One of the most common reasons for pet owners to bring their cat or dog to the vet clinic are ear issues. Learning how to check and clean your cat or dog’s ears is the best way not only to keep them clean but also to prevent ear infections. It is especially important to be able to notice if they don’t look or even smell like usual so you can identify if there is a problem that needs to be checked by your vet or your furry friend only needs an ear grooming session at home.
Adding ear cleanings to your puppy’s routine and knowing why and how to take care of them will save you both a lot of discomfort.
In this post you’ll learn all you need to know around ear cleanings and how to do them like a pro in 10 easy steps.
Why do your dog or cat’s ears need cleaning
Dogs and cats get ear infections that can be primarily caused by ear mites, yeast or bacteria (or even a combination of those). These infections can quickly escalate from an annoying itch in their early stages to a severe condition that will need veterinary diagnosis and treatment in only a couple days time.
Some dog breeds are more prone to getting ear infections than others (specially breeds who have floppy bigger ears) but your dog’s breed is not the only factor that may them more susceptible to getting ear infections.
Some predisposing factors to ear problems can be:
- Long floppy ears that keep the ear canal moist due to reduced airflow
- Excessive hair around ears that trap bacteria and moisture
- A history of seasonal environmental allergies or food sensitivities
- A wet ear canal from getting a bath or swimming
- An untreated or not fully resolved previous ear infection
- Weakened immune system during a period of stress
- A growth inside the ear canal
Usually an ear infection will be related to a combination of some of those factors, so knowing what signs to check for and prevent those problems is a skill every pet owner should learn.
Getting them used to having their ears touched regularly without meaning that they are going to get bothered by it will also make it easier for them not to associate it to a bad experience and make the cleaning sessions, when needed, less uncomfortable (and less of a fight).
How often should you check and clean your cat or dog’s ears to prevent infections
By “check and clean” don’t mean a full 10-minute dig-up trying to see all the way inside the puppy’s brain, on the contrary it just means taking a peek inside even if you’re doing it while giving them a pet or in a training session.
How often to check and clean your cat or dog’s ears will depend on their predisposition to having ear problems but in general terms I suggest:
If your dog or cat has never had ear infections
A weekly check is frequent enough that you will be able to see any changes happening and a by-weekly or even monthly clean will usually be enough.
If they have had the sporadic acute infection in the past but they suffer at least 1 or 2 of the predisposing factors
A check twice a week and a weekly or by-weekly clean is recommended.
If they suffer from more than 2 of the predisposing factors mentioned, have had recurrent infections before, and especially during the weeks following an outbreak and or during allergy season
During spring, summer or triggering periods like right after an infection you might need to check every day and clean something from twice a week to every day (if you have been advised to do so by your vet).
I also suggest you always check their ears more thoroughly after a hike or playdate where they may have gotten dirt in them, after a swim in the ocean, pool or river and obviously if you notice them scratching or shaking their head more than usual.
Supplies you need to clean your pet’s ears
- Ear cleaner (make sure not to confuse it with ear treatment! and please use a specific good-quality product, walk away from homemade recipes and water based cleaners). The Virbac Epiotic Advanced ear cleanser is one of my favourites.
- A pair of latex gloves
- Gauze or soft fabric reusable makeup pads (do not use cotton or paper that can shred when wet)
- Your pet’s favorite treats and/or wet food in a licky mat! Pippo’s favourites are Chicken flavor Churus.
- A good mood, no rush and a handful of patience (and an extra set of hands for nervous pets)
10 easy steps to clean your dog or cat’s ears like a pro
1. Choose the right moment and place and get everything you need ready
Always choose a calm moment at home when you are in no rush and have an extra pair of hands if possible to pet, give treats or help hold the pet still.
Make sure you have all the supplies at hand reach before even grabbing your pet. The most frustrating thing is to have your puppy settled or your cat in a towel burrito and realize you don’t have enough gauze.
If you are using a licky mat or other enrichment find a good spot to put it and get them excited about it before even touching their ears.
Tip: Before a bath is always a good time to clean the ears, since the cleaners are usually oil based it’s preferable to do it before the bath so you can wash any that comes out afterwards.
