Otitis Externa — smelly, itchy, dirty ears — is the third most common reason we take our dogs to watch the veterinarian. Pet owners typically do not include ear cleaning as part of their weekly or daily grooming routine, but veterinarians are seeing that at-home general cleaning can help remove the issue of otisis externa.
Summer and spring is usually particularly hard on the ears. Walks, swimming and increased outdoor activity expose the pets of ours to a lot more pollutants and irritants. The ear obviously yields much more wax for protection, giving much more surface for dirt to accumulate. A vicious cycle for certain.
As the ears start to be dirtier, each dirt and wax can get lodged and accumulate in the ear canal. Dogs will often shake their heads and/or paw and scratch their ears. The pawing could lead to scratches as well as infection.
Gently filtering the “outer inside” of the ear is now being recommended by numerous veterinarians. Cleaning helps eliminate the grime as well as wax preventing the discomforting build-up.
Work with a gentle cotton or cortexi hearing gauze ball and pet ear cleaner to lightly wipe the ear. It’s not advised using cotton suggestions (Q-tips) within the ear. Furthermore, search for an alcohol-free and non-toxic ear cleaner. You may also want to stay away from those with dyes as well as fragrances as these might be an irritant.
If you think the pet of yours has any sort of infection, consult the veterinarian of yours.