Diagnostic imaging of ear disease in the dog and cat

Abstract

Otitis externa is the most common disease of the canine and feline ear canal. Unfortunately, many cases of otitis externa remain unresolved, and become progressively refractory to therapy. Otitis media results from extension of otitis externa, from infections ascending through the eustachian tube, or from hematogenous spread. Tympanic rupture resulting from trauma or from foreign bodies or tumors in the external ear canal may allow the development of otitis media. Once the veterinarian accepts that chronic otitis is usually a complicated disease of multifactorial etiology, logical evaluation of the patient becomes possible, leading to the implementation of specific diagnostic and therapeutic measures. Diagnostic modalities described for the middle ear include video-otoscopy, radiology, canalography, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance (MRI), and ultrasonography. All these modalities have significantly compromised sensitivity and specificity especially with mild or early changes. In this work we have reviewed these diagnostic techniques, documented with clinical cases from the Veterinary Clinical Hospital of the ULPGC