Your dog's ears are both a fragile area and an important part of the animal's perception. It is essential to pay close attention to them, to take care of them, and to clean them well. But be careful, you have to go carefully!
The dog's ear and its particularities
A dog's ear has less cartilage and is more mobile than a human ear, allowing it to pick up more sound. It is composed of 3 parts: the inner ear, the outer ear and the middle ear. These three parts each have their own particularity which allows the dog to have very fine hearing.
Indeed, the dog can perceive sounds coming from miles away, which is why cleaning this precious organ is very important. One of the particularities of your dog's ear canal is that it has an L-shape. This angled shape can cause an abnormal flow of earwax, which will then accumulate in the ear canal and lead to otitis.
Good practices
First of all, it is not necessary to clean the ears every day. However, you should monitor them regularly. If the auricle (the visible area) is dirty or red, you can then clean the ears with ear lotion, which you can find at your veterinarian. Place a little bit of product at the bottom of the ear and mix it at the base for a few seconds. Then let your dog shake his head and then pass a soft cotton pad through the auricle (from the inside out) to remove the dirt. A good cleaning over a few days at the start of inflammation can help avoid otitis that is often very painful.
You can also remove hair from the entrance to these ducts in order to prevent dirt from getting stuck in the hairs, ask your veterinarian for advice first.
Actions to avoid
When cleaning, there is no need to insist if your dog complains. This can mean that you are doing it wrong or that the dog is doing it wrong. In this case it is safer to take him to your veterinarian. Cotton swabs should never be used.
Finally, watch your dog's behavior, if he scratches his ears very often or shakes them, he may be at the beginning of an infection, so you must act quickly for his well-being!
