Cleaning Your Dog's Ears

Cleaning a dog’s ears is often an overlooked step in pet ownership. Unfortunately, if regular cleanings are not administered, it can lead to infection and damage to the dog’s ears. It is a simple process that only takes a few minutes. There are also many products available to make this process as easy and mess-free as possible.

The first thing to remember when cleaning your dog’s ears is to wash your hands first. This is an important step to avoid causing infection because of possible bacteria on your hands, the next is to get the correct cleaning supplies. Dilute some peroxide and soak a cotton ball in it. Be sure not to use undiluted peroxide because this could cause pain to your pet. After soaking a cotton ball in the mixture squeeze out excess liquid. Gently rub up and down in your dog’s ear. Allow your pet to shake out any extra moisture left behind; this can cause an ear infection. Use a cotton swab soaked in the diluted peroxide to get in the creases and odd shapes in the dog’s ear. Never insert the cotton swab into the dog’s ear canal as this can cause severe damage.

If your dog is one of many that require special attention to their ears, consider purchasing a product for this need. Many dogs are very susceptible to excessive moisture in the ear and clogged ear canals. For these two issues, there are products to help. There are liquid ear cleaning products that have a small tip that gets inserted into the dog’s ears and it is made to flush out any build up. There are also powdered products that are administered in the same way and will soak up moisture build up that can result in ear infections.

Cleaning your dog’s ears is an important step in maintaining their health. These simple steps can be taken to avoid uncomfortable and potentially harmful ear infections. If your pet requires more care than just cleaning the outer ear, there are special products for those exact needs.