To reduce infections or allergies, ear checks should be a regular part of your dog’s grooming regime. If you take your dog to a groomer, ask them to pay special attention to their ears. However if you groom your dog yourself and their ears look dirty, clean them using a doggy ear cleaner on a dampened cotton ball. This is delicate enough on their skin so it won’t cause any irritations and is very effective at cleaning the ears very well.
If your dog has hairy ears and you can see that some hairs have sprouted from the ear canal, you can ask your groomer to tweeze them out or simply cut them down to a length that won’t mat or tangle. It isn’t recomended that you try tweezing them yourself as it can be uncomfortable for your pet and you wouldn’t want him or her to associate that pain with you.
If your dog is a frequent swimmer you may have noticed that post-swim their ears are irritated, which could mean some water has gotten into the ear. To prevent this from happening, dry your pooch’s ears thoroughly using a cotton cloth. If you don’t, it may lead to ear infections which can be painful.
If you notice any of the following symptoms, contact your vet at the earliest convenience:
- Discharge
- Smelly ears
- Redness
- Swelling
- Hairloss
- Itchiness
- Crusty skin
- Blood in ears
- Ear mites