Primary Secretory Otitis Media in the Cavalier King Charles spaniel: Outcomes and recurrence of clinical signs after myringotomy and tympanostomy procedures

Abstract

In this study, the data of 27 Cavalier King Charles spaniels diagnosed with Primary Secretory Otitis Media (PSOM) and treated at the Department of Clinical Sciences of Companion Animals at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Utrecht University were collected and analyzed. The aim of this study was to assess the time interval in which recurrence of clinical signs occurs after treatment of PSOM with a myringotomy or tympanostomy procedure and to examine if there was any progression of this disease over time or affecting sides. Clinical signs, diagnosis, treatment outcomes and follow-up information of these dogs were collected by using patient records in Vetware and contacting the owners by phone. Results were presented using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Results of this study indicate that after a single myringotomy procedure the mean recurrence time is 19.9 months with a median of 13 months and a recurrence rate of 61%. After tympanostomy the time to recurrence was shorter then after myringotomy (p = 0.022), which is contrary to the theory which describes that the continual tympanic cavity ventilation by using ventilation tubes may provide a longer symptom-free period. No signs of progression from unilateral to bilateral PSOM were seen.