How to Clean My Dog’s Ears
Ear cleaning is an important part of dog grooming that shouldn’t be forgotten about. The frequency of cleaning will depend on the dog. Dogs that are prone to ear infections will need them more frequently than other dogs. If your dog gets professionally groomed regularly, then they most likely have its ears cleaned, but it’s always good to check. Knowing this, we want to help make sure every dog owner knows how to properly clean their dog’s ears.
If you need assistance cleaning your dog’s ears or with grooming in general, Pawmper Fluffy has you covered with the best mobile pet spa in all of South Florida.
What Cleaning Supplies Should I Use?
Correctly cleaning your dog’s ears starts with having the right cleaning materials. Here is what you need:
– Ear Cleanser: Search for a veterinarian-recommended ear cleaning solution. Don’t use any cleaner that has alcohol or hydrogen peroxide as it can irritate your dog’s sensitive ears. It’s best to ask your vet or groomer if a certain product is good or not.
– Cotton Balls or Pads: Cotton balls or cotton pads should be used to clean the inside of your dog’s ears. Swabs can be used for the outermost part of the ear but they should never be inserted into the ear canal.
– Tweezers: These are good to have to incase hair needs to be removed from the ear.
– Towel: This should be used to clean up any messes, especially if your dog likes to shake their head.
– Treats: Reward your dog when the job is done.
How to Clean the Ears
Before beginning, check your dog’s ears to ensure they aren’t red, inflamed, or producing a bad odor. If you see these signs, contact your veterinarian immediately. Your dog may have an ear injection which should be treated promptly. If your dog has a lot of hair in their ear canal, use tweezers to remove it. Once the ears are clear of hair and confirmed to look normal, follow the instructions from the veterinarian-approved dog ear cleaner. It should look similar to this:
– Get your dog to sit and reward them with a treat. Allow your dog to examine the cleaner bottle.
– If your dog has floppy ears, hold them up so you can carefully clean the ear canal with a cleaning solution.
– With the ear flap out of the way, you should carefully massage the base of the ear for about 20 seconds.
– Release the ear and allow your dog to shake their head. Use the towel to clean any solution that exits the ear.
– Using a cotton ball or pad wrapped around your finger, wipe the visible part of the dog’s ear canal and outer ear area.
– Reward your dog with a treat and repeat the steps for the other ear.
Tips and Tricks
The steps to cleaning a dog’s ear are pretty simple, but there are some tips and tricks that can be used to make the process easier.
Make sure your dog is in a confined area. Placing them in a tub is a good idea. This will ensure the mess is kept to a minimum. It also helps to wear older clothes you don’t mind getting dirty.
Don’t skimp out on the cleaning solution. The ear canal is a lot bigger than what you see from the surface. Make sure to use a good amount to clean the entire canal. Any solution that isn’t cleaned out will come out once the dog shakes their head.
South Florida Pet Grooming Comes to You!
Cleaning your dog’s ears is a simple process, but sometimes help is needed. Don’t bring them to a pet spa, let the spa come to you! Pawmper Fluffy is a mobile pet spa in South Florida that brings the groomer to you. Visit our booking page today if you need help with your dog’s grooming.
