Ear disease & TECA in dogs

How To Treat Dog Ear Problems And Achieve Lasting Results

Damage to the ear canal is typically painful for your pet because it is very narrow and is often accompanied by a build-up of ear wax, which also contributes to limited hearing.
With the ear drum being ruptured, the deeper structures of the ear get infected. In some cases, this can lead to cancerous tumors of the ear canal.
Whether there are tumors present, or the long-term chronic infection is causing ongoing health issues, most veterinarians will recommend TECA surgery as the best option for resolving the issues.

TECA Surgery – How The Procedure Works

The diseased ear canal is removed entirely during this surgical procedure. Despite the delicate nature of what’s involved, a skilled surgeon will have fewer complications during the surgery. SurgiPet team is extremely experienced in performing TECA procedures safely and successfully.
Following complete removal of the ear canal, abnormal tissue from the middle ear is also taken away.
If the infection is severe, drains are inserted into the surgical site. If drains have been put in place, antiseptic may be needed to be injected through them twice daily. Bandages will also have to be changed twice per day for three to four days.

Although the ear canal is removed entirely, your pet’s ear flap will remain intact.

Benefits of TECA Surgery

• Unbelievable improvement in comfort – when the infection is removed life becomes much more bearable for your long-suffering pet.
• Ear pain is gone – this is experienced within a matter of days by most dogs and cats.
• Increased activity – typically, a dog that has chronic deep-seated ear infections will be much less active than a normal dog because they do not feel well.
• New lease of life – most owners report that their pet is ‘like a new dog’ or is acting like a puppy again. This is down to the health improvement and increased energy levels.
• Better responsiveness – many owners tell us that their dog can hear better after surgery. The reality is that the hearing is likely not improved, rather the dog is feeling better and is more willing to respond to auditory stimuli, such as the ringing of a doorbell.
• Permanent cure for ear infection – the operated site stays infection-free and healthy.
• Saving time and money – because owners don’t have to keep repeatedly spending cash on ear medications and treatments after the surgery is completed.

Potential complications

• Swelling and discharge around the ear – this is fairly common for the first four or five days post-surgery. This is simply because the operated tissues are still very inflamed and is a natural part of the infection-clearing process.
• Facial nerve paralysis – this occurs in about 5 to 10% of cases. The more severe the ear disease, the greater the risk of this issue. The facial nerve at the base of the ear canal is important for the function of facial muscles. If this nerve is bruised from the surgery your pet will not be able to close its eyelids, and its lips will appear droopy on the operated side. In most cases, facial nerve paralysis is only temporary and resolves within two months.
• Difficulty chewing/opening the mouth – if the joint of the jaw, located next to the ear, gets inflamed from middle ear infection or from surgery, then this can result in pain. Your pet will have some difficulty chewing food and opening the mouth, but this is typically resolved within two weeks.
• Horner’s syndrome – this condition is where the eye pupil becomes constricted following damage or inflammation of the sympathetic nerve that runs through the middle ear. However, this syndrome is very rare because the nerve is fairly well protected in dogs.
• Vestibular syndrome – this leads to balance issues for pets, but is also very rare. Less than 2% of dogs are affected by this.
• Recurrent infection inside the middle ear – again very uncommon due to the effectiveness of TECA surgery. In a very small number of cases this will require a a second surgery for more cleaning.

Conclusion

If your dog or cat has been struggling with ongoing ear problems, please be assured that they can be pain-free and have a restored quality of life through TECA surgery.