Caring for Dog Ears
Article written by Nancy Settecasi
Healthy dog ears should be odor-free and have a light pink color. Keeping dog ears clean is very important. They should be cleaned once a week. Yeast, viruses and bacteria thrive in these warm, moist areas which can be associated with a bad odor. Because of the shape of the ear canal, dog ears are prone to problems, such as wax buildup (which can cause hearing loss), inflammation, and most importantly, infections. Do not attempt to clean your dog’s ears if any of these problems exist. You can be doing more harm than good. Long-eared dogs are most susceptible to these infections due to poor air circulation around the ear canal. Take your dog to the vet and talk to him/her regarding any breed-specific problems your dog may encounter in order to be able to provide him/her with a proper care routine.
Cleaning your Dog's Ears
- Clean only the area of the dog ear that is visible (do not insert Q-Tips, cotton swabs, or any other object into the ear canal)
- Use an ear wash to clean dog ears. Never use soap and water. Soak a cottonball with the ear wash and squeeze into the ear canal. You can also use a syringe. Massage into dog ear for 30 seconds. Allow him/her to shake out the rest. You CAN use a cotton swab to clean the outer crevaces of the ear.
- You can also use a mixture of equal parts of vinegar and water. This solution can also help an ear infection.
- Another solution which is effective for cleaning, as well as infection, is equal parts of alcohol and vinegar. You can follow the same procedure as described above.
- Lastly, use an ear powder to dry the ear canal. Dry dog ears stay healthy and free of odor.
Signs of an ear problem
- Frequent pawing or scratching his ears
- Shaking his head a lot
- Foul odor from the ear
- Discharge
- Hair matting in or around the ear
- Mites around the ear canal
- Irritated skin
- Excessive wax
Weekly maintenance of dog ears should help keep your dog free of ear problems such as infections, matting and other ear-related disorders.