When it comes to your dog, the ears have it | Casey’s Corner

Last time, I talked about your dog’s teeth…so let’s stay in that upper region and dive into your dog’s ears. (Not literally.)

Most of us don’t pay much attention to the inside of our dog’s ears unless something goes wrong. We catch a whiff of something unpleasant when we bend down to pet him, or we notice he’s shaking his head or scratching his ears a lot more than usual, and we realize his ears could be ailing.

If you’re a long-time dog caretaker, you’ve probably run into an ear infection or two along the way, especially if you’ve had a floppy eared dog like a beagle or Basset Hound. While any breed can suffer an ear infection, floppy-eared pups like these — along with Shar-Peis, Labrador and Golden Retrievers, poodles, and cocker spaniels — are especially prone to ear infections because the long fur around their ear flap creates a moist, warm environment and poor air circulation. Add in the ear canal’s anatomy which tends to hold in moisture, and you have a perfect breeding ground for bacteria and yeast. Dogs can also develop ear infections due to allergies or food sensitivities, wax buildup, injury, or a foreign body trapped in the ear canal.

If you suspect an ear infection, take a look under the ear flap: if one or both ears are red, have a discharge or significant buildup of debris, or if touching the ear causes pain, you’ve got yourself an infection. These conditions are quite painful for your dog, and require veterinary intervention to make sure they don’t become even more serious and perhaps cause permanent damage.

The key to keeping your furry friend’s ears healthy is keeping them as clean and dry as possible. If your pup loves to swim, make sure to carefully dry out her ears with a towel or cotton ball when you get home; the same goes for after her bath. Much of the time, you can clean your dog’s ears yourself, unless he has eardrum damage or the ear canal is inflamed: in that case, professional ear cleaning by your veterinarian is needed.

If you’re the least bit uncertain about the condition of your dog’s ears, ask your vet for guidance.

To make the job of cleaning your dog’s ears easier, keep the fur around the ear flap clean and trimmed. The ear cleaning itself can take a while, so you might want to split the task into one ear at a time, then take a break. It can also be messy, so don’t wear your good clothes. Finally, never use human ear cleaning solutions or household liquids like alcohol or hydrogen peroxide: use cleaning solutions approved for dogs such as Epi-Otic, available without a prescription.

Start by lifting your dog’s ear flap, and without touching the tip of the bottle to the ear, fill the canal with the solution. Then gently knead the base of the ear between your fingers, moving upward until you’ve massaged the entire canal. A squishing sound will tell you you’re doing it right!

Allow your pup to shake his head, which gets rid of most of the liquid, then use a cotton ball or gauze pad to wipe out the visible ear canal. Repeat the whole process until the cotton ball or pad is clean; then take another cotton ball, pad, or Q-tip and clean the outer folds of the ear. Never use a Q-tip to clean inside the dog’s ear.

Keeping your pup’s ears clean should be part of your regular grooming process — it will leave both you and your furry pal happy and contented, and ready for your next adventure.

Joan Merriam lives in Nevada City with her new Golden Retriever Frankie, her Maine Coon cat Indy, and the infinite spirits of her beloved Goldens Joey and Casey. You can reach Joan at joan@joanmerriam.com. And if you’re looking for a Golden, hop on over to Homeward Bound Golden Retriever Rescue.