How often shall we clean our dogs’ ears?

Generally once every week or every two weeks is recommended. It depends on the volume of discharge and the activity level of the pet. If the dog is active and outdoorsy, especially after a swim, his ears should definitely be cleaned.

Dog breeds with long ears and hair in ears, such as Poodle and Cocker Spaniel, require more frequent cleaning.

Watch the steps to how your dog’s ear properly:

Step 1: Pour cleanser into the ear’s canal
Step 2: Gently massage the base of the ear to let the cleanser drip down into the ear which helps break down wax and debris
Step 3: Let your dog shake his head
Step 4: Wipe the outer ear flap and inside with a slightly wet cotton ball

What are the most common ear related problems? Symptoms?

The most common ear problem is inflammation of the outer ear (otitis externa), mostly caused by yeast or bacteria. Other possible causes include ear mites and rarely tumors.

Symptoms that you can see include that dogs often shake their heads and rub their ears against the floor; redness of the ear canal, and if it is yeast or bacteria, there would be discharge.

A quick test – we can use a cotton swab to take a sample of discharge from the ear canal, and under a microscope, we can tell whether it is yeast or bacteria, or both.

Special courtesy to Dr Tim Ngor and a nurse from East Island Animal Hospital who’ve talked to us on this healthcare topic.

Hellodog does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See more details here.