Spinone Italiano Ear Infections: Signs, Causes and Ear Care

Spend an afternoon with a Spinone Italiano and you will probably go home with damp trousers. These gentle Italian pointers lean in, rest their heavy heads on your lap and drool a little while they gaze up at you. Those long, triangular ears hang right beside the mouth, and they dip into the water bowl every time your dog takes a drink.

That combination of long pendulous ears, a wet beard and a love of rough country is why Spinone owners should keep ear care on the weekly to-do list. Below: why the breed is at risk, how to spot trouble, common causes, when to see your vet and a routine sized for a big, easygoing dog.

Why Spinone ears are vulnerable

The Spinone is one of the oldest pointing breeds, bred in Italy to hunt at a steady trot through thorny scrub and marsh. Its body is heavy-boned and squarely built, with a rough, wiry coat in white or orange roan, sometimes with brown.

The ears tell the real story. They are long, triangular and pendulous, set low and hanging close to the cheeks, with thin leather and short, dense hair. They reach well down the face, swing forward when the dog lowers its head, and fully cover the ear opening.

Several things work against those ears:

• Length and weight. A long, low-set ear closes off the canal and keeps it warm and still.
• Drool and a wet beard. Spinoni have loose lips and a soft mustache. Saliva and drinking water soak the hair at the corner of the mouth, right where the ear hangs.
• Water bowl dunking. The ear tips often slide into the bowl. A wet ear tip can wick moisture up the leather.
• Scrub and marsh. Field Spinoni work dense cover and wet ground, collecting burrs and seeds on the wiry coat.
• Allergies. Like many sporting breeds, some individuals have itchy, allergic skin, and the ears often react first.

Research from the UK on ear inflammation found gundogs and dogs with pendulous ears at higher odds, which describes the Spinone exactly. For a look at another sporting breed with long, low-hanging ears, see our Irish Setter ear guide, though the Setter's feathered, silky ears bring different grooming needs.

How a Spinone shows ear discomfort

This is a docile, gentle breed that rarely complains loudly. Changes are often subtle:

• Slow, heavy head shakes that make the long ears flap against the face
• Resting the head at an angle, or lying with one ear pressed against the floor
• Rubbing one cheek along the sofa, rug or your leg
• Brown wax or moist debris on the inside of the flap
• A strong, sour or yeasty smell when you lift the ear
• Reddened, warm or thickened skin inside the ear
• Pulling the head away from a hand that usually earns a happy lean

Discharge comes in different colors and textures. Our guide to what ear discharge color and texture can mean is a useful starting point before your vet visit.

What tends to cause it

Constant moisture leads the list. Between drool, the water bowl and wet walks, a Spinone's ears may rarely be fully dry. Under a heavy flap, damp skin allows yeast and bacteria that normally live in the ear to overgrow.

Allergies come next. Environmental allergies often bring seasonal flare-ups, while food reactions can cause year-round itching. Your vet can help sort out which is involved.

Plant material picked up in the field is a third trigger. A grass awn in the canal causes sudden, frantic shaking and needs veterinary removal. Wax buildup and, in puppies, ear mites round out the usual causes.

When to see your vet

If the ear already looks inflamed, skip the cleaning and get it checked. Your vet will examine the canal and eardrum and may look at a sample under the microscope. Book a visit if you notice:

• Pain: your dog yelps, flinches or will not let you touch the ear
• Head tilt, loss of balance, circling or unusual eye movements
• Bleeding, or a swollen, puffy ear flap (this can be a blood blister called an aural hematoma)
• A bad smell together with discharge
• Redness or swelling that is getting worse
• Symptoms that have not improved after a few days, or keep coming back

Hydrogen peroxide, vinegar, alcohol and homemade oil mixes belong on the "avoid" list. They can sting sore skin and are unsafe when the eardrum is damaged. So are cotton swabs pushed into the canal.

Ear care for a drooly, long-eared pointer

A healthy Spinone usually needs a full ear clean about once a week, plus a quick wipe of the ear tips and beard after meals and drinks. Add a clean after swims or wet field days. Dogs with past ear problems may need a schedule set by your vet.

Rethink the water bowl. A raised or narrow, deep bowl keeps long ears out of the water. Some owners use a snood or loosely clip the ears back during meals.

Keep a "face towel" handy. A small towel near the bowl makes it easy to dry the mustache and ear tips after every drink.

Then, once a week:

1. Settle your dog. Spinoni are big but calm. Many prefer lying down on a mat for ear care.
2. Inspect first. Lift each ear and look and sniff. Any redness, swelling, discharge or strong smell means stop and call your vet.
3. Fill the canal. Fill the ear canal with a dog ear cleaner.
4. Massage the base for 60 to 90 seconds.
5. Let your dog shake and keep your face out of range.
6. Wipe away debris from the inner flap and opening with cotton or gauze. Do not reach down into the canal.
7. Dry the beard and ear tips to finish.

About EcoEars: EcoEars is a botanical dog ear cleaner with no antibiotics or steroids, made in the USA in an FDA-registered facility. As directed on the label, fill the ear canal, massage the base of the ear for 60 to 90 seconds, let your dog shake, and wipe away loosened debris. Use it twice daily for 10 days in a row, then weekly or as needed. It is for dogs 12 weeks and older and for dogs only, since it contains tea tree oil.

Wondering if it is worth the effort? Here are 5 reasons to regularly clean your dog's ears.

Spinone Italiano ear FAQ

Why are my Spinone's ear tips always wet?

They usually dip into the water bowl and pick up drool from the lips. A deeper, narrower bowl and a quick towel after drinking help.

Does drool cause ear infections?

Drool on its own does not, but it keeps the area around the ear damp, which makes trouble more likely if allergies or debris are also involved.

How do I clean the ears of such a large dog?

Let your Spinone lie on its side on a mat, do the top ear, then have your dog roll over. Most settle quickly, especially with a reward.

Is orange roan or white more prone to ear trouble?

Coat color does not change ear risk. Ear shape, moisture, allergies and lifestyle matter far more.