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How to clean a dogs ears?

2K views 4 replies 4 participants last post by  VetTech2011 
#1 ·
I have a hound mix and I am paranoid about the heath of her ears. I am worried about ear infections even though she has never had one I am still concerned because I have heard hounds get them easily. I have been using ear wipes I bought at petco that seem to be working. I was wondering if there are any other options...would a solution be better?

Petco Ear Wipes at PETCO
this is what I have for her, i feel like I got them because they have a hound on the front. Haha.

Also what are the signs of an ear infection? I check her ear every day (she loves getting her ears played with.) I smell them and they dont smell bad.
 
#2 ·
For cleaning my dogs ears my family usually just uses Q-Tips. We've never had a problem with ear infections with my dogs but one of my cats has gotten them quite a bit throughout his life. Signs he gave us were usually if they smelled bad, if the inside was swollen or puffy, or if he didn't want his ears being touched (usually the biggest sign because he loves behind &infront of his ears being scratched)
 
#3 ·
I have a hound mix and I am paranoid about the heath of her ears. I am worried about ear infections even though she has never had one I am still concerned because I have heard hounds get them easily. I have been using ear wipes I bought at petco that seem to be working. I was wondering if there are any other options...would a solution be better?

Petco Ear Wipes at PETCO
this is what I have for her, i feel like I got them because they have a hound on the front. Haha.

Also what are the signs of an ear infection? I check her ear every day (she loves getting her ears played with.) I smell them and they dont smell bad.
I do not think the wipes can get down deep enough. I do not recommend q-tips unless you are familiar with the ear canal. Ear washes work great. I use epi otic (have to buy at vet) on all the groom dogs that have dirty ears. I will also use just plain alcohol. Put either in the dogs ear massage it in at the lowest part of the ear and allow them to shake out the excess.
 
#4 ·
Okay thats really good info. I read that its bad to use q tips in the ears. I have a vet appointment next week so I will talk to them about that solution.
 
#5 ·
I would keep an eye open for redness, scratching, head shaking or a bad odor from the ears.

To clean the ears you need to get yourself a good cleaner. A solution such as Pro Otic, Epi Otic, Vet Solutions all work great. In my experience the pet store solutions just do not break up the debris and get the job done.

You might need a second set of hands to help keep the dog still if they do not like getting their ears cleaned. Pour the solution into the ear canal until it is over-flowing. Give the ear a good massage. Let them shake if they want to. To wipe the ears out you can use some soft cotton and wipe back toward you otherwise you will just be pushing debris back into the canal. If the ears are really dirty you can clean until you are no longer seeing debris on the cotton and give them another good wipe to dry.

Do not use Q-tips.

If you are still unsure, your veterinarian or a member of the veterinary team can show you how to clean the ears.
 
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