Things You'll Need:
- Ear cleaning solution
- Eyedropper
- Cotton swabs or pads
-
Step 1
Smell your dog’s ears. As unappetizing as this sounds, dogs with ear infections can have very smelly ears. In fact, you may be able to smell them if your dog is just sitting in the same room. If there is a disagreeable odor, he probably needs a good ear cleaning.
-
Step 2
Check for gunk in your dog’s ears. A healthy ear will be pink with little or no greasy deposits. If there is a lot of buildup, choose an ear cleaner with an alcohol base to help cut the grime and dry out the ear canal. In a pinch, mix equal parts of white vinegar with warm water for a quick ear wash. Bypass this mixture if your dog has visible sores in his ear.
-
Step 3
Clean your dog’s ear canals when he is comfortable and calm. Although ear cleaning does not hurt unless the cleaning solution irritates open sores, the feeling of liquid trickling down into the ear makes most dogs pull away and shake their heads.
-
Step 4
Hold your dog securely and use a dropper full of the ear cleaning solution in each ear, making sure to squeeze it gently into the ear canal. Talk reassuringly to your dog throughout the process and allow him to shake his head.
-
Step 5
Rub the base of the ear from the outside of his head. A dog’s ear canals extend deeply downwards below the actual ear opening and this is the source of the gunk and infection. Most dogs enjoy this part of the process.
-
Step 6
Use a cotton ball or pad (found in the beauty aisle) to wipe the gunk from your dog’s ears. You can reach into the ear canal a little ways to clean the folds and small nooks and crannies where buildup occurs. You may be surprised at how much gunk you remove.
-
Step 7
Repeat the ear cleaning once a day for at least a week if your dog has a lot of buildup or as recommended by your veterinarian.
