Your Dog's Ear Care
The dog's ear is very sensitive and requires care to stay free from infections, ear mites and other ear problem. Their sharp sense of hearing has saved many lives, detecting sounds we cannot hear due to their acute hearing. Dogs themselves depend on their hearing more than their eyesight. Yet the ears and ear diseases make up 20% of the average veterinary practices. And dogs with lots of fur tend to have furry ears, which collect oil and infections – such as cocker spaniels or poodles. Got the picture?
Infections In The Ears
Wet ears cause ear infections in dogs, so try to insert cotton balls into the canal when bathing the dog, or allowing them to swim. If experienced, there are drying agents to insert into the dog’s ears if the eardrums are intact, such as ClearX or Panodry, which will dry the water in the canal. You can wipe out the dog’s ears with cotton balls, but a small amount of wax needs to stay in the dogs ear canal, so be careful.
Some breeds like the Poodle, the Cocker Spaniel, or the Schnauzer has hair plucked out of the ears by groomers. This causes serum to ooze from their pores, which causes the growth of bacteria. Also, the folded over ears of the cocker make them vulnerable to bacteria. After wiping the ears with mineral oil, and a “dirty look” reappears in a week or so – this could mean infection due to the growth of bacteria. Scratching at the ears, rubbing against things, or shying away if you touch the ear are also symptoms of ear conditions. You may want to have the dog checked at the vet if this occurs.
Cleaning A Dog's Ears
Make sure you use a specific dog ear cleaner as a wash for the dog’s ears instead of alcohol or hydrogen peroxide. You can use mineral oil to clean the ears as well, but you have to remove all excess.
Steps to clean a dog’s ears:
- Use an dog ear cleaner wash made for canine ears
- Soak a cotton ball in the wash – rub the inside of the dog’s ears
- When done, allow the dog to shake off the excessive moisture
Suggested Dog Ear Cleaners
One of the most popular and recommended cleaning solutions is “Malaseb Flush,” as it is not only a flush, but also an antibacterial and antifungal agent for about $7.00 for 4 oz. Another product is “Epi-Otic” for cats and dogs at $7.50 for 8 oz. It is a non-irritant, alcohol free cleansing, and drying solution.
A natural product called “Natural Ear Wash” for routine ear cleansing is made from tea tree oil, which is a natural antibiotic, for about $4.48 per 4 oz. It helps dissolve earwax and removes foreign debris from the ear canal. It contains witch hazel and glycerin.
Ear Mites
The famous ear mite is a parasite, which loves to crawl around inside the ear canal of the dogs and cats. They chew on their ears and eat the debris, making the life of the dog or cat miserable. Very contagious, they move from one animal to another. Blood blisters form if left untreated.
Some over-the-counter medications are “Performer Ear Mite Killer” which kills on contact, repelling ear mites, flies, gnats, mosquitoes, fleas, ticks, lice, and mange mites for three to five days. It is not supposed to be used on kittens or puppies under 12 weeks of age.
Another mite product is “MitaClear Lotion”, which kills mites and larvae. This also kills mites in dogs and cats, and in puppies and kittens over 12 weeks of age. The lotion sticks to the ear canal, with the first dose killing the adults, the second dose killing the larvae.
Using the right dog ear cleaners will help you keep your dog's ears clean and free from infection and mites.
