Many dog owners don't clean their dog's ears on a regular basis, leading to a dog with ear infections, discomfort and even hearing loss.
Some pet owners simply don't understand the importance of weekly ear cleanings for a dog, while other dog owners procrastinate when a dog struggles and resists ear cleaning efforts. And others still try to clean their dog's ears on a regular basis, but they aren't cleaning the dog's ears properly, therefore missing out on the benefits of regular ear cleanings.
What Happens if You Don't Clean Your Dog's Ears?
Like humans, dogs' ears produce a waxy substance that accumulates in the ear canals. This ear wax will build-up over time, harboring bacteria and inhibiting air flow. This creates an ideal environment for bacteria growth and fungal growth, ultimately causing bacterial ear infections and fungal ear infections, like yeast infections.
Dogs with floppy ears are particularly prone to chronic ear infections since their floppy ears create a warm, dark, moist environment with poor air flow - the perfect place for bacteria to grow and multiply, ultimately leading to a dog with an ear infection.
If a dog develops an ear infection that is not treated, the infection will move toward the inner ear causing permanent hearing damage. Dogs with severe inner ear infections can also develop serious health problems like vestibular syndrome, a condition affecting the dog's balance center in the inner ear, with symptoms like stumbling, lack of balance and vomiting - very similar to vertigo in humans.
How Do You Clean Your Dog's Ears? How Often?
A dog's ears must be cleaned at least once a week. Twice-a-week cleanings are ideal for dogs with floppy ears, since these dogs are more prone to ear infections.
Follow these steps to clean a dog's ears effectively, while minimizing discomfort and struggling.
- Begin by setting out the materials that will be needed to clean the dog's ears: ear cleaner, cotton balls or cotton pads, Q-tips and dog treats.
- Place the bottle of ear cleaner in a bowl of hot water. Shake the bottle occasionally and replace the water with new hot water as it cools. Let the bottle sit in the hot water for five to seven minutes. This will warm the dog's ear cleaning solution, making the process more comfortable for the dog. Many dogs who resist and struggle during ear cleanings object to the sensation of the cold cleaning solution in their ears.
- Sit the dog on the couch or in an arm chair. Sit the dog in the corner of the chair or couch and sit right next to him. This will keep the dog in a comfortable setting, while preventing him from backing up and squirming away.
- Dampen a large cotton ball or cotton pad with the canine ear cleaning solution and wipe the ear. Repeat as needed and then move on to the next ear. This part of the ear cleaning process will remove a significant portion of the ear wax from the ear.
- Next, dampen both ends of several Q-tips with the warm dog ear cleaning solution. Use the Q-tips to remove the ear wax from the nooks and crannies of the dog's ears and from the outer portion of the ear canal.
- During the ear cleaning process, offer praise and treats to the dog and keep the tone upbeat and happy. This will help to ease some of the dog's fears concerning ear cleaning.
To avoid injury to the dog's sensitive ear structures, never stick the Q-tip down into the ear canal. The best rule of thumb for safely cleaning a dog's ears is this: Only clean the portions of ear that are visible.
In addition, some dogs have fur inside their ear canal. This will make ear cleaning more difficult and it also makes the dog's ear more prone to bacteria growth. Remove the hair from the dog's ears by plucking the hairs (it's not painful when small chunks of hair are plucked at once) or trim the dog's ear hairs.
Regular ear cleaning for dogs is best started at a young age. But even older dogs can be introduced to a regular ear cleaning schedule when the dog owner goes about the dog's ear cleaning process in a gentle and encouraging manner.
Dog owners should always be on the look-out for signs of a dog with an ear infection. Symptoms of a dog with an ear infection includes redness, swelling, pain, head shaking, frequent ear scratching, thick ear discharge and ear odor.
More Information on Ear Infections in Dogs
Check out Does My Dog Have an Ear Infection? to learn more about the symptoms of a dog ear infection and for information on how to treat a dog's ear infection.
To learn about why dogs with long, floppy ears are prone to frequent, chronic ear infections, read, Floppy Eared Dogs and Chronic Ear Infections.
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