ALISON LAURIE-CHALMERS: It’s important that you check the ears of your pet dogs
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Our dogs Fern and Moss both have wonderful “pricked up” ears. All the better for hearing with... and perfectly shaped for catching debris on the run!
I am constantly checking their ears after their walks for bits of leaf, grit, moss, grass seeds... all manner of debris! Preventative care is always best, which is why regular checking and cleaning of your dog’s ears is so important.
Knowing how to clean dog ears is part of grooming your pet, and ensures they stay comfortable, clean, and healthy. Get your dog used to checking and ear cleaning from an early stage, so make sure your puppy gets used to this handling as early as possible. You can do this by gently holding their ears and massaging their ear flaps and look at their ears, while playing with them. Always reward them with a special treat afterwards to associate ear cleaning with something positive.
Over cleaning ears can cause irritation, so do avoid this, but also no cleaning or under-cleaning can make for excessive wax build-up. Regular checks after walks and once-weekly ear cleaning is about right, although some dogs need more frequent cleaning if prone to ear infections.
The best place to clean your dog’s ears is in the bathroom or outside. Keep in mind that when the dog shakes its head afterwards the wax, debris and ear cleaner must go somewhere!
Use an advised, gentle, non-astringent, pet ear cleaning solution, and one recommended by your vet. Avoid any ear cleansers that contain alcohol or hydrogen peroxide, which can irritate and inflame your dog’s ears. Use cotton wool balls or pads and have a couple of old, large towels to hand. Wrap a large old towel around your dog secured with a clothes peg, and place one underneath him to keep him stable.
Before you begin, take a moment to inspect the ears. If they are painful or appear red or inflamed and smell bad, then stop and contact your vet. Your dog may have an ear infection, which will need to be treated.
Check first for any matts and excess woolly hair within the ear canal or around its base. If your dog has a heavy coat, matts, or a lot of “wool” coming from the ear canal, this will need to be groomed out or gently plucked away. Do this very gently and a little bit at a time to clear this hair away before ear cleaning, and to avoid discomfort. A professional dog groomer may be needed for this. After clearing away any excess hair check their ears for excess wax.
Moisten a cotton ball or pad with an ear cleaner solution and gently wipe clean the outer part of the ear canal, the inside skin of the ear flap and the area below the ear. Then, apply a few drops of the ear cleaner solution into the inside of the ear canal. Use gravity and avoid touching the ear with the ear drop product nozzle, apply into the ear canal at the base of the ear and then gently massage the ear drops into the ear canal. After massaging, gently wipe the outer ear canal clean. Making sure you use a separate cotton pad for each ear.
Ear infections can be caused by a range of factors, including allergies, bacteria, yeast, and ear mites. Excessive hair, moisture, debris, wax build up, foreign bodies and allergens can all cause problems. Unlike the human ear canal the canal in dogs is mostly vertical with a shorter horizontal canal and a bend between the two. Therefore, it is easier for debris and moisture to be retained in the lower, horizontal ear canal, which can lead to problems.If your dog shows signs of ear pain, redness or inflammation of the ear canal or swelling of the earflap, smell or discharge, continual head shaking or scratching, drooping of the ear and tilting of their head, contact your vet. There could be an infection, or a foreign body may be present.
Before dispensing out any ear drops your vet will want to examine your dog’s ears and make sure that there are no foreign bodies, and also that the ear “drums” ,the tympanic membranes, are visibly intact before prescribing any topical drop treatments.
Many dogs are prone to skin problems and seasonal skin allergies, and these dogs can also be much more likely to have recurrent ear infections. The ear canal itself is an extension of their skin, and so can be inflamed if reactive to the allergens in the surrounding environment, and secondary ear infections can then occur. With these cases, the underlying skin problem will also have to be addressed and dealt with too.
It is a good idea for owners to routinely wipe down their dog’s body and ears with a moistened wipe, or wet flannel, after walks. Checking ears and skin for grass seeds, wiping away excess pollen, and checking for potential ticks etc. Inspect your dog’s ears regularly. If you have any concerns contact your vet.
Alison Laurie-Chalmers is a senior consultant at Crown Vets in Inverness.
