When to take a dog with an ear infection to the vet – head shaking If your dog suddenly starts whining and scratching at her ears, sometimes hard enough to make them red and raw, she may have a common canine health problem—an ear infection. An ear infection is a common condition in dogs, especially those with floppy ears, such as Basset Hounds and Cocker Spaniels. It's estimated that about 20 percent of dogs have some form of ear disease. Believe it or not, yeast and bacteria