Yeah veterinarians specialize like regular doctors. Most just pick between small, exotic, and/or large animal (livestock) general practice but there's def veterinary ophthalmologists, cardiologists, oncologists and whatnot, usually operating out of the big university veterinary school practices like PennVet.
What she's saying isn't too unusual, though. Dogs get yeast infections in their ears all the the time, especially if they have allergies. They can go from "a little irritated" to "explosive nasty goo leakage" literally overnight because of their L-shaped ear canals serving as perfect little breeding pools for all sorts of nasty shit. Dental and cardiac problems go hand-in-hand. Periodontal problems in particular are the harbinger of heart disease. The grain free trend that everyone jumped on board has also been linked to an uptick in heart disease due to the cheap filler ingredients they use to replace the grains.
What concerns me is the cortisol add-on. That's a test for Addison's and Cushing's. Is he obese? Addison's would make him lose weight rapidly and have wicked diarrhea and vomiting - you kind of can't miss that the dog is sick although the symptoms are non-specific and it might take them a while to get to an Addison's dx. Cushings, though, would cause skin problems, coat problems (dull, brittle, and thinning), weight gain, lethargy, increased appetite, and increased drinking/urination. Happens usually in middle aged and senior dogs which I'm guessing by the state of his shit dental health he is. Severe cases cause congestive heart failure. All this says to me she hasn't been taking this dog to the vet and he's been sick a long time.
