Learn how to clean your dog ears

 

Purchase a commercial dog ear cleaner or make you own with common household products. Either cleaner can be used on the outer portion of the inside of the ear flap. The procedure for cleaning the ear is the same with a commercial ear cleaner as it is with the homemade version.

You can also ask for recommendations at your local pet supply store.

 

Dip a cotton ball into the liquid. Squeeze out the excess so the cotton is wet but not dripping. If you have a very small dog, you may want to use half of a cotton ball.

Just hold the gauze in place with your thumb and index finger.

 

Gently swab the inside of your dog's ear flap. Remove all dirt and debris you can see. If your dog has very dirty ears, the process may take quite a few cotton balls. As long as you're gentle and stay towards the front of the hearing canal, your dog should tolerate this procedure very well.

• Clean gently though, as the skin can be easily broken.
• Make sure to gently clean out the crevices as dirt and wax can build up in these areas.
• Clean the inside of both ears.

 

Irrigate your dog's ears fully only if it's recommended to do so by a veterinarian. If your veterinarian advises, usually because the ears are packed full of dirt and wax, you can use the ear cleaner to irrigate (or drench the ears). This should remove much of the sticky thick material from the ear canal.

Use gauze or cotton to clean out the gunk that comes out of the ear. Most likely you will use a lot if the ears are full of debris.

 

Let your dog clear out its ears after cleaning. It is natural for your dog to want to shake his or her head after cleaning. Let it do so, but turn your face so you don’t get fluid or debris in your eyes. This will help to clean any excess cleaning fluid out of the ear canal.

• After your dog has shaken out any excess liquid, give the ears another wipe with gauze or cotton balls. This will remove any material brought out from the ear canal during the head shaking.

 

Clean your dog's ears regularly. A weekly ear inspection and cleaning (if necessary) would be a great schedule to adhere to and will help you keep on top of any potential ear health problems. Dirt accumulates rather fast and can lead to an infection, especially with floppy-eared canines.