Professional tips: cleaning your pet’s ears

Ear care is important throughout all stages of your pet’s life.

Like everything you do with your pet, ear care should be introduced gradually. If you follow these simple steps your beloved pet will get used to ear care which will make this easier over time!

  • A few days before the ear cleaning, handle your pet’s ears and lift them; it will seem like a little game.

  • For the cleaning itself, it is important to follow the veterinarian’s recommendations. If your dog has long ears, you need to be careful and make sure that the only thing in his/her ears is the sound of your affectionate voice!

  • ​Bare in mind that a small amount of cerumen (earwax) is normal: it prevents impurities from getting embedded. A dog’s ear canal is actually curved and L-shaped and is therefore a place where it is easy for parasites, bacteria or fungi to proliferate.

  • Lastly, always remember that prevention, vigilance and regular care are the way to keep your pet’s ears healthy.

 

ARE YOUR PET'S EARS HEALTHY?

A healthy ear usually looks smooth, is uniform in colour and has no odor. It is advisable to check weekly; pay particular attention to the following signs of infection:

  • odor

  • sensitivity to the touch

  • inflammation (redness)

  • abnormal secretions (dark brown, yellowish, greenish, blood-stained)

  • scabs

  • various lesions

 

STILL NOT SURE?

See your veterinarian for a professional examination. Be aware that dogs with long, droopy ears, with fur in their ear canal or with narrowing of the ear canal (stenosis) have physiological predispositions, which may increase the risk of ear infection.