Expert: Dr. Louis N. Gotthelf - 9/18/2005

Question
In the last week or so my 4 yr. old lab has been shaking his head so hard which makes his ears flap.  There is no odor coming from the ears and they appear very clean and pink.  There is no discharge.  He also has been scratching more that usual, including his ears. I am sure that he has no flea problems.  His skin seems itchy but has no flaking or bare spots.  Could this be allergies or ear infection or what?  If it could be allergies where would I start first to come up with an answer?  
Thank you so much.
Rigby's Mom

Answer
The first place to start is at the vet's office.  There could be an allergy to food, pollens, molds, etc., causing the ears to itch and the dog to flop its ears. The vet will look deep into the ears and see if there is an infection, ear mites, ruptured eardrum, of middle ear disease.  The itching can be controlled in many cases with a shot of cortisone followed with cortisone tablets. If the vet thinks there is a food allergy, your dog may need to eat a special food for 3 months to determine that.