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crestedcrazy
The Noidinator
Joined: 28 Dec 2005
Posts: 20740
Location: Canada
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 Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2006 3:45 am Post subject: Ear Cleaning |
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Cleaning your pet's ears
For some animals, chronic ear infections are a big problem. Long eared dogs suffer from lack of air circulation, causing bacteria to grow out of control. Even cats can have serious ear trouble. If your pet is more than just a little hot under the collar, try cleaning their ears by following these simple guidelines.
CAUSES
Excessive redness, scratching and irritation has many causes, including:
Allergies
Ear Mites
Infection
WARNINGS
1. Never use Q-Tips to clean your pet's ears.
2. Never use a scissors to trim around your pet's ear canal.
3. Never use water to clean the ears. It will cause infection.
SYMPTOMS OF EAR INFECTION
The inside of your pet's ears should be light pink, dry and clean. Any one of these symptoms could spell trouble:
Foul odor
Wet patches
Scaling
Redness
Odor
Discharge
Excessive scratching
Bleeding
Signs of dried blood.
SYMPTOMS OF EAR MITES
Bleeding from ear canal.
Excessive head shaking.
Excessive scratching.
Dark discharge from ear.
DOG CARE
Dogs have especially sensitive ears. Long eared and long haired breeds are particularly susceptible to infection, irritation and build up of debris.
CLEANING A DOG'S EARS
SUPPLIES
Ear Cleaner or Olive Oil
Cotton Balls
Tweezers
1. REMOVE HAIR. Many dogs have hair that actually begins to grow on the inside of their ears. This prevents air circulation and drying, and is often a precursor to infection. Before cleaning, check for any stray hair that is growing inside the ear flap. You can do this by folding your dog's earflap back. This will help to expose the hair. Squirt a small amount of powder on to the ear hair and massage a few times to coat the hair. Using your thumb and forefinger, grasp a small amount of hair and quickly pull the hair out in the direction that it grows. (This is less painful for the dog than using a scissors.) Never pull at an angle. If there is more hair growing beyond the reach of your fingers, use a tweezers to remove the remaining hair from your dog's ear canal.
2. SURFACE CLEAN FIRST. Moisten a cotton ball with ear cleaner and begin by cleaning the surface of the inner ear.
3. STRAIGHTEN EAR CANAL. Gently pull on your dog's ear to straighten the ear canal. Squirt one tablespoon of cleaner inside your dog's ear. This will allow the solution to travel down into the ear canal where your fingers can't reach. Gently massage the base of your dog's ear. (You should be able to hear the liquid inside the ear canal while doing this.) When finished, remove any excess fluid, discharge or debris from your dog's ear with cotton balls. Don't worry if there is remaining fluid when you are through. Your dog will shake most of it free.
HINTS
1. Long eared dogs need to have their ears cleaned at least one a month.
2. For dog's whose ears do not provide enough circulation to remain free of debris and infection, leathers (to tie the ears back) can be a short term treatment option. Drying powders and creams work well, too.
3. Soothing lotions (containing aloe) can be used in between cleaning to help eliminate irritation and excessive scratching.
CAT'S EARS
Cleaning your cat's ears works much the same way. Olive oil or a few drops of commercial ear cleaner can be used.
1. Warm olive oil or cleaner to body temperature.
2. Put one or two drops of liquid into the ear canal.
3. Massage the base of the ear for one minute.
4. Repeat with other ear.
5. Remove oil and debris with clean cotton ball.
Chronic ear infections can also be a sign of serious health problems. When in doubt, check with your veterinarian before treating your pet at home. |
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Mr.Crowley
Top Dog!!!!
Joined: 20 Dec 2005
Posts: 3910
Location: nyc
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| Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2006 4:24 am Post subject: |
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That is great info Sheri. Thanks for posting it.
