Cold atmospheric plasma shows promise in canine acute otitis

Cold atmospheric plasma may offer a nonpharmacologic option for canine acute otitis externa, according to a March 2026 Veterinary Dermatology split-body clinical trial in 22 dogs with bilateral disease. In the study, each dog effectively served as its own control: ears treated with cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) on a limited schedule were compared with ears treated with standard topical antimicrobial, antifungal, and corticosteroid therapy over 10 days. The investigators reported significant reductions in otitis scores in both approaches, with CAP performing comparably to standard treatment, good tolerability, and no observed adverse effects. (researchgate.net)

Why it matters: Otitis externa remains one of the most common reasons dogs present for veterinary care, and recurrent cases can be difficult to manage, especially when antimicrobial stewardship is a concern. For veterinary professionals, the appeal of CAP is that it aims to reduce microbial burden and inflammation without adding another drug exposure, which could make it useful as an adjunct or alternative in selected cases. That said, this was a small, open-label study, so it adds promising early clinical evidence rather than establishing CAP as a replacement for standard otic therapy or for the broader workup needed to identify underlying causes such as allergy, anatomy, or chronic inflammation. (merckvetmanual.com)

What to watch: The next step is whether larger, blinded trials confirm where CAP fits best in practice, particularly for recurrent disease, antimicrobial-sparing protocols, and real-world clinic workflow. (researchgate.net)