How to Clean a Dog's Ears Holistically

Keep your dog's ears healthy by cleaning them regularly.

You may not think cleaning a dog's ears is as important as giving it a bath, but regular cleanings you do yourself can prevent otitus externa. Otitus externa is a common reason people take their pets to the vet. Itchy, smelly, dirty ears can be a real problem for Fido. You can keep a dog's ears clean holistically and prevent the chance that he might end up with a nasty ear infection.

Things You'll Need

• Four cotton balls
• Non-toxic, alcohol-free pet ear cleaner

Instructions

1. Set the stage for cleaning the dog's ears by making the dog feel comfortable. Pet your dog and have a friend help you hold the dog while you clean his ears.

2. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water.

3. Moisten one cotton ball with the pet ear cleaner. Wipe the inner surface of the dog's ear flap clean and discard the cotton ball.

4. Moisten a second cotton ball and clean out the part of the dog's ear canal that you can see. When you feel resistance, stop.

5. Repeat the cleaning process on the dog's other ear with two new cotton balls. Remove all visible ear gunk.

Tips & Warnings

• If the dog has odorous buildup in his ears, or if the dog has been scratching his ears, you should have the dog examined by a veterinarian to rule out an ear infection.

• Do not use cotton swabs to clean the dog's ears. If the dog makes a sudden movement, you could injure his ear canal.

References

• The Humane Society of the United States: How to Clean a Dog's Ears
• Holistic Health News: Ear Cleaning--Weekly Maintenance is Great Prevention for Keeping Dogs' Ears Healthy