Information brought to you by Virbac, makers of Epi-Otic – the advanced ear cleanerand Easotic – the easy solution to ear disease.

1. Swinney, A., Fazakerley, J., McEwan, N. and Nuttall, T (2008) Comparative in vitro antimicrobialefficacy of commercial ear cleaners. Veterinary Dermatology, Vol 19(suppl 1):49.

2. McEwan, N., Reme, C. A., Gatto, H. and Nuttall, T. J. (2008) Monosaccharide inhibition ofadherence by Pseudomonas aeruginosa to canine corneocytes. ESVD and ACVD. 19; 221-225.

Cleansing and Drying• Salicylic acid (found in many high quality skin creams)

removes dirt, dead skin cells and excess wax.• Docusate sodium dries the ear effectively and gently

Soothing and Gentle• Classified as non irritant to European

Cosmetic Standards

Anti Adhesive• Glycotechnology prevents bacteria from sticking

to the skin cells

Antibacterial and Antifungal• PCMX has an antibacterial effect• EDTA enhances the action of PCMX

Non Acidic• Physiological pH (~Neutral)• Doesn't over dry or irritate the skin

1. 2. 3.

It is ideal for use in combination withany treatment for an ear infection; in thiscase, Epi-Otic should be used ½ - 1 hourbefore the treatment, this ensures thatthe ear canal is clear from wax and pusand the ear treatment will not be dilutedby the ear cleaner. For pre-treatmentcleaning Epi-Otic can be used daily.

1. Place the nozzle in theentrance of the ear canaland squeeze a couple ofmillilitres in to the ear canal.

2. Gently massage your dog’sear, making sure that youkeep a firm grip of the dogwhile you are doing this.

3. Use a cotton ball or softtissue to wipe any excess earcleaner and dirt from theoutside of the ear that hasbeen dislodged by the Epi-Otic. Under no circumstancesshould you use a cotton budto clean your dog’s ear.

Epi-Otic can be used after ear treatmentis complete to help reduce therecurrence of ear infections and tomaintain a healthy clean ear. You shouldaim to use it once or twice a week.

How do I use Epi-Otic?

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Advanced formula Epi-Otic is...When do I useEpi-Otic?

Epi-Otic can be used for routine earcleaning maintenance or as an additionto ear treatment.

Be aware that once you have finished cleaning the ear, your dog willnaturally want to shake its head, which may release a small spray ofear cleaner into the surrounding area.

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EasOtic

What is Otitis externa?

Otitis externa (OE) literally meansinflammation of the ear canal and canaffect any breed of dog at any age.

Unlike our ears, dogs have very long earcanals and to make things worse there isa bend in them that means keepingthem clean is even more difficult.

Ear disease can happen for manyreasons, some dogs are born with narrowear canals. Others have long floppy earsso the ear canal gets too warm andwithout enough airflow the ear canbecome moist, providing a breedingground for bacteria and yeasts.

Dogs that swim are more likely toget ear disease and sometimes it is acomplication of an underlying allergicskin disease.

How does OE start?

OE starts from an irritation to the skinlining the ear canal; this usually occursfrom getting bacteria in the ear fromswimming or inflammation of the skinin the ear canal due to an allergy or aforeign body e.g. grass seed.

This irritation is uncomfortable so the dogscratches its ears, which can introducemore bacteria and further irritate the skinin the ear canal causing it to becomeeven more inflamed, itchy and sore.This inflammation narrows the ear canalcreating an environment that is warmerand more humid than normal.

Bacteria and yeasts like to grow in warmmoist conditions with little airflow, so theinflammation coupled with the dog’sscratching creates just the rightenvironment for the bacteria and yeaststo grow and multiply.

How is OE treated?

Your dog’s OE may be treated in anumber of ways. If you have noticed itearly, you may be advised to increase thefrequency of ear cleaning with acombination of steroid treatment, andthat might be sufficient.

