Ear cleaning?

[LariP]

When HRH went to the vet yesterday besides being a bit pudgy, her vet said her ears weren't very clean.

I don't think I know quite the correct way to clean them out without hurting her.

I have been wiping them with a cotton pad soaked with some witch Hazel but haven't used q tips because I'm not sure how far to go and not hurt her. This is a place where if someone could do a video tutorial it would be greatly appreciated!

 

[KMARINO]

[MENTION=983]LariP[/MENTION], Our vet showed us the correct way to clean Vegas's ears, you take a stick (a medical q-tip stick) and wrap a good amount of cotton around it, a little olive oil and hold the ear straight up, you go straight down and twirl the cotton, that is to clean the deep part, then the rest you just gently swab, but he did tell us to us olive oil. He said NEVER to go directly in the ear but always straight down.

But he also gave us (well we bought) a nice ear cleaner from him, it is like an oil and smells like cucumber/melon and you put about 5 drops in the ear and massage it real good by rubbing under the ear area, it will sound all wet, make sure to do this outside because when he gets it done he shakes his head and it goes flying everywhere, we do this once a week and Vegas's ears look very clean. He has only had one ear infection and this is when we were told to use the ear cleaner and the swabs, he has not had any problems since.

 

[bullmama]

I do it exactly like KMARINO suggests in the second half, and my bullies never have yucky ears. I don't do 5 drops, I just squirt the ear cleaner in, one ear at a time, massage it really good, and wipe out with cotton balls when done. I don't let them shake until I have wiped it out. Using vet prescribed ear cleaner is my suggestion, don't get the cheap stuff at Walmart or Petsmart because it does not have enough medicine in it.

 

[BruceP]

I called Gracie's vet's office and they have a solution that they sell. I'll pick some up later..... when the snow lets up.. grrrr.
Thanx for the tips [MENTION=2]desertskybulldogs[/MENTION] and [MENTION=900]KMARINO[/MENTION]

 

[Gertie's Mom]

I haven't used ear cleaner, I just sort of twist the corner of the baby wipe and stick it down in their ear and move it around and then do the upper part with the baby wipe. I do this everytime I wash wrinkles. Maybe because their ears get cleaned so often, I don't have to use ear cleaner? I don't know, maybe I should see about some, but their ears seem to be clean, and they've never had infections or any other problems.

 

[bjsfarm]

I use the long q-tips and prescription ear cleaner as well, but a qick way to clean the ears if they aren't too dirty, is to squirt a small amount of ear cleaner in, rub the ears till its sounds all wet, and then put a cotton ball inside the ear. when he/she shakes her head all the dirt will be on the cotton ball. remove the cotton ball and wipe the ear dry.

 

[lexterwayne]

i just use a wet wipe stick my finger down and rub it out.. he loves it guess cause it feels like hes gettin a massage kinda

 

[izstigspunks]

hmm, never thought of using a solution. I only use a q-tip. Stig's left ear tends to get icky quicker than the right so it gets regularly cleaned. But he seems to love it though because he always stays still and waits until I stay that it's done.

 

[KMARINO]

[MENTION=983]LariP[/MENTION] and [MENTION=2]desertskybulldogs[/MENTION], I just used the Q-tip stick with cotton when he had his ear infection several months ago, since then I ONLY use the Vet Rx cleaner, and he has very clean ears and it smells good, I do it about ever 8 days.

 

[sheshistory]

To clean the boys ears, I use long Q-Tips and remove excess wax. After that, I use Glenhaven ear wash that I get from our vet. It's not very expensive and goes a long way. It has antibacterial and antifungal properties and smells pretty good. After I wash their ears with that solution, I wipe out the excess and any wax on the outer ear with a baby wipe. Finally, if it looks like there is a wax build up or anything else suspicious, I'll administer a few drop of Conofite, an inexpensive antifungal agent you can get at the vet. I usually do this at least once a week but more if the ears look dirty.

If you recall, Linus had incredibly bad ear infections for awhile and a change in diet made a big difference but I'm a stickler for keeping them clean and preventing future infections.

 

[KMARINO]

[MENTION=1034]BruceP[/MENTION], [MENTION=983]LariP[/MENTION]....just an afterthought, If your vet told you her ears were dirty, then WHY didn't your vet suggest ear cleaner from the office? I would have never known had my vet not told me to use it. It seems like it is a waisted trip back to the vet, when he should have told you to get it when you were there! Be careful driving in the snow!! and Jillh is right it is not very expensive and goes a long way.

 

[TessaAndSamson]

I do it exactly like KMARINO suggests in the second half, and my bullies never have yucky ears. I don't do 5 drops, I just squirt the ear cleaner in, one ear at a time, massage it really good, and wipe out with cotton balls when done. I don't let them shake until I have wiped it out. Using vet prescribed ear cleaner is my suggestion, don't get the cheap stuff at Walmart or Petsmart because it does not have enough medicine in it.

Thats what I do only I let him shake after the massage THEN I wipe out the ear. [MENTION=2]desertskybulldogs[/MENTION] I am curious as to why you massage, wipe, then let them shake. I do it that way because how I understand is the solution then massaging it in loosens up the wax and other build up then when you let them shake there head it shakes everything out of the innner ear that would wouldn't want to poking around at then you wipe out the outer part of the ear to get everything that was loosened up from the inner part. I would think that if you wiped then let them shake that stuff that got loosened up would move from the inner ear to the outer and you would have to then wipe again. Does that make sense?

 

[KMARINO]

[MENTION=574]TessaAndSamson[/MENTION] that is exactly how my vet told me to do it, and when I said 5 drops, really??? I am not going to count, I just squirt it in, but anyway, Squirt, massage well until very wet sound, jiggle the ear up and down and all around, then let him shake it out, OUTSIDE, I do make him wait a bit by holding his head and telling him what a good boy he is and he is going to get a treat, then after he shakes. I wipe as much as I can, the rest goes on my area rug as he runs 90 miles an hour with his ear to the rug making sure to do both sides. Between the scoots when he needs his anal glands done and the ear oil/dirt, you could not pay me enough to sit on my rug, that is why god invented Stanley Steamer, it gets your carpet cleaner!!!

 

[TessaAndSamson]

[MENTION=574]TessaAndSamson[/MENTION] that is exactly how my vet told me to do it, and when I said 5 drops, really??? I am not going to count, I just squirt it in, but anyway, Squirt, massage well until very wet sound, jiggle the ear up and down and all around, then let him shake it out, OUTSIDE, I do make him wait a bit by holding his head and telling him what a good boy he is and he is going to get a treat, then after he shakes. I wipe as much as I can, the rest goes on my area rug as he runs 90 miles an hour with his ear to the rug making sure to do both sides. Between the scoots when he needs his anal glands done and the ear oil/dirt, you could not pay me enough to sit on my rug, that is why god invented Stanley Steamer, it gets your carpet cleaner!!!

LOL Thats why I love having so much mostly laminate floors! Carpet gets so gross with dogs!

 

[Angelgirl]

I got a Halo ear cleaner from Carolina pet pantry...smells pretty good Belly doesn't have really icky ears yet so I just put a little on a cotton ball and clean them out.