When we first got Crowley he had an ear infection. I will never forget THAT smell, eww. |
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Ace
Her Royal Nakedness
Joined: 29 Dec 2005
Posts: 17255
Location: Florida dreaming
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| Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2006 10:43 am Post subject: |
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| Just be glad none of you (except Sampsonsmom) owns a poodle! They are notorious for ear infections! I have to pull that hair out once a week and swab it clean or Java will get an infection! And spoos have tons of ear hair way deep inside. Yuck. |
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MyManSampson
Canine Good Citizen
Joined: 19 Jan 2006
Posts: 288
Location: Illinois - Just outside of the Windy City
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| Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2006 3:22 pm Post subject: |
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| Great info and do I know about ear infections!! My Poo has chronic yeast infection syndrome in her ears so I basically have to put drops in each ear daily and clean them every 2 days (YUCKY!) |
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crestedcrazy
The Noidinator
Joined: 28 Dec 2005
Posts: 20740
Location: Canada
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| Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2006 5:06 pm Post subject: |
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I wanted to post it as a sticky but I didn't have that option????
Komondors are bad for ear infections too, both my neighbours koms have had constant problems, one more than the other but still. I have never had a problem once not with any dog I have ever owned so I count myself very very lucky! It doesn't look like a whole lot of fun to deal with! |
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Mandy55
Crate Trained
Joined: 16 Mar 2006
Posts: 45
Location: Ridgecrest, CA
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| Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2006 4:48 pm Post subject: |
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| Anybody have any ear cleaner that they use on a regular basis that you can get from Petsmart? I have Otirinse that I use on Harry now after his bath, but I am almost out and none of the vets here have anything. I shudder to think what they do when animals come in with ear infections. I also have to add, labs are the all time worst next to poodles for ear issues. |
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Tessie's Mom
Dog Nurse
Joined: 27 Dec 2005
Posts: 5477
Location: Iowa
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| Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2006 5:04 pm Post subject: |
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| I have had two foster dogs with ear infections and ears that are prone to infections. The shelter vet tells me to use 1/3 C white vinegar with 2/3 C water for ear cleanings. A little stinky but seems to work well. (The vet tries to find inexpensive but effective treatments to keep the costs down for the shelter and the foster home) |
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DE
Guest
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| Posted: Thu Mar 23, 2006 12:02 am Post subject: |
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| I use the vinegar and water as well when needed. I like it much better than the vet stuff. Also I can't stand the perfume smell from the commercial. Give me the vinegar any day! |
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Emma'sMom
Crate Trained
Joined: 14 May 2006
Posts: 99
Location: Ontario, Canada
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| Posted: Sun Jun 25, 2006 5:20 am Post subject: |
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| My german shepherd gets the nastiest ear infections. "Vet" stuff wouldnt clear it up. The best stuff? From your drug store...WITCH HAZEL. You can squirt it in the ear with a little syringe, massage the base of the ear, then wipe the excess out with a cotton makeup pad. The dog will naturally shake his head to get any remainder out, and witch hazel dries so as not to leave a bacterial breeding ground in the dogs ear canal. |
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crestedcrazy
The Noidinator
Joined: 28 Dec 2005
Posts: 20740
Location: Canada
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| Posted: Sun Jun 25, 2006 6:38 pm Post subject: |
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Well that's good to know considering most of us buy witch hazel to begin with for cleaning the dogs skin!  |
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hawkeye09
Crate Trained
Joined: 25 Jul 2006
Posts: 37
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| Posted: Wed Sep 20, 2006 8:00 pm Post subject: |
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Does it hurt when you pull the hairs out. Do they cry and jerk. I am too much of a wimp to do that by myself. I can't even stay in the room when they get their shot. I cry.  |
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Gabrielle
Top Dog!!!!
Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 3029
Location: Madison, AL
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| Posted: Wed Sep 20, 2006 8:26 pm Post subject: |
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| So far, Gabby hasn't seemed as if it bothered her at all having the hairs pulled out. She hasn't cried once when I've done it, but she will try to move once she gets too bored. |
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ann
Painted Ponies
Joined: 26 Mar 2006
Posts: 11299
Location: berkshire, england
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| Posted: Wed Sep 20, 2006 8:49 pm Post subject: |
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"Phlaym" and "Midnite", toy poodle girls, don't mind their ears being plucked, but "Red"  typical male, screams the place down as soon as i lift his ear. None of them have ever had dirty ears or infections, but i wipe them out weekly with a vinigar and water solution.Bacteria does'nt seem to like vinigar. |
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Gwen
Canine Good Citizen
Joined: 25 Jun 2008
Posts: 333
Location: Virginia
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| Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2008 10:39 am Post subject: |
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| Mandy55 wrote: |
| Anybody have any ear cleaner that they use on a regular basis that you can get from Petsmart? I have Otirinse that I use on Harry now after his bath, but I am almost out and none of the vets here have anything. I shudder to think what they do when animals come in with ear infections. I also have to add, labs are the all time worst next to poodles for ear issues. |
I'm not sure if you can get Epi-Otic at petsmart, but I love that cleaner! But as log as you get a cleaner that has a drying agent in it I think it will do well. |
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miajt429
Crate Trained
Joined: 22 Nov 2008
Posts: 75
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| Posted: Mon Dec 22, 2008 7:44 pm Post subject: |
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How often is it recommended that you clean their ears?
