Evaluation of Zepp’s Procedure in Management of Chronic Otitis Externa in Dogs

The study was conducted on 10 dogs presented at VCC, VSR, CVAS Bikaner with the owner complaint of consistent shaking of head and scratching of ear, rubbing of ear to hard object, purulent foul smelling discharge from ear and also had history of long medicinal treatment using NSAIDS, steroids and antibiotics. Clinical otoscopic examination of the ears revealed purulent odoriferous discharge, with stenosis and calcification of lateral ear canal in some cases. For definitive diagnosis ear exudate was collected in sterile swabs inserted in lateral ear canal using otoscope, and it was evaluated for parasites, bacteria, fungi, yeast. Skull radiography was performed to evaluate calcification in the ear canal and involvement of middle ear. After thorough examination it was concluded that the animals were suffered from chronic otitis externa and decided to perform zepps procedure (lateral ear canal resection) to increase drainage, facilitate ventilation of ear canal and easy placement of topical agents into horizontal ear canal. Zepp’s procedure was performed under general anaesthesia; post-operative care was done using regular application of topical steroids, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and antibiotics along with systemic antibiotics. After one month of post-operative care four ear showed excellent healing and dryness of the ear, Infection subsided in three ears and no improvement was seen in three ears. Microbiology suggested mixed bacterial infection in 6 dogs. Zepp’s procedure is a conservative surgical operation found to be a choice of surgical management in cases of early stages of otitis externa which has not been progressed to otitis media.