2. Examine the ear
A thorough examination is as or even more important than the ear cleaning itself.
Be observant of any excessive ear scratching or other signs of itchy ears like continuous head shaking. Both ears should feel the same temperature as the rest of your pet’s body and they should not show any signs of itching or discomfort when touched around the ear area.
Look inside and check the external part of the ear canal for redness, abundant discharge or bad smell. It is normal for there to be some light coloured wax but it should be a small amount and almost dry. However, if there is a very large amount, the ears are very red, or there appears to be pus or a strong cheesy smell, your pup probably requires veterinary attention.
3. Clean the inside of the ear flap
Wet one of the gauze squares with the ear cleaning solution and simply wipe the inner side of the ear flap with it removing any dirt or accumulated dust, stay only on the outer part of the ear, not the canal.
This will ensure you are not making things worse during the ear cleaning process by helping all that dirt and bacteria to make its way into the ear canal when you apply the product.
4. Apply ear cleaner inside the ear canal
Locate the entrance of the ear canal and place the tip of the bottle inside, it needs to be placed deep enough that when you squeeze the bottle the liquid goes all the way inside and it doesn’t squirt outwards.
The canal is shaped as an L so we are not trying to reach all the way inside with any gauze or qtip, instead we want to have the cleaning solution fill the canal and soften any residue so when the dog or cat shakes away the liquid it takes the dirt with it.
Make sure you are pointing downwards with the bottle in a vertical position and squeeze it firmly so the whole canal is filled with the solution, you can tell it’s enough when you see a bit of an overflow or look inside and see a “pool” effect.
Vet Tip: Most ear cleaners have a tip that is designed to fit into the entrance of the ear canal but if the tip is too thick or you can’t get your dog or cat to stay still long enough, you can transfer the necessary amount to a sterile syringe and squirt it all once. This is also useful with prescribed ear drops, count and put them in a small syringe first so you make sure the dose is correct and get them in without having to wait for the drops to fall one by one.
5. Massage the canal
Massage the vertical part of the ear canal from the outside by gently pinching and rubbing it between your fingers. It’s easy to identify it if you grab what feels like a tube straight down the entrance of the canal at the base of the ear.
You should hear a smacking sound of the liquid moving in there. Do this gently, especially if the puppy looks uncomfortable, there might be some inflammation in the inside and doing it too harshly might bother them.
6. Absorb the ear cleaner
This step is optional but recommended if you don’t want to get yourself (and your walls) showered with a mixture of ear cleaner and ear discharge.
Absorb the excess cleaning solution for the outside with a dry gauze, don’t rub or shove it in the canal, just place it on the entrance and let the fabric absorb as much liquid as possible.
At this point you can repeat steps 3 to 6 on the other ear.
7. Let them shake it out
This step is a must, I know it’s the messiest but it’s a non-negotiable if you want to achieve a clean ear canal.
The whole purpose of the cleaning solution is to soften the accumulated dirt and secretion and reach the horizontal part of the canal that’s not accessible from the outside. Once soft and mixed with the solution the only way to get that dirt out of your dog’s inner ear is to let them shake it off!
Do let them shake their head as many times as they need to, they will do it on their own since they feel exactly the same as we do when water gets in our ear in the pool and they won’t stop until it’s almost empty, which is exactly what we need.
In general I usually tell owners to let them do it for at least 5 to 10 minutes. This also gives everyone a break that is much needed. You can of course give them a treat at this point since they have done a good job at being patient so far!
Your only job on this step is to make sure they don’t rub their ear against the ground and get dirt inside it (especially if you are outdoors) and, of course, to clean any mess they might be making, but, isn’t this our main jobs as dog and cat pawrents anyways?
8. Wipe from the inside out
Take a dry gauze and wipe all the gunk you can see in the ear from the inside out. Try to always do it in an outwards motion and change the gauze constantly so you are not putting dirt back in.
Some dogs have more folds than others, and in smaller breeds or cats some spots where the dirt accumulates are unreachable with the gauze, if that’s your case you can get dry q-tip and use it only to remove those bits from the outer folds.