My boy is a hairy hairless with drop ears and they're somewhat hairy. Gulp... I've never known to pluck them... poor boy!  I'll have to confess that I don't often clean them either - he hasn't ever had any foul odor or any of the listed symptoms. He does scratch occasionally but that's normal. Now that I know this, I will definately be more careful with his ears! Eh, as you can tell, I'm a newbie! |
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~B~
House Broken
Joined: 28 May 2009
Posts: 214
Location: Between a rock and a hard place
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| Posted: Sun Jun 07, 2009 5:58 pm Post subject: |
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I copied this from a mastiff forum. My mastiff had chronic yeasty nasty stinky ears, after using this blue ear wash he no longer has ear trouble, it's awesome!
Blue Power Ear Wash Recipe
INGREDIENTS:
16 Oz. Isopropyl Alcohol
4 Tablespoons Boric Acid Powder
16 Drops Gentian Violet Solution 1%
Mix together in alcohol bottle and shake well.
Please shake this solution every time you use it to mix the Boric Acid Powder. Either a baby ear syringe or a plastic squirt bottle work well for putting the solution in the ear.
DIRECTIONS FOR USE:
Evaluate condition of ears before treating and if the are inflamed and sore do not attempt to pull hair or clean out ear at all. Just flush and then wait until inflammation is gone, which will be about two days. Warm the solution and shake the bottle each time before using. The dogs will accept the treatment much better if you warm it up for them.
Flood the ear with solution (gently squirt bottle).
Massage gently, wipe with 100% cotton pad.
On first treatment: flood the ear twice, wipe with a pad, and leave alone without massage.
The dog will shake out the excess, which can be wiped with a tissue. (Note: the Gentian Violet does stain fabrics so you're best to do this outdoors.)
Treat 2x per day for the first week to two weeks, depending upon severity of ears.
After the 2nd or 3rd day you can clean out the ear with a tissue or cotton pad.
Treat 1x per day for the next 1-2 weeks.
Treat 1x per month (or even less frequently, depending on the dog).
All the ingrediants can be found at wal mart pharmacy, NOT the boric acid for garden pests, apparently they are different. |
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Traxtion
House Broken
Joined: 02 May 2009
Posts: 148
Location: Central NJ
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| Posted: Mon Jun 08, 2009 9:11 am Post subject: |
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| I also swear by that, it is usually referred to as The Purple Stuff, and is what 90% of the spoo breeders/owners I know. One variation you can do is to use witch hazel in place of alchohol, especially if the dog already has iritation in the ears. This is what I do. |
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darlinggrl7
Best in Show
Joined: 07 May 2008
Posts: 1813
Location: Oklahoma
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| Posted: Mon Jun 08, 2009 3:21 pm Post subject: |
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| I use this too for my weims. Sadie is prone to ear infections and she hasn't had one in over a year! |
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Esylum
Top Dog!!!!
Joined: 13 Mar 2009
Posts: 2918
Location: New Brunswick, Canada
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| Posted: Sat Sep 26, 2009 7:26 pm Post subject: |
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| Ok this might be a stupid question, but has anyone had a crestie scream in agonizing pain when they put the water and vinegar mixture in thier ear? |
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pyrmaster
Joined: 04 Apr 2010
Posts: 11
Location: England
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| Posted: Mon Apr 05, 2010 1:09 am Post subject: |
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| Can anyone over there get Thornit ear powder it is fantastic for ear cleaning and helps with plucking hairs.It was first used over here by the gundog people but now loads of us buy it online and at shows I had a crested rescue and a pyrenean who were both prone to ear infections and spent a fortune at the vets but since i tried Thornit i have not had a single problem |
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