One of the parts of a dog’s body that is least cared for are the ears. During washing, the ears are usually left alone. Through time, a dog’s ears can become dirty. Combined with scratching, this can lead to infections that will not only hurt your dog, but which will also cost you money at the vet’s office. Here’s how you can clean a dog’s ears yourself.
Peroxide. You can use peroxide to clean the dog’s ears. Most peroxides come in solutions of three percent, which is safe enough to use on the dog’s ears. If you have extra money to spare, however, you can purchase a dedicated cleaning solution that is specially formulated for dog’s ears. These can be purchased from a pet supplies shop or from the vet’s office.
Apply. Take the solution and place it on a piece of cotton pad or ball. Most dogs will be uncomfortable with the cleaning at first, but this is mostly because of the temperature of the peroxide or the cleaning solution that you have. To make it less uncomfortable for the dog, you should place some of the solution on the bottle cap or on a small dish. Allow the liquid to warm up to room temperature before placing on the cotton pads.
Cleaning. Begin by rubbing the cotton pad on the interior of the dog’s ears. Make sure that the dog is pacified as you do this, and that you do not force the dog. Otherwise, he may bite. Start gently so that the dog will know that you are not trying to harm him. Check also to see if the cotton pad is too wet. If droplets of the peroxide fall off the cotton pad when you touch it, it is too wet and should be squeezed off. If the peroxide runs off to the inner ear canal of the dog, it will be very uncomfortable and can cause complications.
Using cotton buds. Because a dog’s ears is very large and has complicated twists and turns, you should use a cotton swab or cotton buds to get to the more difficult parts of the dog’s ears. The cotton swabs are also useful for cleaning very small and stubborn dirt. Make sure, however, that you do not clean up to the insides of the dog’s ears. The ear canal is very sensitive in dogs, and should be left alone. If you notice plenty of earwax and other dirt building up in the ears, you should allow a vet to clean the dog’s ears for you.
Repeat. Repeat the process of wiping and swabbing the dog’s ears until the cotton buds and cotton balls that you use come out clean from the dog’s ears. You should do this at least once a month to keep the dog’s ears clean. By doing it regularly, you will also help the dog get used to the treatment.
With a little extra effort, you can ensure that your pet will not only have a clean coat of fur, but that his ears are clean as well.