6 Useful Tips On Keeping Dog’s Ears Clean And Healthy

Cleaning your dog’s ears regularly is an essential aspect of keeping it healthy and happy. This is important because the ears of your dog can contain a lot of dirt and harmful germs and even cause allergies. To help you prevent any ailments that may be caused by dirty ears, here are six useful tips on cleaning dog’s ears.

1. Do a thorough inspection of your dog’s ears
-Let your dog stand or sit close to you so you can carefully examine its ears. See if you can find any fluid draining from the ear. If you only see normal ear wax, and some dirt, then you may start cleaning the dog’s ears.

-However, if you see any wounds, scabs, scratches or a thick waxy substance, you should proceed to do a more thorough examination of your dog’s ears and make a quick appointment with your dog’s veterinary doctor. Proper inspection of your dog’s ears can help you to avert any serious infection that can really harm your dog.

2. Look for common signs of ear problems
-Check for signs of bacterial infection. Bacterial infection may be found at the outermost part of the ear. These infections may be mild and easy to treat with simple medications while others may be very intense and cause the dog to fall sick.

-Look out for symptoms of yeast infection. Yeast infection causes the ears to have a strange pungent smell and brownish discharge. This type of infection requires medical attention and special medication. Ordinary cleaning will not remove this infection.

-Examine the ears for foreign bodies or parasites. Some unwanted organisms may stick to your dog’s ears. As dogs run through vegetation, seeds, grasses, and other foreign bodies may attach themselves to their ears. When you notice any of these, make an attempt to remove them while cleaning the dog’s ears. If you can’t take them off, you should consult your veterinarian.

-Touch your dog’s ears to find out if any tumors are under the skin. Once in a while, some bumps or lumps may be found on the ears. The lumps may be a reaction to bug bites or cysts. Observe them for a few days, but if they persist, you should seek for professional help.


3. Purchase tools and supplies for dog ear cleaning
-Buy the following dog ear cleaning tools and supplies. Ensure that you read the instructions and follow them carefully when using them.
* Hemostat. (Ensure that you sterilize it before and after using it).
* Medicated ear powder
* Commercial dog ear cleaning solution
* Sterile grade cotton balls or gauze
Do not use alcohol or Q-tips. You can consult a competent veterinarian for advice on what you should purchase. Your local pet store may also offer you good advice about reputable local brands.

4. Take out excess hair and wax
-Lift the flap of the dog’s ear to expose the inner section of the ear. You can spray on a small quantity of medicated ear powder if the ear has excess wax so that hair will be easier to pull. With your index finger and thumb, remove any excess hair around the external opening.

-Hair in the ear canal should only be removed if there are no signs of serious ear problems. Avoid taking out any hair that is located more than half an inch into the opening of the ear. Leave any hair in this area for the veterinarian. Always add medicated ear powder before pulling hair out of the ear canal.

-Sterilize the hemostat and grab a small quantity of the dog’s hair then pull it towards you. Don’t pinch sensitive skin on the ear. Clean the hemostat after drawing out hair or wax and sterilize it again when you are through.

-Look carefully at the ears to find any additional wax to clean from the ear. Moisten the cotton balls with the ear cleaning solution and clean the ear canal and the skin of the outer ear. This process will help to relieve your dog of any pain it may have as a result of the hair removal.


5. Apply ear cleaning fluid to flush out thick wax
-This aspect of ear cleaning may be quite messy. So you should locate a place where you can clean up any mess that occurs easily and make sure you put on clothes that can be soiled.

-Hold the ear flap up gently and pour some ear cleaner into the canal, directing the tube downwards.

-Use one hand to hold up the ear and then use the other hand to massage the ear at the place where the ear meets the head. Let the ear cleaner mix with the wax in the ear canal.

-After massaging the ear for about 25 seconds, let go of the ear and move away from your dog. The dog would normally shake his head vehemently to get rid of the cleaning fluid.

-Use the cotton balls to wipe out the opening of the dog’s ear canal until it looks very clean. Since the dog’s ear canal is quite long, this step cannot remove all the ear wax. But as a result of the massage, the discharge lining will be broken up. Then when it forms a solution with the ear cleaner, your dog will shake it out.

6. Reward your dog for co-operating with you
-Cleaning your dog’s ears regularly is very important but it does not mean that your dog will always be in the mood for it. That is why you should always reward your pet anytime it co-operates with you.

-You should plan to give it a treat and even show it the treat before you start the process. This will motivate it to bear the inconvenience. However, since ear cleaning can have a very soothing effect on the dog’s ears, and it is one place that it cannot scratch, your dog will eventually like the cleaning process.

Conclusion
Use the tips provided here to ensure that your dog’s ears are kept in a healthy condition. Look out for any strange smell, growth, redness, itch or abnormal wax and discharge. Report any signs or symptoms of infection to your veterinarian immediately. Remember to always use products recommended by a qualified professional to clean your dog’s ears.