You should use a dog ear cleaner solution if your pet is prone to ear infections. The solution you use to clean your pet’s ears depends on how dirty his ears are and how often you clean them.
The Dog's Ears
The canine ear canals are L-shaped and this shape makes it easier for the proliferation of ear problems. To prevent ear problems, you should therefore clean your pet’s ears thoroughly once a week.
Cleaning your Pet’s Ears
While cleaning your pet’s ears, you must also trim the hair and clean and deodorize the ears. It’s preferable to use natural and organic products to do this. You should ensure that water doesn’t enter your pet’s ear canals as this can lead to accumulation of bacteria and fungi in the ear canals and infections because of this accumulation.
You should also avoid inserting objects or cleaning aids more than half an inch into the ear canal as you might inadvertently hurt your pet. Never use Q-tips to clean your pet’s ears as they can damage the ear canal. By cleaning your dog’s ears regularly, you can prevent ear infections and the expense associated with them.
How to Clean your Pet’s Ears:
- Keep all the cleaning products such as the ear cleaning solution, a plastic stopper, a towel and a dog ear cleaning powder at hand.
- Then lift your pet’s ear flap to straighten the canal and use a stopper to introduce some dog ear cleaning solution into the canal.
- Place your thumb and forefinger at the base of the ear canal and gently massage it for half a minute. You should hear a squishy sound and the canal should feel like a hard tube between your fingers.
- Keep a towel handy and tip your pet’s head to the side to allow the solution to drip out.
- Encourage your pet to shake out any residual solution that’s left in his ear.
- Use a soft cloth or dog ear cleaning pad to remove wax or particles from your pet’s ear.
- Fold the ear back and allow it to dry for a few minutes.
- Then apply some dog ear cleaning powder.
- Repeat the process for the other ear.
How to Prepare Dog Ear Cleaning Solution
Commercial dog ear cleaning solutions are easily available but can be expensive. You can prepare the solution yourself by investing in ingredients such as boric acid powder, white vinegar, antiseptic solution and rubbing alcohol. Add half a tablespoon of boric acid to 6 ounces of rubbing alcohol and shake well till the boric acid dissolves in the rubbing alcohol.
Then add 2 ounces of white vinegar to the mixture and 2 teaspoons of antiseptic solution. Spray enough of this solution into your dog’s ear to fill the ear canal and shake your pet’s ear with your hand. Repeat the process for the other ear. This ear cleaning solution can be used on a weekly basis to keep your pet’s ears clean.
Cleaning your pet’s ears is very important for his health as this practice can prevent ear infections. You should also take your pet to the veterinarian, twice a year, to have his ears cleaned professionally.