How to Clean Your Dog’s Ears
Part of taking good care of your four-legged friend is cleaning their ears. However, many people aren’t really familiar with how to do this. Let’s take a quick moment to talk about how to clean your dog’s ears.
How Often Should You Clean Your Dog’s Ears?
If you clean your dog’s ears repeatedly, their ear canal may become irritated or damaged. You should be periodically checking the condition of your dog’s ears on a weekly basis to see if it is necessary. Your healthy dog’s ears should be pink and odorless. According to the AKC, it isn’t time for you to clean your dog’s ears until they look irritated or smell bad.
Tips for Cleaning Your Dog’s Ears
Making your canine comfortable is the most important step you can take before you begin cleaning their ears. Getting into the habit when the dog is a puppy will help it to remain comfortable with the process into adulthood.
If your adult dog has never had its ears cleaned, or you adopted a rescue, you may need to start things off slow and work with treats.
Should the dog react negatively when you attempt to clean its ears, there is no need to force the situation. If it is important that your dog’s ears be cleaned, your veterinarian or dog groomer can take care of it for you.
Items You’ll Need
- A damp cloth
- A clean bath towel
- Cotton balls
- Pet ear-cleaning solution
- Treats
Step-by-Step Instructions for Cleaning Your Dog’s Ears
- Be certain that your canine is completely comfortable. Next, gently lift its ear, getting a good view of the inside of the ear.
- Inspect the ear, checking for any odor, discharge, or redness. A small amount of wax should be expected. If there is a lot of wax or your dog’s ear smells bad or pus is present, get in touch with your vet.
- If the ear looks healthy, take a damp cloth and clean around the opening of your dog’s ear to wash away dirt and ear wax.
- Using an ear cleaning solution that has been recommended by your veterinarian, insert the tip gently into the dog’s ear canal. Follow the instructions from the manufacturer in regards to how much solution to use.
- For 30 seconds, gently massage the solution at the bottom of the ear.
- Allow your dog to shake its head. Use the towel to dry your dog off and likely yourself as well.
- Take a cotton ball (no cotton swabs) and wipe out the ear canal, being careful to go no deeper than the depth of one knuckle.
- Repeat steps 1-7 on your dog’s other ear.
- If your veterinarian has prescribed your dog ear drops, it is time to apply them in your dog’s ears.
Ear Infection Signs to Watch Out For
Your dog may have an ear infection if his or her ears are sensitive when you touch them. Their ears may also look inflamed and red. If the dog shakes its head a lot and scratches at its ears, this is also an indication of a possible ear infection.
Ear mites are one possible cause of ear infections in dogs. To know if your dog has ear mites, search its ears for tiny bugs that look similar to coffee grounds. Ear infections are also caused by bacteria and yeast in the dog’s ear. No matter the cause, taking care of the situation quickly is very important so that your dog doesn’t have to live uncomfortably.