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Those ears are pretty adorable little radar dishes. And they can detect just about anything. But discovering a smell that’s uncannily like fruit bread coming from them can mean a whole lot more than you think…
Here’s what that sultana scent really means…
Ok. I get it. You’re not in the habit of smelling your dog or cat’s ears. But maybe you should be?! After all, it’s one of the most important health checks I perform in the vet hospital.
Like a wine sommelier, I’ll breathe in that ear aroma. Weird? Maybe! But important? Definitely. And here’s why…
Like a fine wine, what’s sealed inside that ear between the furry ear flap and the ear drum should be quality. And only have a subtle popcorn like odour.
But add extra ear wax, water, heat or humidity and the whole balance goes out.
And all of a sudden that previously adorable ear becomes something that’s incredibly red, sore and shakeable.
And it’s the fruit bread smell that’s often the biggest giveaway. But why ‘that’ smell?
Well, it’s about to make a LOT of sense…
Well, when wine ferments, bread dough rises or fruit goes bad, there’s one common element. It’s yeast. Yes, when that tiny organism (which is actually a type of fungus) feeds on sugars, flour or yes, ear wax, it produces that pungent sour fruity odour. And that same smell is the first warning sign of an ear infection brewing.
The key to avoiding the yeast taking hold? Well, it’s keeping ears clean, dry and free of that dark wax that’s a breeding ground for bacteria and yeast. It’s why I developed my Ear De-Gunker in the first place.
So putting your nose to their ears shouldn’t raise eyebrows. You’re just in training to become the ear version of the wine snob. And that’s a skill that might save a lot of hassles for the hairy one in your life…
Written and fact checked by veterinarian Dr Chris Brown BVSc (Hons) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Brown_(veterinarian)
