Cleaning a dog’s ears is one of the most important steps in cleaning a pet dog. Especially, some dogs are genetically prone to ear infections and need this more. But the reason for the importance of cleaning the dog‘s ear is that the anatomy of the dog’s ear has a special condition that makes it very difficult to get out the earwax and foreign impurities trapped in the deeper parts of the horizontal canal. So that it may not come out on its own and cause the dog’s ears to itch and become infected. Of course, we should not fall on the other side of the canvas either, because excessive cleaning may cause irritation of the ear canal and infection.
Don’t worry, we know this way, and in this Pet Press article, we will show you how to clean a dog’s ears step by step.
Should all dogs’ ears be cleaned?
Some dogs with healthy and clean ears may never need this. But it is recommended to clean the animal’s ear if you see secretions coming out of it or it smells.
If the animal’s ears are red, inflamed, or painful, consult a veterinarian before cleaning them because an eardrum infection or tear may have occurred. You can read more information about the types of dog infections in the article on dog infectious diseases.
What do we need to clean the dog’s ears?
This work does not require special equipment and the only things you need are:
- Suitable ear cleaning solution
- Cotton or gauze
- Food to reward the animal
Should we use ear cleaning solutions?
It is strongly recommended to use a high-quality ear cleaning solution. Solutions containing hydrogen peroxide or alcohol can irritate the ear canal, especially if it is already inflamed or injured.
Some ear cleaning solutions have antibacterial or antifungal ingredients that help prevent dog ear infections. Some of them have more power to soften and remove the wax accumulated in the ear. If you are not sure which option to choose, you can ask a veterinarian for advice.
The training and care of domestic dogs have its own principles, the basics of which we told you in this ” dog care ” article, but there are more important points and a series of details that if you don’t follow them, both you and the animal will be hurt.
How to clean a dog’s ears?
To clean the dog’s ears, follow these steps so that the job is done smoothly and correctly:
- Sit on the floor and put your dog on your lap. If the animal is of a large breed, take it to three corners of the room and sit in front of it.
- Take the lobe of one ear upwards so that the ear canal can be seen. Hold it in such a way that it does not hurt, but not in such a way that the animal can take its ear off your hand.
- By pressing the bottle, pour some dog ear cleaning solution into the animal’s ear, until the ear canal is completely filled. There is no problem if some of the solutions spill out. But do not put the tip of the bottle in the ear. If the tip of the bottle comes into contact with the dog’s ear, wipe it with a clean alcohol swab so that if the ear has bacteria or fungus, it will not be transferred to other places.
- Hold the ear lobe up with one hand and gently massage the lower part ( below the ear hole ) for about 30 seconds with the other hand to remove the impurities stuck inside the ear canal. If you pay attention, you will also hear the sound of the solution moving in the horizontal part of the ear canal.
- Now, as you hold the earlobe up, wipe the inside of the earlobe and the front part of the ear canal with a piece of cotton or gauze.
- Then let your dog shake his head so that the remaining solution and impurities come out of the ear canal and you can clean them.
- Hold the tulip up again and wipe everything that comes in front with cotton or gauze, as far as your fingertip reaches.
- Encourage the animal and give it food.
- Do the same for the other ear.
What to do for a dog’s ear infection?
Since there are different types of dog ear infections and it must be diagnosed by a veterinarian, so in the first step, let the examination be done accurately. Then, according to the doctor’s prescription, use special medicines to treat this dog disease. As we said above, first clean the ears and then use a special ointment or solution.
Use drops to clean the dog’s ears
According to what the vcahospitals site said, it is usually possible to use medicine immediately after cleaning the dog’s ears, which we have described below:
- Take the tip of the ear and pull it upwards until the ear canal is visible.
- Pour the drops of medicine into the ear of the animal as prescribed by the veterinarian. Again, be careful not to touch the tip of the medicine container, and if it does, clean it with alcohol.
- Keep the tulip up and gently massage the bottom of the ear for about 30 seconds. This helps the drug reach all parts of the ear canal, and you can hear it moving.
- If dirt or medicine accumulates on the earlobe, clean it with a cotton swab dipped in an ear cleaning solution.
- If the inside of the earlobe is infected, pour the prescribed amount of medicine directly on the same area (or apply the ointment) and spread it around that area with your finger ( preferably wear gloves ).
Conclusion
Cleaning a dog’s ears is considered a very important part of dog care because it is necessary for many of these animals. But you should not overdo it. If you see that the animal’s ears have secretions or smell, start cleaning the dog’s ears with the method we explained, and whenever you are worried, go to the vet immediately.