What Does an Ear Swab Examination Reveal?
An ear swab examination reveals the presence of bacteria, fungi and parasites. Determining the underlying cause of ear discharge, pain or itchiness can help determine appropriate treatment. GA_googleFillSlot(“Articles-InsideContent-Left-300×250”); GA_googleFillSlot(“Articles-InsideContent-Right-300×250”); How Is an Ear Swab Examination Done? To perform an ear swab examination, a cotton tip applicator is placed within the ear canal. With a gentle movement, some discharge or debris is captured on the swab. This discharge is then smeared on a glass slide, stained and examined under a microscope. Results are usually available within 1 to 2 hours. Sometimes, the sample is submitted to an outside laboratory for evaluation. Some test results may not be available for up to 2 to 4 days. Is an Ear Swab Examination Painful? Usually, obtaining an ear swab sample is not painful but can cause some discomfort. For some animals, severe ear disease may be present and placing a swab in the highly inflam
