Today we’ll teach you how to keep your dog’s ears clean. Have you rubbed your dog’s ears today? How about yesterday? Did you take a sniff inside (we’ll get to that later)? If you aren’t checking on your dog’s ears often, it’s time to start. Today we’ll tell you how to clean your dog’s ears, how to check on them for discomfort, and why all of this is so important. It’s quite simple – if your pet’s ears are sensitive to the touch or have an odor emitting from them, something is wrong, most likely an infection. Some dogs can be more prone to ear infections, especially those with allergy problems.

You should remind yourself to rub their ears daily. Laying on the couch and rubbing your dog’s belly? Run your hands over their ears and massage them. If they show signs of discomfort, something is wrong.  Here are some tips on what to do about your dog’s ears moving forward.

We want you to sniff your dog’s ears and look closely at them at least once a week, seriously. The truth is that fresh ears don’t emit odors. It’s also true that a symptom of an infected ear is a yeasty or smelly odor. Next step, look into your dog’s ears in the light. If the ear is red or has any brown or black discharge, it’s time to contact us immediately for an appointment.

Now that you know what symptoms to look for, let’s talk about how to clean your dog’s ears properly. First and foremost, speak with our veterinary team about the right ear cleanser to use on your dog. Once you have that selected, you’ll want to tilt your dog’s head down and squirt the cleaner into their ear, completely filling the canal. Hold that same ear closed and massage the ear gently but still working the cleanser around. To clean it out, simply let go of your dog’s ear, step back, and let them shake it all out. Once done, use soft gauze or a cotton ball to dry and wipe away any cleaner. While cleaning out the ear canal, be sure not to go deeper into the ear than your first knuckle.

If you have any questions about how to keep your dog’s ears clean or would like to speak to a member of our staff, we’re here to help. Please contact us today, and we’ll be there to walk you through everything.