Canine ears can be floppy, folded, erect and everything in between. We know that our dogs depend on their keen sense of hearing to track their surroundings.
They depend on us to make sure their ears stay healthy. That’s why it is important to conduct a sniff test inside your dog’s ears – and really use your eyes to inspect inside the ears – at least once a week. You want to catch a health issue early before it progresses.
In our pet first aid/CPR classes, we devote time to conducting a head-to-tail wellness assessment on our pets. We encourage students to use their own noses and eyes to really inspect the health of their dogs.
Signs of Ear Issues
Let’s zero in on the ears. Be on the lookout if your dog starts to
- Scratch at one or both of his ears
- Shake his head back and forth repeatedly
- Tilts his head to one side
- Emit yucky odors from the ears, which can range from sour, yeasty or foul smelling
- Show waxy buildup in the ear canals
- Develop redness, dark discharge or crusty scabs inside the ears
- Cries out in pain when his ears are touched
It is important to reach out to your veterinarian when you see or smell any abnormalities with your dog’s ears so that the issue can be resolved quickly.
Causes of Ear Problems
Unhealthy ears can be due to:
- Allergies. Your dog may be showing an adverse reaction to a new food or something in your yard, such as pollen.
- Ear mites
- Excess water and moisture in the ears if your dog loves to swim and the ears were not properly cleaned and dried
- Bacterial or yeast ear infections
- Bugs, grass or other foreign objects lodged in the ears
At-Home Safe Ear Care
Here are some do’s and don’ts when it comes to doing your part at home to keep your dog’s ears healthy:
- Do only use veterinarian-approved ear cleaning products, such as liquid ear cleaners and ear wipes.
- Don’t use hydrogen peroxide or strong vinegar mixes because they can damage the ear tissue and cause irritation and swelling
- Do use sterile gauze pads or cotton balls to clean inside the ear canals
- Don’t use cotton swabs to clean inside the ears. If your dog moves suddenly, you could risk damaging the ear canal with the end of the cotton swab.
- Do be calm and patient. Select a quiet room in the house away from other pets to clean your dog’s ear.
- Do heap on the treats so you dog associates ear cleaning in a positive and rewarding way.
Again, if you do smell a strong odor or see any discharge from your dog’s ears during the cleaning, please immediately call your veterinarian and book an appointment.
Learn more
You can learn more on ways to keep your cats and dogs safe by visiting https://www.protrainings.com/courses/pets. Consider taking our veterinarian-approved online pet first aid/CPR course. Enter this code: CPR – ARDEN MOORE and receive a 10 percent discount! And, if you are interested in becoming a Pro Pet Hero instructor, please click on the BECOME AN INSTRUCTOR button on the home page for more details.