# ear cleaning



## hell no they wont go (Oct 4, 2007)

simple queston. how often should you clean ur dogs ears. and is there a specific way to do so i clean onyxes ears but only around the outside i dont go down into that hole but around it. i dont want to hurt him but his ears arent cut and they are a good hiding spot for dirt.


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## geisthexe (Jan 18, 2007)

*How To Clean Dogs Ears*



hell no they wont go said:


> simple queston. how often should you clean ur dogs ears. and is there a specific way to do so i clean onyxes ears but only around the outside i dont go down into that hole but around it. i dont want to hurt him but his ears arent cut and they are a good hiding spot for dirt.


First off a dogs ear is not shaped like ours. There ears are shaped like a Uppercase L laying on its side.










How to clean ears

This is best done outdoors, so you can make a mess without worrying. The next best place is the bathroom, where you can put the dog in the shower or bathtub, so the walls and floors are washable or wipe-able but be warned that it will be very messy.

1. Gently pull your dog's ear straight up and hold it with one hand.

2. Fill the ear canal with cleaning solution, holding the ear up long enough for the cleanser to get into the horizontal part of the canal. Be generous! Fill it right up to the top.

3. Massage the ear canal between your thumb and fingers. There should be a squishing sound, like a wet sneaker. Some of the cleaner will probably leak out.

4. Release the ear, stand back, and let your dog shake his head. Debris will be loosened and shaken out.

5. Gently wipe the outside of the ear and the canal that you can easily reach with a cotton ball. You don't need to jam your finger way into the ear. You are counting on the volume of liquid, your ear canal massage, and the head shaking to bring the debris up out of the horizontal part of the canal that you can't reach anyway. Do not use Q-tips! You will either scratch the inside of the ear, or cram the debris farther into the canal.

6. Use the cleanser once a day for 7 days for inflamed ears. To help prevent future infections, clean the ear once or twice weekly or as often as needed.


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## scottronics01 (Dec 27, 2007)

Are you saying that if there is an ear problem to clean once or twice a week or just all of the time? That seems like alot to me.


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## hell no they wont go (Oct 4, 2007)

thanks!!!!!! can i buy this ear cleaner at a pet store or a vets office??


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## Indigo Bully Connection (Dec 21, 2006)

scottronics01 said:


> Are you saying that if there is an ear problem to clean once or twice a week or just all of the time? That seems like alot to me.


if there is an ear problem then yes, you must keep the ears clear of debris to prevent/ clear up infection. Normal ears should be cleaned about once a week... maybe every two weeks.


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## geisthexe (Jan 18, 2007)

scottronics01 said:


> Are you saying that if there is an ear problem to clean once or twice a week or just all of the time? That seems like alot to me.


6. Use the cleanser once a day for 7 days for inflamed ears. To help prevent future infections, clean the ear once or twice weekly or as often as needed.

A) clean the ears at least weekly if the ears need it. 
B) if dirt or debre, redish color or wax clean once to twice weekly
C) if you do things w/ your dogs like swim, dig etc you should clean when needed.


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## scottronics01 (Dec 27, 2007)

Thanks for the learnin....... yeah i do it about every 2-3 weeks, what liquid cleaner do you use?


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## geisthexe (Jan 18, 2007)

scottronics01 said:


> Thanks for the learnin....... yeah i do it about every 2-3 weeks, what liquid cleaner do you use?


I actually make my own solutation

- get a bottle that has a squirt top 
- 1/3 Applecidar Vineager 
- 1/3 Rubbing Alcohol 
- 1/3 Water

If you have an infection 
I add the following instead of water 
- 1/3 Proxide

I have yet to have a ear infection in any of my dogs. Due to this solution

Hope this helps ya

Deb 
Deb


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## MarcwithaC (Aug 13, 2007)

wow i nevr thought of cleaning the ear with solution, his ears get cleaned on the outside of the canal when he takes a bath..........is zero too young to have his ear cleaned? 8-9 months? I will do it once a month if it is safe......


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## geisthexe (Jan 18, 2007)

MarcwithaC said:


> wow i nevr thought of cleaning the ear with solution, his ears get cleaned on the outside of the canal when he takes a bath..........is zero too young to have his ear cleaned? 8-9 months? I will do it once a month if it is safe......


At 8 / 9 months your puppy should already know how it is for getting the ears clean. I clean my puppy Presa with the solution I make and she is only 15weeks old.

Deb


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## hell no they wont go (Oct 4, 2007)

ok i use cotton balls for onyxes ears but what do u think of q tips??


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## geisthexe (Jan 18, 2007)

hell no they wont go said:


> ok i use cotton balls for onyxes ears but what do u think of q tips??


If you do not know how to use a qtip in a dogs ear then do not use them. you do not need to push down the wax when you can have them shake it out and just keep them clean

Deb


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## pitLess (Jan 23, 2008)

If you are having to clean your dogs ears often, there is an underlying issue that should be addressed. Food intolerances are often the culprit.

I sometimes clean my dogs ears during a bath (which he gets every few months), just because, but he has not had an ear infection in nearly 8 years. Two times during this period has he had a waxy build up needing cleaning, and I was able to connect it to a supplement I was giving at the time (eventually isolated the ingredient - yeast). The build up ceased when I stopped using the supplement.


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## geisthexe (Jan 18, 2007)

Not all the time is cleaning dogs ears do to underlining issues. I have yet to EVER have a problem with my dogs ears when I use that stuff I create. When I give a bath they get that solution, if they go out side and get wet then I use it. I dont have allergy issues I feed RAW. 

Each dog is different and all problems are different. 

Deb


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