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Importance of Regular Home Dog Ear Care
Routine home dog ear care is very important to the health of your
dog. Performed between your regular checkups with the veterinarian,
it will help keep your dog’s ears healthy and pain free. If
you see signs of trouble you may be able to head them off before
they require an extra visit to the vet. Excessive wax, foul odor,
redness, constant scratching, excessive matting of hair in the
external ear, rubbing the ears against other objects, head shaking,
and disorientation can all be signs of ear problems.
Inspect Your Dog’s Ears Regularly By Using Your Eyes &
Your Nose!
By performing a home dog ear care inspection; you will be able to
detect problems early. Use both your eyes and your nose. If you
need help seeing inside your dog’s ears you may want to
invest in a pet scope. A tool very similar to the kind your doctor
uses to check your ears. Check for redness, excessive wax build up
or any other foreign matter.
Sniffing your dog’s ears is another way to detect problems
early. Normally a dog’s ears shouldn’t smell foul in
any way. If you see a dark waxy discharge this may be a sign of ear
mites. On the other hand, if you see a pus-like discharge along
with a foul smell this may be a sign of a bacterial infection.
Allergies are also known to cause some dogs to have smelly ears. If
you’re new to this and are unsure have the vet check your
dog’s ears. Right after the vet gives your dog a clean bill
of health make sure you inspect your dog’s ears. This way you
will learn how your pet’s ears should normally look and
smell.
Is Your Breed of Dog More Susceptible To Dog Ear Care
Problems?
Due to the warm, damp, and dark environment, as well as poor air
circulation, your dog’s ear canal can be the prefect breeding
ground for mites, yeast or bacterial infection. This is why, for
certain breeds, home dog ear care is even more important. Some pets
may require routine applications of dog ear care products to keep
their ears free of mites, yeast or bacterial infections.
Some dog’s ears stand straight up which allows for more air
to flow into the ear canal. Dogs with floppy ears, like spaniels
and bloodhounds, are very prone to ear infections because very
little air flows into their ear canals. There are also breeds, like
the Lhasa, that have a heavy growth of hair inside their ears. This
hair must be routinely removed as a prevention against chronic ear
problems.
If Excess Ear Hair Is A Dog Ear Care Problem Learn How To Remove
It
If you suspect that excess ear hair is a problem, you may need to
pluck the hair that grows inside your dog’s ears. This is a
routine dog ear care task that can be performed at home and is much
easier then it sounds. You will want to apply dog ear powder to the
inside of both ears. Make sure that the hair is completely covered,
especially at the base. Once the powder has dried start plucking a
few hairs at a time with your fingers or a tweezers. Plucking just
a few hairs at a time will be less irritating for the dog.
You may want to stop a few times to give your dog’s ears a
good rub. Make sure you give your dog lots of praise and a few dog
treats too. Once all the inside hair has been removed, follow up by
cleaning and inspecting the ears. If you are unsure about this dog
ear care procedure, have your vet or a professional groomer show
you how to do it.
Things You Should Know About Cleaning Your Dog’s
Ears
Some vets recommend that owners routinely flush their dog’s
ears with warm water at the slightest hint of odor. Other home dog
ear care cleaning remedies include mineral oil, hydrogen peroxide,
or a combination of equal parts of vinegar and rubbing alcohol. If
your dog has open sores it's best not to use the vinegar and
alcohol because it will cause a burning sensation.
If your dog is prone to ear infections you may want to use a pet
ear care product that is specifically formulated to clean and dry
up excess moisture in the ear canal. A dog ear wash containing Tea
Tree Oil, which is also formulated to dry the ear canal is an
excellent choice. Tea Tree Oil’s natural antiseptic,
antibacterial and fungicidal properties can help keep your
dog’s ears problem free.
It’s also a good idea to use a pet ear-drying agent after
bathing or swimming especially if your dog's ears retain moisture
and don't dry promptly. There are many good pet ear care products
available for routine ear cleaning that will dissolve wax, remove
foreign debris and dry the ear canal. There are also home dog care
treatments available that will kill pesky ear mites and ear
ticks.
A dog’s ear canal is L-shaped. It descends vertically and it
makes a 90-degree horizontal turn before it reaches the eardrum.
Even though your dog’s eardrum is better protected than a
human’s, you should still proceed with caution when cleaning
the ear canal. Many vets urge caution when inserting anything into
the ear canal, especially cotton-tipped swabs. They can actually
push dirt and foreign matter deeper into the ear if not handled
properly. You can even lose the cotton tip in the ear canal.
Start cleaning the external part of the ear by swabbing inside the
earflaps and all around the gnarled area at the entrance of the ear
canal. If you choose to use a cotton-tipped swab you will need a
long type since a dog’s ear canal is much deeper than ours.
If your dog will tolerate it, gently and carefully swab the inside
of the ear canal. A much safer method is to fill the ear canal with
a pet ear cleaning solution and gently massage the outer ear. After
a few minutes allow your dog to shake his head to help clear the
ear canal. If you’re using a commercial pet ear care product
be sure to follow the instructions carefully.
Make Ear Inspections An Important Part Of Your Home Dog Ear Care
Routine
Checking your dog’s ears only takes a few minutes so make it
a part of your dog grooming routine. And when your dog’s ears
need a cleaning don’t put it off. Remember regular cleanings
can prevent many common ear problems. If you think a problem may be
developing that is beyond the scope of your home dog ear care
routine, take your dog to the vet for a check up immediately. An
infection, if left untreated, can be very painful for your dog and
could even damage your dog’s hearing.
About the Author: Dog-Supplies-Advisor.com a website dedicated to providing dog care advice on a broad range of dog-related topics. Includes informative articles, frequently asked questions, recommendations, and Free Ezine.
Copyright 2004 Dog-Supplies-Advisor.com, all rights reserved. Reprinted with permission