Weekly Ear Examinations

To prevent ear infections and insect infestations check your pet’s ears each week. All dog’s need regular ear cleaning but breeds with drop-ears (beagles, bassets, cockerspaniels, spaniels, pointers, hounds & more) have the most ear problems and need the most care.

What to Look For When Examining Dog Ears The inside of the ear should be pink and flexible without any unpleasant odor. If there is any oozing from the ear, strong odor or your dog is scratching his ears with a vengence, consult a veterinarian. If there's just normal wax, dirt, debris, weeds or hair, you can clean them yourself. If there are little rust colored spots in the ear, that's a sign of Ear Mites. You'll need to use Gold Medal Pet's Ear Mite & Tick Control.

Cleaning Your Dog's Ears

Ear cleaning is simple and doesn't take long. Remain calm and talk reassurringly to your dog. Use /Gold Medal Pets “Clean Ears”/ or /Pet Botanics “Herbal Ear Cleaner.”/ Gently squeeze a few drops of the liquid into the ear canal and carefully massage for 15-20 seconds to loosen dirt and wax. Your dog will immediately want to shake his head which may send debris flying but it will loosen wax and dirt! Use a clean, soft cloth or cotton ball (not a swab) moistened with the liquid ear cleaner to gently wipe out any residue inside the ear. Use a fresh cloth to clean the outside of the ear. Carefully dry the ears with a soft, dry cloth or clean, dry cotton ball.

Extra Care for Drop-Eared Dogs

Drop-ears provide an environment that is ideal for fungus and bacteria to multiply and thrive. They’re dark and warm inside and if they get moist or damp, they become a natural breeding ground for bacteria.

For the drop-eared dogs, follow up the regular cleaning with /Gold Medal Pets “Clean & Dry Ears."/ It goes on as a thick liquid and dries to a powder, keeping the ear canal dry to reduce or eliminate bacteria growth.