Dog ear care: How do you clean your dog's ears?
Daily, your dog has very specific needs to be
healthy. Quality food, comfortable and sheltered sleeping, playing sessions,
regular outings, and the attention of its masters are essential, but that is
not all. It is also important to provide him with the necessary hygiene care,
including hearing care, to ensure his health. These "L"-shaped organs
are indeed attractive shelters for many parasites and the risk of infection is
far from negligible. Nevertheless, ear maintenance should not be carried out in
any way.
What's the point of cleaning your dog's ears?
How often do you care? What precautions should be taken? What are the steps for
effective maintenance? Let us look at this issue.
Why do you have to clean your dog's ears?
As in humans, cerumen - produced by the sebaceous and sweat glands of the external ear canal - forms naturally in the dog’s ear to clean it. This substance makes it possible to collect deposits formed by dirt, dead skin, and hair to convey them to the outside of the ear via the external auditory canal.
However, the cerumen may form lumps that cause inflammation in the ear. When the dog’s ears are not carefully cleaned, there is a greater risk of infection and disease, and it is a good playground for parasites. These cerumen clusters are not so rare, because they are related to the dog's peculiar atrial anatomy. Indeed, the auditory canal of our friends the tutors is L-shaped, which makes it descend vertically before forming an angle towards the inside of the skull and the eardrum. The cerumen can thus easily stagnate at the bottom of the duct and disturb the good ventilation of the ear.
In addition, it should be noted that certain breeds of dogs are particularly at risk for ear diseases, such as ear infections. This phenomenon is common in long-eared and hanging coughs (Cocker, Spaniel, etc.), with long or tortuous ear canal (German Shepherd, Chow-chow, Shar-Pei, etc.), with abundant hair at the base of the ear (Bichon, Poodle, etc.) or that naturally secrete more cerumen (Labrador, Springer, etc.).
It is therefore important to be particularly vigilant with dogs from these predisposed breeds, but also with all others because the ears are sensitive organs that require regular maintenance for any animal. A thorough cleaning and repeated checks will prevent many disturbances in the ears of our canid friends.
How often do you clean your dog's ears?
Ideally, it is recommended to look at your dog's ears once or twice a week to clean them if necessary. However, as soon as the animal comes out and gets dirty, an examination and cleaning of the ears are immediately necessary.
When the dog’s ears are regularly examined and carefully maintained, a simple surface cleaning can eliminate the dirt that has accumulated in the duct during its exits. In some situations, however, a deeper and more complete cleaning may be necessary.
- Before an ear examination, it may be advisable to clean the ear canal to allow the veterinarian to better examine the ears of the doggie using his otoscope.
- For a toddler with ear infections, more regular cleaning may be recommended to prevent the risk of infection.
- In case of ear mite sickness caused by Otodectes cynotis mites, a regular cleaning with a treatment solution prescribed by a veterinarian is recommended. If the dog is easily prone to this type of disease, it is advisable to clean its ears more regularly, because these mites are attracted by tissue fluids and dead skins, from which they feed.
Clean your dog's ears: a few precautions you should know before you start
For cleaning your dog's ears to be effective, it is essential to properly equip yourself. The first thing to do is to avoid cotton swabs. This small traditional tool has a counterproductive effect, and even aggravates it because it pushes the cerumen towards the eardrum, that is to say towards the back of the ear. Moreover, since the dog’s ear canal is L-shaped, the risk of damaging it is even greater.
Instead, choose a dog ear lotion, which you will buy from your veterinarian, pharmacy, or pet store. Do not take a treating product, which may be irritating, but use a washing product instead. Also, avoid products sold in large areas that are far too aggressive for the mucosa of dogs. Products for humans, babies, and cats should also be avoided, as the pH of the dog's skin is different and you may cause inflammation.
Apply your lotion using a compressor possibly non-fibrous cotton (to avoid leaving small residues).
If you do not have an ear lotion, a warm water compress is sufficient for the basic cleaning of the outer part.
This cleansing action can be performed once a week in a drop-eared doggie and once or twice a month for other breeds. However, ear inspection must be much more frequent. This allows you to see if there is a need for ear cleaning.
Cleaning can be particularly unpleasant for the dog. If possible, get them used to this somewhat invasive gesture from an early age, and do not hesitate to have a third party help you if they are agitated. However, if your dog refuses to be touched or appears to be in pain, do not force it and consult your veterinarian.
How to clean your dog's ears? Steps to follow
For your dog's ear cleaning to be effective, here are the steps we recommend you follow.
Step 1: examine the dog's ears
Settle in a quiet place with your pet, at a time when it is disposed of. Don't ask him when he's eating, sleeping, or getting too excited.
Gently pull her ear and hold her firmly, without hurting her. This allows you to clear the inner cavities and observe the entire outer part of the ear.
If you notice any irritations or injuries, or if your puppy is not getting along, do not hesitate to consult your veterinarian.
Step 2: use ear lotion
Place a drop of atrial lotion in the back of the ear. Then gently massage the base of the ear with gentle, light circular movements of your fingertips to help it penetrate the duct and dissolve accumulated impurities.
Step 3: remove residues
Insert the non-fibrous cotton or compress into the back of your dog’s ear (but be sure to remove it) and massage again to help the dirt and remaining lotion stick to it. If the compress gets stuck, massage the duct to bring it out naturally.
Your pet may also shake its head after cleaning to remove the product and impurities naturally.
Step 4: clean the external part
All you have to do is clean
the outer part of the ear with another compressor of non-fibrous cotton, before
moving on to the next one.