Clinical and Microbiological Comparison of Antimicrobial and Ceruminolytic Activity of two Commercial Ear Cleaners (Epiotic® Advance, Virbac) (Pyocleanoto®, LDCA) Utilizing Blinded Otoscopic Digital Imaging
Author(s): Alberto Martin Cordero, Camilo Romero Núñez, Galia Sheinberg Waisburd, Ariadna Flores Ortega
Background - Otitis externa is frequent in cats and dogs. Ear cleaners are considered as an important part of immediate and long-term
treatment programs. The objective of this study was comparing the efficacy of two commercial ear cleaners with antimicrobial and
ceruminolytic properties using digital imaging with video otoscope in dogs with otitis externa.
Methods - A total of 8 patients (16 ears) with external otitis were evaluated. All dogs were treated with two different commercial ear cleaners
(EpiOtic Advance® (Virbac, France) and Pyo Clean Oto® (LDCA, France) using a randomized table (Graphpad®) EpiOtic advance was
applied twice a day, Pyoclean Oto, was applied once every other day. The treated ears were evaluated on day 0, 7 and 14. Both the ear canals
were sampled for cytological evaluation for yeast, and cocci and rod bacteria. Four pictures of the same areas of the ear canal were taken
using a video otoscope (Otopet®). The pictures were evaluated blinded by a veterinary dermatologist.
Results - There was no difference between groups before treatment in the number of microorganisms and the ear scores. After the treatment
there was a significant improvement in numbers of cocci with Pyoclean (p<0.05) and in the yeast numbers with both treatments (p<0.05),
but there was no difference between the two products.
Conclusion - Patients treated showed a decrease and resolution of most of the clinical signs as a sole treatment. Blinded evaluation with
digital imaging allowed to decrease detection bias.
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