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It is recommended
that you inspect your pets' ears regularly to guard
against infections. Signs of an ear infection include
foul odor, redness or an unusual discharge. If the
animal starts shaking its head, this could also indicate
the presence of an ear infection, or of ear mites. In
all of these cases a veterinarian should be consulted.
If and how often a dog should have her ears cleaned
varies by breed and by individual pet. Dogs with a lot
of hair growing inside their ears and dogs with long
floppy ears will need more frequent ear care than other
pets. Some dogs on the other hand may need no extra ear
care, and cleaning or plucking hair may actually do more
harm than good. You should seek your veterinarian's
advice on the best ear cleaning procedure for your
individual pet. Here are some tips for maintaining
clean, healthy ears:
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Using a cotton ball
and ear cleaner designed for pet use, wipe around
the inside of the ear flap. The cotton ball should
never be pushed inside the ear.
-
Change the cotton
ball frequently, and never use the same ball on both
ears.
-
As an alternative to
using cotton balls, use dog ear cleaning wipes.
-
Never use Q-tip type
cotton buds on a dog’s ear, since this can easily
result in injury.
-
Never put anything
inside the dog’s ear canal, or into any part of the
ear that is not visible.
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Before being given a
bath, a dog should have cotton balls placed in her
ears. This will stop water from entering the ear
canal. However, care must be taken not to push the
cotton balls too far into the ear.
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Floppy-eared breeds
like basset hounds and cocker spaniels are
especially prone to ear troubles, since the area is
constantly damp and dark. These breeds need to have
their ears cleaned more frequently than other dogs.
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Breeds such as
poodles and schnauzers that have a lot of hair
growing inside their ears need special attention.
Dust the ear with ear powder to loosen the hairs,
then pluck them out with blunt-edged tweezers, or
pull them out gently using the fingers. After the
hair has been removed, wash away the remaining ear
powder using a cotton ball soaked in ear cleaner, or
remove it with an ear wipe.
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