In the previous article we unveiled some practical tips on grooming. Today we go into more detail and talk about how to clean your dog's ears. Let's start by making a premise: the hygiene of our 4-legged friend should not be limited to just bathing from time to time but, for his health, even the ears need a careful and constant cleaning. These are among the most sensitive and delicate organs of this animal, so it is in our interest to ensure that they are always in perfect health avoiding accumulation of dirt and wax that can be harmful to the animal.
INFLAMMATION AND OTITIS
The dog's ears are one of the most important organs of this animal but at the same time they are also among the most delicate and prone to infections or problems of various kinds. For this reason it is essential to clean them with care and attention. There are some particularly delicate breeds, such as those with drooping ears, which suffer most from the accumulation of dirt and wax, with the consequent risk of infection, bad smell in the ear canal, itching, irritation until you get to dangerous otitis particularly annoying and painful.
Inflammations are very frequent in dogs and if not properly treated they can result in more serious diseases such as otitis. The causes can be different:
Dirt
mites
pests
bacteria
forks
climate change
allergic predisposition
ear length
The latter case should not be underestimated by the owners of dogs with drooping and heavy ears if they do not want to run into continuous problems and probably more and more difficult to solve. In these breeds, in fact, the aeration of the ear canal is more difficult and causes a hot / humid environment that promotes an accumulation of bacteria and therefore the development of infections.
Some dogs also have the predisposition to throw themselves into the water, and although the first thought is that of an automatic cleaning of the ear, in reality this fact can lead to the birth of some diseases with atopic dermatitis.
It is therefore essential to take care of your friend, carefully cleaning the ear both externally and internally, let's see how to do.
CLEANING THE DOG ORIGIN: How to do it
Ear cleaning is a fairly simple practice and can be done by anyone even within the home. In case of serious problems such as pain or inflammation, contact your vet immediately and avoid do-it-yourself. With a little practice you will be able to acquire a good dexterity in such a way as to annoy your animal as little as possible.
One of the main difficulties in fact in carrying out this maneuver is precisely the lack of participation and collaboration of our friend.
Here are some practical tips on how to do it:
1-Get help from someone. One can keep the dog still by placing it against his body and caressing it, so as to calm him down and feel comfortable while the other proceeds more calmly with the cleaning.
2-Rotate your head. In this way, the ear will be turned upwards and the insertion of the product will be facilitated.
3-Drops insertion. Drop a few drops specifically for this cleaning into the ear canal.
4-Massage. Then massage the base of the ear to make the liquid work in depth.
5-Repeat the operation. Completely fill the ear canal with the solution. The dog will get rid of the excess substance by shaking his head.
6-Give a prize.
7-Clean the earcup. With a gauze soaked in the same detergent complete the cleaning and repeat with the second ear.
8-Repeat the washing periodically depending on the predisposition of the dog. In the case of wax removal, this operation should be performed at least once a month, in the case of otitis or other infections once a week.
9-Check your ears periodically. It is a good idea to check the state of health of your ears regularly, especially after a walk, during which dangerous foreign bodies can penetrate.
10-Cotton sticks are not recommended.
PRODUCTS TO BE USED
On the market there are many brands of dog ear cleansers containing substances to dissolve the earwax, acidifiers to lower the PH and disinfectants in non-odeotoxic concentrations and substantially attributable to two types: aqueous and oily.
In general, the former would be preferable because they do not grease hands and hair, but you should always ask advice from your vet for the one best suited to your case.
From cleaning his body, to medical examinations, from ears to teeth, everything is important to keep our dog healthy, so that he can live healthy and serene. In addition, with careful prevention and following the advice of this page p