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How to Choose and Use Dog Ear Cleaners

Posted by Clare Bristow | Leave a Comment

Dog ear cleaners have two purposes - to clean the ear and keep it dry, and protect against dog ear infections.

Dog ear infections can occur when the ear retains too much moisture; bacteria and yeast spores that are normally present in the ear canal will flourish in moist conditions.

Ear infections can also occur when debris such as dirt, seeds, and wax become lodged in your dog's ear. As your dog scratches to try and dislodge the debris the ear becomes traumatized and swollen - swollen ears are usually warm ears, and warm conditions encourage the growth of bacteria and yeast spores.

How do you choose an ear cleaner?

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How to Clean Your Dog's Ears

Posted by Clare Bristow | Leave a Comment

Adopting a weekly routine of examining and cleaning your dog's ears is a good habit to get into because you'll be able to identify and treat signs of dog ear infection as soon as they become apparent.

I've set out below the method I use for cleaning dog ears and which has been effective in keeping Zoe and Fritz free from ear infections.

If your vet prescribes medication for an existing dog ear infection, you should clean your dog's ears before applying it - the medication will be much more effective if it is put in a clean ear.

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Is Your Dog Predisposed to Ear Problems?

Posted by Clare Bristow | 2 Comments

Some dogs are more inclined to suffer from ear problems than others - their lifestyle and/or breed can be contributory factors to the development and persistence of otitis (inflammation of the ear canal).

These factors aren't always the main cause of otitis, but they contribute to its development because they encourage the retention of moisture in your dog's ear and/or prevent the ear being ventilated. Warm, moist ears are a breeding ground for bacteria and yeast infections.

In an earlier post I identified the primary causes of otitis to be - allergies, ear mites, foreign bodies, tumors and skin disorders. These causes all change the environment in your dog's ear, and if the ear is not kept clean and dry, will usually lead to bacterial and dog ear yeast infections developing.

Which dog's are prone to ear problems?

1. Dog with long ears, Basset Hounds are a prime example. Floppy ear flaps block the flow of air into your dog's ear, which makes it more difficult for the ear canal to remain dry;
2. Dogs that do a lot of swimming or spend time in the water (working, gun dogs and dogs that are bathed a lot) - their ears will be more moist than those dogs that spend little time in the water;
3. Dogs that have hairy ears such as Poodles, Schnauzers and many dogs in the Terrier group. Not only do hairy ears prevent ears drying properly, they tend to trap ear wax, discharge and debris thereby increasing the likelihood of an ear infection; and
4. Some breeds have particularly narrow ear canals, Chinese Shar Peis are an example, which are difficult to keep clean and dry.

If you have a dog that is predisposed to ear problems, keeping their ears clean and dry is important in order to prevent bacteria and yeast infections from developing.

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