Dog Ear Hygiene

Dog Ear Hygiene

by Casey Ostereau

Paying special attention to your dogs ears when you are grooming him can help to prevent painful ear infections from forming. Many dogs can be prone to troublesome, recurring infections of the ear and many owners must be on a constant watch for the beginning symptoms. In fact, you might want to ensure you have a good (http://www.earcleaner.org/) ear cleaner on hand.

Ear infections are generally divided into three categories; outer ear, middle ear and inner ear infections.

Infections of the outer ear are easy to recognize. You will notice that the outside of the ear has become inflamed. It might secrete an unpleasant smelling, waxy substance. In contrast, middle and inner ear infections are more serious and may necessitate a visit to the vet before it gets bad. Several factors, including bacterial infections, ear mites or allergic reactions can result in a dog developing an infection of the ear.

Making a thorough cleaning of the ears part of your grooming regimen will result in your dog having a higher tolerance for having his ears handled which could make dispensing medications into the ear an easier task. Cleaning your dogs ears on a regular basis will help to keep the area free from infections and other factors which can contribute to infections.

It is not that hard to clean the ears either, it only takes a bit of ear cleaning fluid on a soft piece of cloth. After lifting the dogs ears, very gently massage the cleanser in the ear. Dirt will be slowly brought out for you to clean up. However, not all dogs need to have their ears constantly cleaned, but you should examine them to make sure they don't have a waxy build up.

Dogs with long floppy ears may suffer frequent infections as their ears are often closed and no air can circulate. The circulation of air is something that is very important in maintaining the health of a dog's ears. Some breeds of dog have a lot of hair in their ears, another barrier to good circulation of air. When you do your regular grooming take a little time to deal with this hair to keep problems from developing later.

If your dog has developed the symptoms of an ear infection, there are a few things that can be done to ease his discomfort until you can get the animal to the vet. Placing a few drops of Cod Liver or Vitamin E oil inside the affected ear can soothe the pain of an ear infection. A solution of white vinegar can also be applied to the ears to clean them.

Casey has written articles on topics other than ear cleaners, check out his sites: (http://www.dogclipper.org/) dog hair clippers and (http://www.earcleaner.org/Dog-Ear-Drops.html) dog ear drops.

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