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.
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.
Normal dog ear wax ranges from pale yellow to light brown. Keep in mind, the wax may look darker if there's dirt in the ear. The consistency of the wax should be semi-soft. To learn what's normal for your pup (some dogs simply have more wax than others), regularly inspect your dog's ears – once a week is ideal.
Ear damage may lead to bleeding between the skin and cartilage of the ear flap, or a hematoma, in which the ear flap is swollen, warm, and painful. The inner side of the ear should be a healthy pink color.
Earwax, or cerumen, is usually amber orange to light brown, but it can vary between individuals and may give clues about a person's health. Red-tinged wax may be a sign of an injury, while greenish wax may indicate an infection, for instance. Earwax plays essential roles in ear health.
Normal Earwax Colors
Off white to yellow: Fresh earwax. Yellow to orange: Fresh earwax. Darker orange: Earwax is sticky, flaky, or older earwax that has picked up debris. Orange to brown: Sticky, thick, or very old earwax. Pale orange: Old, dry earwax.
The skin in the ear canal looks reddened and inflamed. There is a lot of wax. You can see anything ‘moving' in the ear canal (ear mites are relatively common in young dogs and can be very uncomfortable. New lumps or bumps you hadn't noticed before.
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.
Ear Mites
The tiny skin parasites feast on canine ear wax, and they are transmissible between dogs. When your pup has an ear mite infection, you will see a crusty, dark brown to black discharge that resembles coffee grounds. Other signs of ear mites include ear scratching and head shaking.
The darker color indicates the wax is older and has trapped more debris. This color of earwax is probably what you find in your outer ear canal and your ear bowl.
Healthy ears don't have an odor. Make a habit of sniffing your dog's ears, starting when they are just a puppy, so you know how they smell normally. If their ears smell yeasty or downright stinky, it's likely that a bacterial or yeast infection is brewing. Then take a look inside their ears.
The ears often become red and inflamed and develop an offensive odor. A black or yellowish discharge commonly occurs. In chronic cases, the ears may appear crusty or thickened, and the ear canals often become narrowed (stenotic) due to chronic inflammation.
Noticing drainage or discharge in their ears that can be black, brown, white, green, or yellow in color. Having redness or swelling in their ear canals. Yelping out when their ears are touched, which indicates pain. Seeing blood coming from their ears in severe cases.
Over-cleaning your dog's ears can lead to infection and irritation, so familiarize yourself with what a healthy, clean ear looks like (pink, odorless, and not dirty or inflamed) and smells like (not yeasty or stinky), and clean it with a cleanser only when you notice a change.
In the meantime, there are some home remedies you can try to ease your pet's discomfort, such as a warm compress, vinegar or hydrogen peroxide ear flush, and the use of natural anti-inflammatory agents like coconut oil or aloe vera gel.
Signs That Your Dog May Have A Yeast Ear Infection
Red or brown waxy discharge in the ear. Itching, scratching & pawing at the ear. A cheesy or musty smell coming from the ear. Red or irritated ear.
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.
Signs that your dog may have developed an ear infection include: Foul odor around or in the ear. Discharge from the ear. Swelling or redness of the ear canal.
It's normal to have a tiny amount of waxy or dirty debris caught in the folds of the ears, but if you see larger amounts of red-brown or creamy yellow discharge at the opening of the ear, this could be otitis.
Your veterinarian must take a swab of your dog's ear discharge, look at it under the microscope, and perhaps even send a sample of it to the lab to be cultured for bacteria before they're able to prescribe the right kind of ear medication for your particular dog's particular infection.
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.
Symptoms of earwax buildup can also be signs of other conditions, including ear infections, allergies, a cold or the flu.
In some cases, a hardened lump of wax can form in the canal, which can make it difficult to hear in that ear or even trap bacteria and cause an infection. If this happens, don't stick anything inside the ear to try to remove the wax yourself. Doing so could cause permanent hearing damage.