show symptoms like relentless scratching, and repeatedly ear shaking. Ear mites usually affect those pets who spend most of their time in the heavily grassed and wooded areas.
Suppose your pet spends most of their time in the area where he might get ear mites and regularly check and clean their ears. Ear mite problems can be treated by medication after consulting with your vet.
6. Allergies
If you want to monitor your dog’s health, then look closely at the dog’s ear. When your dog’s ear is hot, and they don’t have any other symptoms, that means they have just an allergic reaction. If their whole body is hot, they are suffering from temperature.
Most allergic reactions are due to food sensitivity, so notice when your ear is most irritated and hot. If your dog tried a new food item, then notice any changes in their health and body because pets are allergic to many food items.
Besides food items, some types of grass can also cause an allergic reaction to your dog’s ear. A new house plant can also cause your Dogs to eat hot.
How Warm Should Dog’s Ear Can Get?
If your dog has a temperature and you want to check its intensity, then the dog’s ear is one of the options to use if you want to take its temperature. You can feel the temperature changes just by touching the ears. Always use a thermometer to find out the seriousness of the situation.
Ear thermometers for dogs are available in the market, but a rectal thermometer can also help. These thermometers are expensive, and sometimes they can be inaccurate. Make sure the dog’s ear temperature stays between 100°F and 103°F. It is best to consult the vet in any case.
What to do When your Dog’s Ear is Hot?
If you want to cool down the temperature of your dog’s ear, then first find out why they are behaving this way.
1. Reduce the Fever
When you realize the fever is present, you can start treating your dog. If you don’t want to treat him at home, take him to the vet. Monitor the dog’s water intake and then help him drink more water to manage the internal body temperature.
To prevent dehydration, place a water bowl with their bed so that they can drink water anytime they want.
Place a cool cloth on your dog to reduce their fever. You can also place the cool item on their ears to cool them down. This technique only slows down their fever; you have to take your dog to the vet and get medication to get rid of the fever.
2. Clean Your Dog’s Ear
To avoid any infection, allergy, or ear mites, you must keep your dog’s ear clean. If you know how to clean the ear without damaging it, go ahead. Don’t accidentally harm the ear canal by poking it. But it’s better that you take your pet to the vet and trust a professional.
Before following any home remedy, make sure that your dog is not allergic to that thing. Certain liquids are harmful and cause permanent damage to the dog’s hearing.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is it normal for my dog to feel hot?
Dogs can be hot for several reasons. They might be hot from fever, exercising, overheating, etc. Dogs like humans don’t have any sweat glands, so they pant to regulate their temperature when they feel hot. Keep an eye on your dog so that when they are feeling hot or showing similar symptoms like heavy panting and overheating, consult your vet immediately.
2. Are my Dog’s ears supposed to be hot?
Dog ear is naturally warm, and their normal body temperature is usually between 99-102 degrees Fahrenheit. Besides this temperature, they shouldn’t feel hot. If your dog’s ear feels hot than normal, look for different overheating symptoms, fever, allergies, etc. Being a dog owner, it is your responsibility to take care of your pet and provide him with all basic facilities like good food and a home.
Also Read: How to put ear drops in an aggressive dog.
Wrapping Up:
Why are my Dogs Ear hot? Dogs, like other pets, like to wander and discover the nature around them. Similarly, they also show the same health conditions as other pets. If your dog’s ear becomes hot more than usual, notice why they show these symptoms. The ears also get hot due to a fever, allergy, infection, ear mite, heatstroke, or injury. You don’t need to worry. Call your vet and consult with him.
