How To Clean Your Dog's Ears

Just like us, dogs need grooming to stay happy and healthy. While some dog health routines, like nail trimming and teeth cleaning, are often left to professionals, where you can clean your dog's ears yourself at home.

Before you begin cleaning, check with your veterinarian to see how often your dog's ears should be cleaned. Based on a pet's age, breed, coat, and activity level, frequency can be determined.

In general, veterinarians recommend cleaning your dog's ears at least once a month. So how to clean your dog's ears, follow along below.

1. Inspecting your dog's ears

Check the general condition of the dog's ears

Choose a standing or sitting position for your dog or standing close to you so that its ears can be easily seen. If you see normal dirt or earwax, you can start cleaning your dog's ears.

Then look for any discharge from the ear (clear or gray/brown), thick waxy substance, or any scratches, scabs, or wounds. If you don't see any of these signs, contact your dog's veterinarian for advice.

You certainly won't be able to look deep into the ear canal, because at the base of the ear, where it makes contact with the head, it turns around. Therefore, it is not recommended to do deep cleaning into the ear without the guidance of a veterinarian. Never use the Q-head in the canal because it is possible to compress the material at this turning point or even rupture the tympanic membrane.

Find parasites and foreign bodies in the ear

Dogs can hide any entity in their ears. Because dogs frequently run across lawns or wooded areas, foreign bodies such as awnings, grass, or seeds in their ears may be present. If you find any foreign bodies, you can try to gently remove the offending object first, or try cleaning the ear to remove these. If the situation worsens, take the dog to see a veterinarian.

Ticks, ticks, and fleas all hide in these locations and around the ears. Ticks make the ears itch intensely and can cause thick, brown discharge. A veterinarian will help you diagnose and treat ear mites. Ticks and fleas can be killed (and prevented) with a number of different topical and flea medications that can be easily purchased from a veterinarian.

Check the ear for any yeast infection

A yeast infection will cause the ear to have a bad smell, itchiness, and a brown discharge. Most of these fungal infections require special medication to clear the infection. Cleansing alone will not cure a yeast infection, in fact, may make the condition worse. Take your dog to the vet for any of these symptoms.

Look for signs of a bacterial infection in the outer part of the ear

Bacterial ear infections can range from a mild infection that goes away easily with medication to a serious infection that can be very uncomfortable for your dog. Therefore, you need to see a veterinarian

for the diagnosis and treatment of bacterial ear infections due to the potential for serious complications.

2. Cleaning your dog's ears

Buy commercial ear cleaners or make your own with ordinary household products

You can use either cleaner for the outside of the inside of the earlobe. The procedure for cleaning the ears is similar to that of commercial ear cleaners or homemade versions.

You can mix a few tablespoons of vinegar and the same amount of alcohol together in a clean bowl. This ensures it is at room temperature before use, since no one, not even a dog, likes cold fluid on its ears. This mixture is safe to use on the visible insides of the dog's ears.

In particular, do not use this mixture if you suspect the dog has an ear infection and do not pour it into its own ear canal.

There are many multi-purpose dog ear cleaners on the market, and you should also consult your veterinarian for advice.

Dip a cotton pad in the liquid

You need to squeeze the excess so that the cotton is wet but not dripping. If it is a small dog, you can use half a cotton ball.

At the same time, you need to wrap a piece of loose gauze around your index finger and dip it in the liquid. The gauze should not be wet. In case if you accidentally put too much detergent on it, wring it out a bit and move on. It's also a gentler alternative to the Q-Tip, which can be a little uncomfortable for the dog. Just hold the swab in place with your thumb and index finger.

Gently pick the inside of the dog's ear lobes

The removal of all dirt and debris that you see. If your dog plays outside a lot, his ears are always dirty, which can take quite a bit of cotton wool. As long as the ear canal is gentle and always forward, the dog will accept the procedure very well. Because when you manipulate gently, the skin can be easily damaged. Vinegar and alcohol can burn stretch marks.

Be sure to gently clean the crevices as dirt and wax can accumulate in these areas. Clean the inside of both ears.

Apply ear drops only when recommended by your veterinarian

If it is advised by your veterinarian that the ears are filled with dirt and wax, an ear cleaner can be used to wash (or wet the ears). This will help remove much of the sticky substance from the ear canal.

To do so, you should place the tip of the ear cleaning bottle right at the opening with the ear canal inside the earlobe. Squeeze the bottle to drain the fluid in the ear canal. Gently massage the base of the ear (thumb on one side, thumb on the other) and massage the ear gently for 60 seconds.

Use a cotton swab or cotton ball to clean dirt from the ear. You will use a lot if the ear has a lot of debris.

Let the dog clean its ears after cleaning

When your dog wants to shake his head after cleaning, leave it alone. Turn your face so you don't get liquid or debris in your eyes. This will help clear excess cleaning fluid out of the ear canal.

Once the removal is complete, wipe the ear again with gauze or cotton balls. This helps to remove any material coming out of the ear canal during head shaking.

Clean the dog's ears regularly

You should have your ears checked and cleaned weekly as it is quite necessary for compliance and will help you to guard against any possible ear health problems. At the same time, dirt accumulates quite quickly and leads to infection, especially with soft ear canines. Therefore, only clean the dog's ears if debris can be seen in them.

Conclusion

One very important thing to monitor your dog's health is to have his ears checked weekly. Cleaning and checking the ears is also quite simple to do at home. This keeps the ear from getting infected or damaged.

Ensure proper ear care for your pet by regularly checking and cleaning the ears, floppy disks, or other media.