How to Clean the Ears of a Cocker Spaniel

This article will teach you how to clean your cocker spaniels ears. All of the ingredients are available at your local drugstore.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Rubbing Alcohol
• White Vinegar
• Betadine Antiseptic
• A type of plastic bottle (to store solution) with a long plastic tip so you can squirt the cleaning solution
• Kleenex
• Cotton swabs
• Two people - one to hold the dog (and maybe give him or her a treat) and the other to clean the ears.

1. 

   Pour six ounces of rubbing alcohol into your squeeze bottle. Add 2 ounces of white vinegar. Shake well. Then add 2 ounces of antiseptic betadine. The solution will look like a yellow color.

2. Some people add boric acid to the solution, but it is dangerous stuff and is hard to find.

3. 

   If the dogs ears are infected (open sores, cuts, or scrapes), Do Not use the solution on the dog. Take the dog to your vet so they can help heal the sores and etc. The solution can be used everyday until the infection clears up and then once every week or two. If there is gunk built up around the ear opening you can use the kleenex or cotton swabs to gently clean out the gunk. Be careful not to go to far into the dogs ears or you could damage their ear drum.

Tips & Warnings

• The dog is not going to like having the solution squirted in their ears, so have someone else around to love on the dog and give him or her a treat.
• Do Not Use This Solution on the dogs ears if there are open sores, cuts, or scrapes. This will burn the open places and will make the dog not ever want you to do that again.
• Be sure not to go to far into the ear or you will damage the ear drum.

[redirwin]

on 8/20/2009 Great info LittleMomma316! I love cockers, but those long, hairy ears sure have a tendency to pick up cattails and other scary stuff. Keeping them clean is an important job, even if it's just getting the dirt out.

[revisitingnixon]

on 7/6/2007 Congrats on having this article be picked as the winner for the "Top Written Requested How to Article!" Check out the forums and see which other winners we have this week. Check it out at:

http://www.ehow.com/community/forums/forum_1728_ehow-winners:-article-requests.aspx

-Rich