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Grooming Your Dog's Ears
No matter what shape your dog's ears are long and droopy, or short and
catlike, they require attention to make sure that they stay clean and free of
problems. Dogs ears produce wax, trap dirt, grow hair, retain moisture, and can
easily develop infections when they are neglected. One need to check your dog's
ears daily. lf your dog is used to you handling there ears then they will be
more comfortable with it when a professional groomer or vet has to examine
them. In addition, spend more time making sure the ears are clean during
grooming sessions.
Our Ear Care Regime:
 | Examine the dog's ears. We check the outside for tangles and parasites,
which often gravitate toward the ears. We check the insides for dirt and excessive
wax buildup. Dog’s ears should be clean. A little ear wax is normal, but large
amounts of ear wax that looks reddish brown or streaky or smells funny should be
consulted with the vet. |
| We look for hair inside the ear. Ear tiny hair can trap dirt,
bacteria, and moisture inside the ear canal, causing infection. We pluck the hair inside
the ears for a neater appearance. (We will NOT do this to an infected
ear!) |
| For dog ears that contain long ear hair, wenpluck out each hairs with a
hemostat. We don't pluck out more than a few hairs at one time because this
could be painful for your dog. |
| We can dust the ears with medicated ear powder if they are prone to infection.
Most powders sold in pet stores will do just fine and will not cause any adverse
reactions. |
| If your dogs ears are very dirty, we gently pull the ear out away from the
skull to open up the ear canal and place a few drops of ear wash or mineral oil
inside. Then we massage the base of the ear to work the cleanser down the canal.
Next we hold
the ear down for a minute to let the fluid enter the ear canal, then release
your dog and let him shake his head a few times to loosen the ear wax. We
then check
ears again and clear out loosened wax with a cotton ball or cotton swab dipped
in ear wash or mineral oil. |
| For Drop ear dogs, remember to keep all hair under the ear opening and on
the inside flap of the ear trimmed short. This will increase air flow to the ear
and reduce the chance of infections. |
Infected Ear
A Few comments about ear care:
| Don't leave it for the groomer to deal with infrequently, dogs with
problem ears need daily care! |
| Grooming does NOT cause ear infection, bacteria does and we use the
same water to wash your pet that you and I bathe in! |
| If your dog has an ear infection he must be under veterinary care.
We will NOT pluck infected ears! |
Check it out...
http://www.animalhelp.com/pets/articledetail.cfm?artid=85
Ear Mites!!
Ear mites are small parasites which live around
and in the ear canal of dogs and cats. The mites feed on the tissue debris and
secretions of the ear canal lining. Ear mites are contagious to household pets
and if left untreated, intense itching can lead to more serious conditions ,
such as bleeding ears.
Ear mite symptoms include, continuous scratching
of the ears, shaking of head. Ear mites usually induce the formation of a dry,
dark brown, waxy discharge and crusts that look like coffee grounds.
Ear mite infestations, just like ear infections
MUST be treated by a veterinarian.
You can clean the animals' ear with a cotton ball
and white vinegar or a good ear cleanser.
Use Revolution (TM) topical monthly treatment on other animals in the house to
prevent future outbreaks.
Here's more information about ear mites:
http://www.lbah.com/feline/ear_mites.htm
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