Rockwall Veterinarian Shares Tips On Looking After Your Pup’s Ears

Dog’s ears are breeding grounds for all types of bacteria and fungus. Did you know that there might just be a whole colony of mites living in your pup’s ear right now? This is because they absolutely thrive in areas where it is moist, warm and dark. So, you need to do everything possible to clean your dog’s ears.

Before cleaning your puppy’s ears, you must inspect them first. A healthy outer ear of the dog should look light pink in color, should be clean and should not emit any foul odor.

Also, you want to check for any wax buildup inside the ear. Do note though that some amount of dirt and wax is fine, but if you notice a larger than normal amount present, it may be a possibility that mites are around.

If your dog has been scratching his ears way too much, then check the inside and the outside of his ear. Look for nicks, cuts, scabs, infection or mites.

If the above signs show the presence of an infection or ear mites, then the right thing to do is to take your pet to an veterinarian who will prescribe the right treatment.

But if see no signs of mites or any infection, you should begin with cleaning the ears. You should usually only try to clean the visible part of the ear. So, just remove any wax or dirt that you see on the outer ear. Just take a soft cloth or cotton ball and dip it into a cleaning solution just meant for a dog’s ears. The ear canal is not usually cleaned.

If for some reason you want to clean deeper in the ear, you should consult the vet first. There are solutions that can be dropped or squirted in the ear. But if your dog has never had any ear problems, you should avoid doing this. Vets generally believe that these will only cause problems for the dog. But if you are planning on cleaning the ear canal, then clean it before cleaning the outer ear.

The ears of the dog should also be allowed to dry naturally. If your dog has long ears, then it is best to pin them back as this will allow the ear to dry out completely. This is necessary to prevent any kind of infections from occurring in the ear canals, and regular checking and maintenance is advised.