Generally, an infection is caused by moisture inside of the
ears. Since Golden Retriever's have long ears, air does not
circulate well. Many people mistake the beginning signs of an
infection for mites, as a few of the symptoms can mimic each
other. However, contrary to popular belief, dog ear mites are
not all that common. Cats are much more prone to mites than a
dog is. If your Golden Retriever is shaking her head, scratching
her ears, or you can see an excessive amount of dark, brownish-
black ear wax build up inside her ears, this can be the
beginning symptoms of a dog ear infection. As the infection
continues to progress, the inside of her ear will turn a bright
red, and you can actually feel the heat coming off of it. There
may also be small blisters inside. She may get a yellowish-
white, pus discharge. As this drains from her ear, her face will
also become infected. You may be thinking that it takes awhile
for the symptoms to reach this stage, but an infection can
happen incredibly fast, and can go from