How to Clean a Dog’s Ears

Posted on April 20th, 2009 by Elaine

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Just like humans, ears of dogs also get very dirty too, so if you see your darling pooch always scratching at his ear, chances are there’s plenty of dirt there already. If you don’t clean it immediately, you might put him at risk of getting ear infection, so here’s what you should do.

What You’ll Need:

Clean towel and cloth
Cotton swabs
Cotton balls
Ear cleaning solution
Soap and water

Procedure:

Bathe your dog. The best time to clean your dog’s ears is after he’s had a bath, so the dirt will be easier to remove. Bathe and dry your dog thoroughly with a clean towel or cloth, so he’ll be nice and fresh before you proceed with this task.
Check his ears first. Normal doggie ears are likely to have just some brownish dirt or gunk, but if you notice that it’s got an offensive odor and he’s always scratching, then you should think twice before cleaning it. It’s possible that his ears have an infection. In this case, you should ask his veterinarian to have a look.
Prepare your working surface and materials first. Make sure you’ve got everything you need beforehand, including your cotton swabs, cotton balls and ear cleaning solution. When picking out an solution, find one that has a low alcohol content.
Wash your hands with soap and water. This will prevent you from introducing infectious particles in your dog’s ears.
Give your darling an ear massage. This will soothe him and calm him down before you proceed with the cleaning task. Remember, dogs freak out and panic during ear cleaning sessions, so this will be very helpful. If you’ve already washed your hands, you can ask another person to do this for you.
Get the ear solution and soak a cotton ball with it, squeezing out the excess liquid. Using the pads of your fingertips, massage the edge of his ear, so he’ll relax. As he calms down, work your way in gently and carefully, especially as you go near the ear canal. Rub the cotton ball up and down his ear, being as gentle as possible.
Your dog will feel the moisture in his ear, and he’ll shake to get rid of it. Let him. This is important in preventing ear infections.
Get an cotton swab, soaking its tip with the ear wash. Gently run it along the crannies and nooks in your pet’s ear. If it becomes crusted with dirt, get another one. Using dirty cotton swabs over and over can only transfer dirt back to his ear. Be very careful while doing this. Your dog will squirm as he feels the foreign object poking around his ear, and if you’re not careful, you might hit sensitive parts that’ll be painful for him.
Repeat the procedure for the other ear.

Some Tips

Don’t attempt to clean an ear with an infection. Dogs can become fierce when they are hurt. Take him to the vet if you see this.
Never push the ear swab too far down his ear, or you might risk hurting him.
Once you’re done, give your pet a loving pat for being so well-behaved. Giving him a few nibbly treats is a good idea, too.

Keeping your dog’s ears clean is an important part of his overall health. Just follow these steps to make sure your darling pooch’s stays clean and free from infections.