How to Treat a Dog's Ear Infection

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By eHow Contributing Writer

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If you notice your usually calm dog shaking his head, pawing at his ear and whining, then he may have an ear infection. There are a number of recommendations that your vet will make in order to treat your dog's ear infection.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Step 1

Examine the ear to look for the symptoms of an ear infection. The ear may appear irritated and may be leaking a yellow or black colored discharge.
Step 2

Flush the dog's ear out with an ear wash. This can help remove any debris or bacteria that are found in the ear canal.
Step 3

Groom the hair around the dog's ears. This can help get rid of any dirt that can be causing the infection as well as prevent any further infections from taking place.
Step 4

Take the dog to the vet for an examination. A vet can determine the cause of the ear infection and prescribe the right type of medicine to treat it.
Step 5

Administer the medication and follow any cleaning instructions. Your vet will probably have you give the dog drops for a week as well as continuing to clean the ear.

Tips & Warnings

Always check with your vet before you attempt any kind of ear infection treatment on your dog.
You may need someone to help you treat the ear infection if your dog refuses to allow you near the infected ear.
Don't use a cotton swab in your dog's ear. This can worsen the infection and the swab could possibly become lodged in the canal.
Don't use alcohol to flush out a dog's ears. This can be very painful if she has a cut inside her ear.

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