Why and How to Clean and Soothe Dog Ears|Pet Care

Why and How to Clean and Soothe Dog Ears

Pet health issues plague everyone who has a pet at some time or another. Among other

areas of concern, the one that can area that can pose a fair number of problems are ear

infections. Ear mites, and ear infections are some of the major problems that can

discomfort your pets and can lead to many a sleepless nights for you too. A dog with

ear mites is a less common phenomenon than a cat ear with mites but if contracted,

it can cause high levels of stress for the dog and the owner.

The one way in which you can ensure that you never have to face issues related to dog

ear infections is to adopt good hygiene practices. Once these practices are made into a

regular habit, the chances of your dog contracting any kind of ear infection reduce

considerably. It is therefore, important to include ear cleaning and examination as part of

a weekly ritual. If you use a professional grooming service, make sure that they include

ear cleaning along with the regular bath, grooming and styling services.

In case you do not use these services, you can ensure that your dog’s ears are cleaned

every week. Cleaning the ears on your own is not really a difficult job. All you need to do

is to remember to clean this oft ignored part of the body while giving your dog a bath. Lift

the flap and expose the canal. Cover a finger with a soft moist cloth and clean the inside

of the ear flap and the exposed area. You can use a homemade cotton swab to clean the

inaccessible parts.

Another aspect of dog ear hygiene is concerned with hair growth. Hair can grow in the ear

canals in large quantities and this is true especially in the case of Poodles, Terriers and

some other hairy breeds. The hairs are mainly responsible for trapping water and

creating

a warm humid environment wherein the mites and bacteria can breed and grow.

It becomes pertinent, therefore to remove excess hair from the inside of the ear to ensure

that bacteria and mites do not breed there. A simple procedure that involves the removal

of excess hair every fortnight can help maintain good hygiene and save you from many

ear infections that may otherwise happen. To remove hair, lift the ear flap, expose the

inside and remove the excess hairs that you see on the external ear opening. Make sure

that you pull in the direction of the hair growth and remove only small amounts of hair at

a time. Make sure that you do not pull any hair if you see some signs of inflammation or

infection.

Dogs with ear that droop over are likely to face issues with ear infections and ear mites

more than dogs that have ears that are erect. Excessive bacteria and mites can cause

ear infections, swelling, inflammation and painful redness if not treated well in time.

Some severe cases can also lead to deafness.

Unfortunately many dog owners realize what their pets are going through after it is too

late. Symptoms like excessive shaking of the head and scratching ears are often

ignored and accepted as normal. Any kind of an ear infection that occurs due to ear

mites needs to be referred to a veterinarian. Keeping a check on ear hygiene can

help you avoid such an eventuality. And even if your dog does get infected, there are

home remedies for dog ear mites that you can explore if you spot the issue in advance.

For more information about

ear infections, ear mites

ar Dr.