by Maureen Finn

Ear care is important year round, but with warm weather and water fun on the agenda for the next few months, it’s a good idea to check your canine pal’s ears regularly and be sure to keep up with routine ear cleaning to avoid ear infections. A good ear cleaning can save problems, and money at the vet, and should be part of your dog’s grooming routine.

Of course drop-eared dogs are at higher risk for ear problems due to the “closed” environment, with the ear flap covering the ear canal for a nice warm little breeding ground for moisture loving bacteria. And those with hairy ears (inside), like Poodles and spaniels, are at even greater risk. Keeping the inside of the ears groomed (hair trimmed on the inside of the ear flap, and plucked out of the canal) will help in keeping the ears dry and clean.

Ear cleaning is relatively straightforward, if not easy. Have a supply of cotton balls on hand, and a few paper towels, too. Squirt a small amount of the ear cleaning fluid into the ear canal and massage into the lower ear, then gently swab clean with the cotton ball as far as your finger can reach. Your pet will shake his head vigorously after a cleaning (it’s a good idea to do the cleaning outdoors), which will help to flush the dirt from the ears and expel the excess cleaning fluid from the ear canal. Swab it again with the cotton ball. If you still see a lot of dirt on the cotton ball, repeat the treatment until you feel it’s mostly clean. Once or twice a month cleaning is usually adequate for most animals, but be sure and check in the ears weekly to be sure they're normal--free of any abnormal discharge or strong odor.

After a cleaning, massage in a few drops of mullein flower infused oil into each ear canal. Mullein is a common roadside plant whose flowers have antimicrobial properties and which works especially well with the ears and skin. An oil infusion is the best way to use the flowers, and a few drops will help keep the ears protected against infection and parasites like ear mites.

Even with regular ear care, an ear infection is possible. Some dogs are prone to them due to allergies, poor diet, thyroid problems, or lifestyle (frequent swimming in ponds or slow moving water). It’s important that you get on top of this as soon as possible—ear infections left untreated can cause chronic, ongoing ear problems, including deafness, as well as increasing the possibility of an ear hematoma, where the constant headshaking causes broken blood vessels in the ear and the ear flap swells up like a little pillow due to the trauma.


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