How to Clean Your Pet's Ears

Check your dog's ears weekly. The skin inside and on the flaps should be pale pink. If there is a foul odor and/or any red, brown or black skin, have a veterinarian examine your pet's ears.

Moisten a cotton ball with warm water, a little mineral oil, or ear cleansing solution and use it to clean the outer ear, removing any build up of dirt or ear wax.

Take an appropriate ear cleansing solution and pour it into the vertical canal of the ear. Hold your dogs ear up and curve your hand around the base of the ear (the more open part). Squirt the cleaner into the ear, don't let your dog shake his/her head.

If your dog is upset by having something poured into the ear, you may saturate a cotton ball or piece of gauze with the solution instead, and put the soaked cotton ball or gauze into the ear, being careful not to push it in too far.

Gently squeeze and massage the dog's ear, you will hear the fluid move in there, that's OK. You want to make sure you massage it into the canal because the wax within the canal can be very hard to get out, so rub it in good!!!

Massage the vertical canal (see illustration above) by applying gentle pressure with your fingers to the side of your dog's head just to the front of and below the external opening of the ear canal. This is the same part of the head that would be, on a human, just in front of the ear and below the cheek bone - if you find this place on your own head and press gently, you'll feel your ear canal being compressed. This is what you want to achieve with your dog.

If the cleaner you are using requires a swabbing, do so now. If not, you are done.

If there is a lot of hair blocking the ear canal, it's time for your dog to visit the groomer. Excess hair in the ear canal can trap dirt and provide fertile ground for bacterial infection,

To remove the hair yourself, use an ear powder, and then pull out any hair blocking the ear canal with either your thumb and index fingers or a pair of tweezers. Be careful to only pull the hair IN the ear canal and not around the sides of the ear itself. When pulling the hair be sure to use quick movements. Use an ear cleaning solution after removing the excess hair.