Ear Cleaning 101

Routine ear cleanings can be an important part of your pet’s health.  Some pets develop waxy ears more than others, and depending on their breed, can be predisposed to chronic ear infections.  Keeping the ears clean can prevent infections and extra trips to the vet.  Not to mention you’ll have a much happier furry friend!  Cats and dogs have ear canals that are “L” shaped.  Because of this, you cannot see the wax or debris that builds up deep in the deeper, horizontal portion of the ear canal.  In order to clean this area, it is ideal to use an ear flush to break up any wax that may be building up and to allow that wax to surface out of the ear.  Ear cleaners are available both over the counter and at our office.  Despite its popularity as a common home remedy, we advise you to never hydrogen peroxide as an ear cleaner.  That is because, after all the bubbling stops, it turns into water.  Water is a predisposer for ear infections.  We also favor genuine ear flushing products over any other home remedy formulas.

Once you have an appropriate ear cleaner, fill the ear canal up with the solution just until you see the cleaner starting to reach the opening of the canal.  Trying to keep your pet from shaking their head is the hard part!  Keeping the solution in the ear, massage the base of the ear to loosen or break up the wax and debris that may be lodged deep in the canal.  Wipe the excess cleaner out using a cotton ball or gauze square.  Using your finger, wipe down as far as your can reach down in to the ear canal to remove any remaining debris.  Remember, because of the “L” shape of the canal, you finger will not reach deep enough to damage vital structures, such as the eardrum.

The frequency in which you clean your pet’s ears varies from pet to pet.  We generally advise a flush to be done every two weeks.  But certain breeds, such as cocker spaniels, labs, golden retrievers and other floppy eared dogs are more prone to ear infections.  In these pets, a weekly cleaning may be needed.  It is also important to know when cleanings alone aren’t enough and when a trip to the vet is warranted.  Most infections are not from ear mites, so please don’t waste your money on over the counter mite medication.  If you see your pet shaking their head more or scratching at their ears more frequently, these are two common symptoms of ear infections.  Sometimes the inside of the ears can appear red and swollen, or your pet may act painful when looking into their ears.  An infection can also emit a bad odor from the ears.  In some cases your pet’s discomfort may even be great enough to lead them to hold their head tilted.  If any of these symptoms occur, have your pet seen to check for an ear infection.  If left untreated not only is an ear infection painful, but over time the ear canal can swell shut, trapping infection and making it much more difficult to treat.  If you have additional questions or think your pet needs to be seen for ear issues, call the office where our staff will be happy to assist you!