Why taking care of your dog’s ears is important.
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Taking care of your dog’s ears is an important aspect of grooming and will help keep them clear of knots and clean and free of infections and other health issues.
Many dogs are already prone to ear infections when they have dropped ears as this blocks the ear canal and doesn’t allow ventilation which can cause ear infections to form.
Ear problems like infections are also seen commonly in breeds such as poodles when they have thick hair in the ear canal, which can trap any debris, moisture and earwax inside the ear canal.
If you are wanting to keep your dogs free from infection, making sure they are regularly groomed, and ears cleaned is important part of this process. This is something we offer included in a full groom or as a separate service if you need their ears cleaning or plucked regularly.
What are the common signs that your dog is suffering from a potential ear infection?
There are several signs that an ear problem is occurring in dogs, such as:
- A strange, often foul odour coming from the inner ear
- Consistent scratching and rubbing of the ear and head
- Discharge in the ear
- Pain or tenderness of the ear
- Redness or swelling around the ear canal
- Frequent shaking of the head
If you suspect your dog has any signs of an ear infection, then veterinary treatment should be sought. They will be able to check the ear thoroughly and prescribe any treatment needed.
How to prevent ear infections in dogs?
There are 2 main things you can do to prevent ear infections in dogs these are regular cleaning and ear plucking.
1. Ear cleaning
There are lots of different ear cleaners available on the market currently but have a couple of different specially designed ear cleaners that will wipe away any excess wax or dirt and also a cleaner that can go into the ear canal which can help remove deeper down wax or dirt.
But whichever you choose to use its important that if you are cleaning your own dogs ears you must remember to never put anything like cotton buds down the ear canal as this can cause damage and pain to your dog.
If the wax is very dark, almost like dried blood, this means the dog may have an infection called Canker Ear which will require veterinary attention.
Check your dog’s ears weekly for signs of infection and to clear away any wax or dirt. If you notice an infection or even suspect your dog might have an ear problem, take them straight to your veterinarian for checking out.
2. Ear Plucking
Plucking is something I would never recommend for someone to do who is trained to do it like a groomer or veterinary surgeon as it is a delicate procedure. It should also never be done if the dog is showing signs or currently has an ear infection as this will cause the dog immense pain and may even make the ear infection worse.
Ear plucking is where the hair that is coming from inside the ear canal itself and we use a special powder to help with ear plucking. This is something if we feel may cause the dog distress or the dog isn’t happy with, we will refer you to your vet.
Both these services we offer here at Noahs Ark Dog Grooming either included in a full groom or as a separate service just give us a call or drop us a message for more information.
