Properly caring for your dog’s ears is very important, so you should therefore know how to go about doing it effectively. Your dog’s ears are very sensitive, and while many pet owners don’t think about it, it is important to give them their due attention to keep your dog happy and healthy.
The inner ears of dogs have a curve to them that allows for parasites, bacteria, and yeast to enter. This means that any debris that is in the ear canal has to work its way up to get out.
Infections can come about as the result of debris trapped in the ear canals. Dogs that have allergies are especially vulnerable to these kinds of problems as well as those with floppy ears, including poodles and basset hounds.
Routine Care
It is crucial that you establish a routine of checking your dog’s ears for excessive wax buildup as well as inner-ear hair. While it may not seem very important to do these things on a regular basis, it is essential to their overall health.
If you check your dog’s inner ears and they appear to be dirty, simply clean them out with a cotton ball that has been lightly dipped with mineral oil or hydrogen peroxide.
You will want to avoid cleaning out your dog’s ears so frequently as to cause irritation or damage, and make sure that you never insert anything into your pet’s ear canal.
If you find that your dog’s inner ear has sprouted hair in the canal, you or your groomer may need to take some tweezers to get it out every few weeks to prevent matting and tangles.
These are problems that can cause your dog quite a bit of pain, so you will want to do everything you can to prevent them from occurring in the first place.
What to remember when bathing your dog
Bathing your dog is of course important, but you will want to take care to not cause any irritation or infection by cleaning behind their ears too frequently. To prevent these problems altogether, simply put a piece of cotton in your dog’s ears before you give them a bath, and make certain to dry their ears thoroughly.
If you have a dog that is prone to ear infections, you may have to pour a very small amount of an ear drying solution into their canals to evaporate any water that may be trapped inside. If you do use a drying solution, make sure that it is made specifically for dogs. You can pick up hazel-based ear washes at your local pet store.
Signs to watch out for
There are certain signs that you will want to watch out for when it comes to your dog’s ears. If you notice any of the following symptoms, take your dog to your veterinarian immediately:
- Discharge from the ear
- Foul odor
- Redness
- Swelling
- Crusty skin
- Hair loss
Having trouble cleaning your dog’s ears?
If you try to clean your dog’s ears and you are having trouble doing so because they won’t sit still, you can either take them to a pet store or veterinarian, or you can look up some of the more effective ways to get the job done as easily as possible.
There are lots of different resources for helping dog owners with cleaning their pets in a way that is as painless for both you and your pet. Take the time to look into some of these different methods until you find one that works well with your pet.