Friday, October 29, 2010

Doggie Aid - What To Try And Do In Relation To Ear Dirt

By Janet Gorden

Since a dog's ears are warm and moist, it is prone to bacteria, ear mites, and yeast. So, regularly cleaning your dog's ears is very important for the health of your dog.

But before you clean it, you need to know how to inspect it. A healthy outer ear of the dog should look light pink in color, should be clean and should not emit any foul odor.

Look for any excess of dark wax buildup in the ear. A little bit of dirt and wax is fine. But if there is excess amount of wax buildup, it could indicate the presence of ear mites.

Chronic ear-scratching is a definite and clear sign that something isn't right, so check it out and look for any cuts, mites, infections, or signs of skin peeling.

If you think that there is yeast or bacterial infection or ear mites, then take him to the vet as quickly as possible.

But if see no signs of mites or any infection, you should begin with cleaning the ears. You should usually only try to clean the visible part of the ear. So, just remove any wax or dirt that you see on the outer ear. Just take a soft cloth or cotton ball and dip it into a cleaning solution just meant for a dog's ears. The ear canal should not be usually cleaned.

If for some reason you want to clean deeper in the ear, you should consult the vet first. There are solutions that can be dropped or squirted deep in the ear. But if your dog has never had any ear problems, you should avoid doing this. Vets generally believe that these will only cause problems for the dog. But if you are planning on cleaning the ear canal, then clean it before cleaning the outer ear.

Make sure to allow your dog's ears to dry out completely. If your dog breed is one with those long ears, then just pin the ears together over the head for sometime. This will help in drying the ear canal and preventing any infections.

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