Dog Keeps Pawing at Her Ear and Seems to Try to Unplug It
It's frustrating when the vet finds nothing but she's still bothered. Pawing at an ear, together with a yawning or jaw-stretching motion, suggests something is bothering her ear even if the visible part looks normal. Possible causes include early or deep ear infection, wax build-up, ear mites, an allergy (which often causes itchy ears before any infection is visible), something lodged deep in the ear canal such as a grass seed or a growth, or, less often, pain from the mouth or jaw.
If it's still going on, ask your vet for a thorough look down the canal with an otoscope, including the eardrum, and a swab of the ear debris examined under a microscope (ear cytology). If she won't let the vet see deep in the canal, ask about a look under sedation. Note when she paws most, for example after walks or at certain times of year, because that helps point to the cause. Go back sooner if she shakes her head a lot, the ear smells, or the ear flap becomes swollen, and the same day if she tilts her head, loses her balance, has flicking eyes or a droopy face, as these can mean the middle or inner ear is involved. If it continues, a referral to a veterinary dermatologist can help.
This is general information, not a diagnosis. Please follow your own vet's advice.
