Cleaning Ears Helps Prevent Infections

                Last week, the topic of our article discussed trimming your pet’s toenails at home. This week, I will discuss another important part of at-home pet care. Cleaning your pet’s ears at home is not only vital to the successful treatment of ear infections, but it can also help prevent ear infections. Some breeds will need routine ear maintenance more often than others, depending on their lifestyle and the amount of wax their ears produce. Pets that enjoy water sports or frequent baths will need their ears cleaned more often. While cleaning your pet’s ears may sound like a daunting task, here are some tips from Ash Veterinary Clinic and Emergency Center to make this task a little easier.
I recommend using a mild ear cleaner with a drying agent. You can purchase a safe, veterinary approved product at Ash Veterinary Clinic that is specifically designed for animal’s ears. Insert the tip of the ear cleaning bottle into your pet’s ear and fill the entire canal with the solution. Massage gently at the base of the ear for about a minute. Your pet will probably love this part. It may be helpful to do this process outside; as your pet’s natural response to the cleaner will be to shake their head.
Use a soft tissue or cotton balls to gently wipe the excess cleaner and debris out of the ear canal. Repeat with as many clean cotton balls as you need until they come out clean. NEVER insert anything deeply into the ear canal. While you may see me using cotton swabs to clean the ear at Ash Veterinary Clinic, DO NOT attempt this at home. You could run the risk of perforating your pet’s ear drum.
To help clean ears stay healthy, be sure to keep them dry. Wet ears are ideal breeding grounds for bacteria and yeast.  That is why I recommend using an ear cleaner with a drying agent in it after your pet takes a dip in the water or gets a bath. When your pet is bathed or groomed here at Ash Veterinary Clinic, we always clean their ears after to ensure your pet’s ears stay infection free.
It is very important when you are cleaning your pet’s ears to ensure that you do it very gently. If it hurts, your pet will want to avoid ear cleaning, which does not make it easy for anyone. If you think any part of your technique may be causing pain, stop! It is possible that your pet could be fighting an ear infection. Call the staff at Ash Veterinary Clinic and we can schedule and appointment. My staff is trained to read ear swabs under a microscope and recognize bacteria and yeast so that I can prescribe the correct medication to clear your pet’s infection.
If you have any questions regarding ear cleaning, feel free to contact us at Ash Veterinary Clinic and Emergency Center at 734-782-2827. Next time you are in the clinic, do not hesitate to ask us for some helpful hints on ear cleaning or even a hands-on demonstration. We are happy to help!