Never ever put the cotton-tipped swab inside the ear canal, you can cause damage to the eardrum and you’ll probably only be getting the dirt back in.
Make sure all the pavilion is clean and dry and when that is the case you will be all done!
9. Clean the tip of the ear cleaner
Super important and always forgotten, make sure to clean the tip of the bottle with a disinfecting wipe or solution (usually chlorhexidine is my choice) on a gauze before putting it away.
We don’t want to be spreading bacteria and yeast from the ear content to other pets or the same pet in future cleanings.
10. Give them the biggest belly rub and a treat
Always always make sure to give your dog or cat a treat and plenty of praise after something uncomfortable like a nail trim or an ear cleaning session.
Tip: if your pet is anxious and difficult to keep still, licky mats are a very good option to try. They will keep them entertained while you do the cleaning and also become a long-lasting treat to help them associate the uncomfortable manipulation with something enjoyable.
Now that we’ve gone through all the details of the process, here’s a simplified video in case you have any doubts around the basics:
What to do if your dog or cat does not cooperate
Not all pets are as chill as Pippo when getting their ears cleaned (don’t let him fool you it’s, not his favorite activity either) and it is true that it is more difficult to get the more nervous or scared dogs and cats to cooperate without a fight.
When doing things like ear cleanings, nail clippings, baths or anything else that is not a “fun” activity with our pets we need to keep in mind that not cooperating doesn’t mean they are challenging us on purpose.
It only means that the procedure is either scary or uncomfortable for them because they’ve had bad experiences associated with it and when they realize what’s about to happen, they try anything they can to avoid getting that procedure done.
Here is where a lot of pet owners make the mistake of thinking the only way to get it done is by tricking or bribing them which are both bad options.
Sneaking on them when they are asleep or having five people suddenly hold them when they are not expecting it might work once, but if you need to do the manipulation regularly, scaring them like that will actually make them negatively associate it even more so they’ll be even less cooperative next time.
Instead, try to identify what exact steps of this procedure your dog is scared of the most and praise any behavior that is even slightly headed towards cooperation around that step. For weary dogs, letting them calmly see and smell the supplies like the gauze and ear cleaner and giving them a treat when doing so and in every step of the way is the best approach.
When to consider taking your dog or cat to the vet
As mentioned earlier, checking and cleaning your dog or cat’s ears will not only be a good routine for hygiene but will also prevent ear problems and let you identify any early indicators of infection.
Signs to look out for:
- Frequent Head Shaking or ear scratching: shaking their head or scratching their ears constantly may not only be a sign of infection but could also mean your pet has a foreign body in their ear canal.
- Odor: If you regularly clean your dog’s ears, you’ll easily identify if the smell of the content is different than normal.
- Redness or Swelling: Look for inflammation, redness, or swelling in or around the ears before or after the cleanings.
- Discharge: Be vigilant of changes of the amount, color and thickness of the ears’ discharge. Think, white, green, abundant dark brown or even bloody discharge are clear signs of infection and will indicate that a vet needs to examine the pup’s ears as soon as possible. The ears appearing to be very dirty only a couple days after an ear clean is also something to be worried about.
- Pain or Discomfort: Any behavioral changes, such as increased irritability or reluctance to be touched around the head, may suggest something is off.
- Balance Issues: Ear infections can sometimes affect a dog’s balance, leading to problems like stumbling or difficulty walking, usually this are signs of advanced ear infections.
If you see any of the mentioned signs during your ear cleaning routine or even if you just feel like something is wrong, make sure to make an appointment with your vet asap.
Please don’t fall into the temptation of using any medicated drops (or other drugs in general) that your vet has prescribed in past outbreaks, even if the signs look the same as last time to you. Infections may have different causes although they look the same and the medication needs to be prescribed specifically accordingly.
Using old medications without vet’s recommendations can only contribute to antibiotic resistance and sometimes make things worse if the eardrum has been compromised for example so it will result in generating a bigger health problem for your pet in the long run.
Do you have any other tips and tricks to clean your furry baby’s ears?
Leave them in the comments!
