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Ear Cleaning
Dear Dr. Berg,
What’s the best way to clean my dog’s ears out? He’s not bothering them but when I look at
the part I can see, there looks like there’s a lot of dirt. How do you tell if he has an ear infection?
D. L, Wilmington
Dear D.L.,
The signs that your dog may have an ear problem are usually
shaking the head or scratching at the ears.
If you look carefully at an infected ear, there will often be evidence
of build-up of wax in the outer portion of the canal and along the earflap. One of the most obvious signs that a dog has
an ear infection may be the foul smell around his head, which can sometimes be
so bad that it can be detected from anywhere within the room where the dog is. Ear infections are very uncomfortable for the
pet and can cause serious damage to your dog’s hearing, so if you have any
doubts you should have your dog checked by your veterinarian.
I find that the best way to clean a dog’s ears is by
flushing them out with an approved ear wash solution. If you suspect that your dog has a severe ear
infection, it is always best to check with your veterinarian first since
certain ear washes should not be used if the eardrum is ruptured. Your veterinarian can recommend a good ear
wash and show you how to effectively use it.
Ear washes usually come in a squeeze-type bottle. You gently squeeze the room temperature fluid
into the ear canal until fluid starts to spill over. Next, you fold the earflap down and gently
massage the ear and ear canal (many dogs “moan with relief” when you do
this!). Quickly repeat this procedure
with the opposite ear, then STAND BACK.
The head shaking that will follow tends to dislodge and expel material
that may be deep within the ear canal.
Ask your veterinarian how often he would recommend this be done. With each flush, more material will be
softened and loosened, then shaken out.
Though some people may recommend using a drying powder after
flushing the ears, I find that there is usually no need to dry out the inside
of the ear canal. I would recommend that
you wipe the external ear and earflap with a soft cloth or gauze to remove any
material that has come up. People who
use cotton swabs to dig deep into the ear canal may not only be damaging the
ear, but the swabbing will tend to pack material that lays at the bottom of the
canal.
A good ear cleaning does for important things. First, it removes wax and debris in which
bacteria and yeasts may grow. Secondly,
removal of earwax can enhance the effectiveness of various ear medications that
will be used after the flushing procedure.
Thirdly, flushing with ear wash usually leaves behind an acidic
environment, and many bacteria and yeast will not grow as well in such
conditions. Finally, cleaning the wax
out provides immense relief to the animal (though the cleaning itself is definitely
not fun for either party!). You may find
that your dog will actually hear you better and come quicker when you
call…..naaaaah!
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