Comparison of single or two dose veterinarian-administered protocols and daily at-home prescription canine otitis externa treatments

PICO Question In adult dogs, are single or two dose veterinarian-administered ear treatments as effective in the treatment of otitis externa as daily prescription at-home cleaning/medicating treatments? Clinical bottom line Category of research Treatment. Number and type of study designs reviewed Three randomised-controlled studies were critically appraised. Strength of evidence Strong. Outcomes reported All three studies demonstrated that both daily at-home cleaner/prescription medication and either single or two-dose veterinarian-administered ear treatments for canine otitis externa were effective. When comparing the final outcomes, there were no significant differences in the efficacy of either treatment option. One of the three studies reviewed did not note initial variations in pruritus levels within the first seven days, but by the end of each trial, both treatment protocols proved effective in reducing pruritus, pain, and cytology counts–including bacteria and fungi–with low relapse rates reported. Conclusion Two dose veterinarian-administered ear treatments like Osurnia® show comparable efficacy in reducing the treatment of otitis externa in adult dogs when compared to daily at home treatments. Both types of treatments demonstrated similar success rates, with no significant difference in recurrence rates across the studies.