How often do you clean a dog's ears?

Wondering how often your dog's ears need to be cleaned? In general, once per month is a good rule of thumb. Breeds with long, floppy ears or dogs who swim frequently may need to have their ears cleaned every other week, or even weekly. After bathing or swimming, be sure to properly dry your pup's ears.

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How do you know if your dog's ear needs to be cleaned?

Much like human ears, seeing wax at the opening to the ear is a good indication they need cleaning. Another common findings is the ears may 'quelch' when rubbed or start to smell.

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What is the brown stuff in my dog's ears?

Dark brown or black—This type of earwax is commonly associated with yeast and/or bacterial ear infections. It's a good idea to consult with a veterinarian if earwax is this color. Brown—Light brown earwax is normal and expected. If the wax is accompanied by odor or inflammation, it can be a sign of infection.

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Should I clean the brown stuff out of my dogs ears?

If you notice any brown gunk or any other kind of discharge coming out of your dog's ears, clean the outer ear using a cotton ball. However, before you begin cleaning your ear's canals, you should know that brown/blackish earwax can be a symptom of an ear infection or another medical problem.

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How do I know if my dogs ears are dirty?

A healthy, clean dog ear is light pink and odorless. However, a dirty dog ear might smell musty or have brown or black earwax. If your dog starts shaking their head or scratching at their ears, you can prevent a nasty infection by cleaning them as soon as possible.

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How Often Should I Clean My Dog’s Ears?

25 related questions found

What happens if you don't clean your dog's ears?

Dogs can be prone to a number of ear problems from ear mites to ear infection. Some dogs succumb to chronic yeast infection or other infections of the ear.

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Can I clean my dogs ears with a wipe?

When cleaning your dog's ears, you don't need to go too hard or too rough. Slow, gentle strokes with your cleaning pad or wipe will be enough to get rid of any dirt or wax that might have been rubbed into their fur.

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What do vets use to clean dogs ears?

Virbac Epi-Otic Advanced Ear Cleanser for Dogs & Cats

It is frequently recommended by veterinarians and works with most breeds of pups. Designed with a keratolytic formula, the liquid solution works wonders to remove proprietary wax and debris, preventing buildup that can lead to discomfort or infection.

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How do you clean a dog's ears with brown gunk?

To clean the ears, tilt your dog's head downward with one hand and squirt a gentle cleanser recommended by your veterinarian into the ear, filling the canal. Holding the ear closed, give it a nice massage, really squishing the cleanser around in there. That softens any gunk inside.

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Is dog ear wax dark brown?

Healthy dog earwax tends to range from pale yellow to light brown, whereas darker colours tend to be associated with infections and should be observed by a veterinarian.

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Why does my dogs ear itch with brown ear wax?

Ear mites cause intense scratching. If you look in your dog's ears and see dark brown debris that resembles coffee grounds, then your dog most likely has ear mites. This parasite can be shared with cats, dogs and other animals (like the family ferret).

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What does dark brown earwax mean?

Dark brown or black colored earwax is typically older, so its color comes from the dirt and bacteria it has trapped. Adults tend to have darker, harder earwax. Dark brown earwax that is tinged with red may signal a bleeding injury. Light brown, orange or yellow earwax is healthy and normal.

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Can you clean a dogs ears too often?

While it is important to clean your dog's ears when needed, over-cleaning may cause irritation in the ear canal and this can lead to infection. Some dogs that have healthy, clean ears may never need to have their ears cleaned.

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Why don t dogs like their ears cleaned?

Most dogs' ears are much larger than ours, and their ear canals are much longer. They are certainly a lot more sensitive. Owners usually only need to clean them when there is a problem; however, they may already be painful at this point, so the dog learns that handling around the ears is painful.

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What not to clean dogs ears with?

Cleaning your dog's ears does not require any special equipment. A good quality ear cleaning solution, some cotton balls or gauze, and some treats to reward your dog are all that is needed. Do not use cotton tip applicators (Q-tips®), due to the risk of perforating the ear drum or causing trauma to the ear canal.

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What do ear mites look like in dogs?

Ear mites are barely visible to the naked eye. They are very tiny but may be seen sometimes as small moving specks. Under a microscope, ear mites look like tiny spiders or ticks.

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Can I use a wet paper towel to clean my dog's ears?

Common materials used to clean the ears are cotton balls and gauze. You should avoid harsh materials such as rags or paper towels, as they can add to the irritation.

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What should dog ear wax look like?

Healthy earwax should be a pale, yellowish color. If your dog appears to have dark brown or black earwax or if the earwax looks dirty gray instead of golden, this isn't normal. A noticeable increase in wax build-up can be a sign of a problem as well. A healthy dog's ears should have no smell.

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Can I clean my dogs ears with my finger?

Using a gauze or cotton ball around your finger put your finger inside and wipe out the wax and debris. Do this until the gauze comes out clean. It is extremely important not to push your finger too far into the ear. Only put your finger in as far as you can easily see.

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How do you massage ear wax out?

To do this, just gently massage the outside of the ear using circular movements. That way, the impaction will soften, which can help the earwax drain more easily. Once you've finished making these circular movements, pull your ear slightly backwards, from the lobe to the top of the auricle.

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How do you remove built up ear wax?

If your doctor recommends that you try to remove earwax at home: Soften and loosen the earwax with warm mineral oil. You also can try hydrogen peroxide mixed with an equal amount of room temperature water. Place 2 drops of the fluid, warmed to body temperature, in the ear two times a day for up to 5 days.

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Is dry or wet earwax better?

Healthy dry earwax does fall out of the ear better than wet earwax, and it is effective at preventing ear infections. However, it's still important to keep your ears clean because dry earwax flakes can build up over time and cause a blockage.

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Why does my dog scratch his ear and then lick his foot?

Atopic dermatitis is one of the most common causes of itching in dogs, just behind flea allergy dermatitis. These allergies may also result in ear and body scratching, ear and skin infections and foot licking.

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How to tell the difference between ear mites and wax in dogs?

Dog Ear Mites vs Ear Wax: How Can You Tell The Difference? Ear wax is normal in healthy dogs, but regular ear wax is light brown and doesn't have an odor. The wax in dogs with ear mites is usually darker brown or black, resembles coffee grounds, and can give off a foul odor.

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