Speaking of ear cleaner ...

Joined
Feb 12, 2014
Messages
372
Likes
0
Points
16
Location
Canada
#1
I'd love to know exactly what your ear cleaning routine is. Just swabbing the crevices with a damp cotton or cloth? Flushing? How often? Plucking? Powder?

I am interested in what everyone does.
 

Elrohwen

Active Member
Joined
Oct 9, 2013
Messages
1,797
Likes
0
Points
36
Location
Hudson Valley, NY
#2
I don't do anything. I do keep the hair around the ear opening clippered as short as I can get it, but that's it. Watson had a yeast infection in his ear when he was younger but it hasn't shown up in years and they always look clean from what I can tell.
 

noludoru

Bored Now.
Joined
Dec 22, 2006
Messages
17,830
Likes
8
Points
38
Location
Denver, CO
#3
I look into his ears during snuggles frequently to see how clean they are, or clean during bath time. I squirt solution in ear, massage it, make him hold it in for a while, wipe some out with a cotton ball and then tell him to "shake it." After that, I wipe with cotton balls and Q tips (never farther than you can see!) and let him shake again. If gunk comes out, repeat. I have to do it outsde because of the cleaner I use.
 

pinkspore

Bat Ears Only
Joined
Aug 8, 2014
Messages
976
Likes
1
Points
18
Location
Central California
#4
At work we use Zap Ear on a cotton pad to swab the visible part if the ear canal. I also use qtips occasionally for really egregious crevasses when I can see they're full of goop. The stuff just smells like alcohol.

I've found that most dogs I wash at work have a fine layer of crud on the inside of their ear flaps. Some have super clean ears, but most have enough to discolor a cotton pad when I rub the ear flap.
 

RD

Are you dead yet?
Joined
Aug 1, 2004
Messages
15,572
Likes
0
Points
0
Age
34
Location
Ohio
#5
I never have to clean her ears with a solution.

Give her a bath, use a cotton ball to swab her damp ears out, use a q tip to get any wax that might've built up in creases.
 

noludoru

Bored Now.
Joined
Dec 22, 2006
Messages
17,830
Likes
8
Points
38
Location
Denver, CO
#7
So, how exactly do you get your dogs to tolerate this?
Don't give them any other option. Mine had never had his ears cleaned when I first got him, and struggled a lot, but I didn't let him get loose and rewarded him after each ear. He still hates it, but he tolerates it.
 

Southpaw

orange iguanas.
Joined
Jul 31, 2005
Messages
7,788
Likes
1
Points
38
Age
32
Location
Minnesota
#8
I very rarely do anything with my dogs ears. If I clean them, I just squirt some ear cleaner on cotton balls and wipe them out till I get no more gunk. I don't flush ears unless there's an actual infection going on.

Juno, who is so tolerant of everything... is awful about ear cleaning. I have her lay on her side while I sit on top of her, and use one hand to hold her head down and the other hand to clean her ears. Basically... no choice, we're getting it done.
 

pinkspore

Bat Ears Only
Joined
Aug 8, 2014
Messages
976
Likes
1
Points
18
Location
Central California
#9
So, how exactly do you get your dogs to tolerate this?
Well generally I have them tethered in a bath tub and covered in conditioner, at which point most dogs have already given up at life. If scritches and babytalk and ear rubs don't get me a quick swipe with the cotton pad, I can always grab a big 'ol handful of face skin and just hold them still.

Seriously, there's one dog that needs two people to do his prescription ear wash, everyone else is pretty chill about it. Even Brisbane, who needs one person per leg for nail trims.
 
Joined
Feb 26, 2011
Messages
6,405
Likes
0
Points
36
Location
Minnesota
#10
I generally don't do anything, and I don't recommend using cleaner regularly on a dog who doesn't have a history of ear infections.

If they get a little wax buildup in the folds where I can see it, I just use a plain cotton ball or wadded kleenex to gently wipe. That's about it.
 

xpaeanx

Active Member
Joined
Jul 10, 2008
Messages
8,387
Likes
1
Points
38
Location
Long Island, NY
#11
I just damp a paper towel and rub it around until the ear is visibly clean. I don't have a set amount of time I clean them either.... Just when they get dirty looking.

Muffin seems to actually like it? I call it his brain massage. LOL.
 

Members online

No members online now.
Top