If the OE has progressed the mostcommon treatment prescribed is apreparation containing an antibiotic, asteroid and an anti yeast agent.Traditional products have sometimesbeen difficult to use accurately especiallyif the ear is particularly uncomfortable oryour dog is not too easy to handle.However now there is a new treatmentspecifically designed to help you. It is aneasy to use treatment, which onlyrequires once daily application, and aconsistent measured dose isadministered whatever the orientationof the pack.

For dogs that have uncomfortable ears,the less time the ear is handled thehappier the dog will be.

It is always a good idea to clean yourdog’s ear an hour or so before treating it,ensuring the treatment can havemaximum effect in the ear. (Please seepage 5 for tips on cleaning your pet’s ear).

How do I prevent OE?

Prevention is always better than cure andthe easiest way to help stop earproblems occurring in the first place is tocheck your dog’s ears regularly and ifyour dog is a swimmer, use an earcleaner to flush the ear after the dog hasbeen swimming.

It is a good idea to have a routine tocheck your dog’s ears once or twice aweek. If your dog is prone to having dirtyears, you may need to incorporate an earcleaner into this routine – your vet or vetnurse can advise you.

The most important thing is that youcontact your vet as soon as possible ifyour dog is showing signs of eardiscomfort or the ear is not looking orsmelling ‘normal’ to you. The earlier thatyou treat OE, the better the outcome.

However, some dogs do not show manysigns at the beginning of OE. This is whyit is a good idea to check and clean yourdog’s ears regularly. Also, if your dog likesto swim, has been diagnosed with anallergy, or is prone to dirty and/or smellyears, it is a good idea to use a quality,anti-bacterial, non-acidic ear cleaner,such as Epi-Otic.

In some cases, especially in dogsdiagnosed with an underlying allergic skincondition your vet may recommendregular but infrequent use of an easy touse spray-on topical steroid which can alsohelp keep inflammation under control.

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Important:

If your dog has more than twoepisodes of OE per year, you mustdraw this to your vet’s attention,as repeated bouts of OE can causelong term thickening of the skinin the ear, which over time can leadto chronic problems. Recurrent OEis often a sign of underlying skindisease that requires regularlife-long management.

What are the signs?The general signs of OE are:

• Head shaking• Scratching• Redness or swelling of

the skin in the ear• Pain around the ears• Unpleasant odour• Discharge• Changes in behaviour• Other dogs licking at

your dog’s ears

1. Pinna

2. Vertical ear canal

3. Horizontal ear canal

4. Tympanic Membrane/ear drum

5. Tympanic Bulla/middle ear

6. Eustachian tube

7. Cochlea

8. Ossicles (ear bones)

Schematic diagram of normal healthy ear

How doesEpi-Otic help?

Epi-Otic ear cleaner is designed tobe gentle to the skin in the ear buteffective, when used routinely, atkeeping the ear clean and thereforelimiting the chance of infection. Thespecial formulation also has a dryingeffect in the ear, so is ideal to useafter your dog has been playing inwater or swimming.

Epi-Otic is a non-acidic, antibacterial andanti-yeast ear cleaner. Studies haveshown Epi-Otic to be effective against themain pathogens1 (bacteria and yeasts)that commonly infect the ear canal.

In addition, Epi-Otic is unique in havinganti-adhesive glycotechnology, whichmeans that it also prevents any bacteriafrom sticking to the skin cells in the earcanal2. In order to multiply and causeproblems, bacteria need to adhere (stick)to skin cells. Epi-Otic contains ingredientscalled monosaccharides (special sugars)that the bacteria prefer to stick to, so theydon’t get chance to multiply to cause aproblem. Instead, any bacteria getflushed out of the ear by the otheringredients in Epi-Otic.

How can I prevent OEfrom recurring?

Once your dog has had OE it islikely that it will recur. Regular,continued (once or twice a week)use of Epi-Otic will help maintainthe ear in a healthy condition.

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