Ear Swab Cytology
Ear swab cytology is a stained smear of ear discharge checked under a microscope for yeast, bacteria, mites and inflammatory cells. It helps a vet understand an ear problem in a dog or cat and plan the next step.
- Sample
- Ear swab smear
- Quantity
- As advised
- Report
- Confirmed when you book
- Collection
- Free in Bhopal
What this test checks
- Yeast, a type of fungus that often grows in itchy, greasy ears
- Bacteria, described by shape as round (cocci) or rod-shaped
- Ear mites or their eggs, which can be missed when only a few are present
- Inflammatory white cells that show irritation or infection
When your vet may advise it
- Head shaking, ear scratching or a bad smell from the ears
- Brown, yellow or bloody discharge from one or both ears
- Ear infections that keep coming back
- A recheck to see how the ear is responding to the plan your vet chose
About this test
Ear trouble can cause head shaking, scratching, a bad smell or discharge in dogs and cats. A cotton swab is gently rolled in the ear canal, and the material is spread on a glass slide and stained. Under the microscope, the lab looks for yeast, round or rod-shaped bacteria, mites and inflammatory cells, the white cells that gather where there is irritation or infection. Knowing what is present helps the vet choose a suitable approach. If rod-shaped bacteria are seen or infections keep coming back, your vet may add a culture test. A registered veterinarian uses these findings with the ear examination and your pet's history.
How to prepare
Do not clean the ears before the visit, as this can remove what the lab needs to see, and tell your vet about any recent ear drops. The lab confirms the method, sample needs and reporting time when you book.
Questions about Ear Swab Cytology
What does yeast in a dog's ear cytology mean?
Is ear cytology the same as an ear swab culture?
Before you book this test
Why this notice: so you know, before you book, how a test is done, what its limits are and who is responsible.
- Where it is tested. Some tests are done wholly or partly by an independent partner laboratory. The lab tells you before booking if this test is sent out, and the report names the laboratory that did it.
- What a result can and cannot tell you. No test is right every time. A normal result does not rule out every disease, and an abnormal result does not prove one. A registered veterinarian should read the report with the animal’s signs and history before any treatment is started, changed or stopped.
- The sample. A sample that is clotted, too small, wrongly labelled, leaking or too old may be rejected or reported with a note, and the lab may ask for a fresh one.
- Reporting time. Confirmed when you book. Times are estimates, not guarantees, and the lab confirms the time when you book.
- Emergencies. A booking or a pending report must not delay urgent care. If an animal has collapsed, struggles to breathe, has fits or bleeds heavily, call a veterinarian at once.
Please read our Terms of Service, Medical Disclaimer, Privacy Policy and Refund and Cancellation Policy. Pashupatinath Vet Lab is operated by Duaji Healthcare and Tech Private Limited. This page is general information and does not replace a veterinarian’s advice.
Related tests
₹1,500
₹1,500
₹400
₹1,000
Call to confirm
Call to confirm
More biopsy and cytology tests
Ear Swab Cytology: Bhopal and the big cities of Madhya Pradesh
Free sample collection anywhere in Bhopal. From the other cities, send the sample by courier, bus parcel or through your local veterinarian, and the report comes to you online.
Free collection in these Bhopal areas
Read more
Itchy Pets: Skin Scrapings, Ringworm and Ear Tests
An itchy pet may have mites, a fungus such as ringworm, a germ or yeast infection, or an allergy, and each needs a different test. Skin scrapings, fungus tests and ear swabs help your vet find the cause.
18 Oct 2026