Care of Dogs Ears

Dogs, like humans and many other animals, need to have their ears monitored for a variety of health problems that can develop over time. A variety of causes, such as allergies, infections and even just buildup of foreign materials inside the ear, can lead to ear problems in your dog. If you are unsure how to proceed, or if the problem is serious, a veterinarian should be consulted, but there are some basic care methods that can be administered by you.

  1. Monitoring

    • A big part of any health care initiative is vigilant monitoring. Check your dog̵7;s ears on a weekly basis to monitor them for any health problems. A healthy dog̵7;s ear will be a pink color, and there will be no obvious buildup of foreign matter. Some common symptoms of ear problems are redness, discharge and odor. If your dog shakes its head a lot, rubs the ears against things or scratches at them, these may also be signs that there is a problem.

    Grooming

    • Another step that can be taken to help improve the health of your dog̵7;s ears, and to possibly prevent health problems from ever arising, is to clip excess hair that grows in and around the ear of your dog. Some dog breeds, such as Pomeranians, shih tzus and Yorkshire terriers, are particularly susceptible to an excess of hair, which can constrict airflow to the ear and make it difficult for your dog to get rid of foreign matter that finds its way inside the ear.

    Diet

    • One important area of dog ear care that you may overlook is the diet of your dog. Dogs can get allergies, which may affect their ears. In some allergy cases, fatty acid supplements may be administered with the consent of your veterinarian. Other ear problems, such as an inflamed ear canal, may be caused by an underlying food allergy, which could be fixed by switching dog foods. More generally, make sure to properly feed your dog. Feed your dog appropriate dog food, and avoid human foods, such as chocolate, tea, coffee or macadamia nuts, that may compromise your dog's health and make it more susceptible to health issues.

    Cleaning

    • Clean your dog̵7;s ears on a regular basis, even if there are no obvious health problems. The unique shape of the ear of a dog allows for the buildup of foreign matter inside the ear, which can lead to a variety of health problems. With the consent of your vet, a few drops of dog ear-cleaning solution should be squeezed into the ear and massaged around inside the ear canal. Cotton balls and cotton swabs can be used to clean the ear, but the same rules apply to dogs as to humans, which is that nothing should be inserted into the ear farther than can be seen.