Dog Grooming – Ear Care

Dog Grooming – Ear Care

Dog ears should be checked regularly and cleaned to ensure odour free and healthy ears.
The ears should be clean, slightly pink-grey and should have no odour.

Some of the sign of ear problems are –
1. Red, irritated skin
2. Dirt or wax build up
3. Discharge
4. Foul odour
5. Frequent head shaking, or scratching/pawing at ear(s).

Some of the common problems are –
Ear Infections - can arise due to water accumulating in the ear canal, giving a moist and humid environment for the bacteria to flourish. This is most common in dog with ear flaps like Labradors.
Ear infections are a little harder to treat, usually requiring daily ear drops for a week or so, weekly drops for some time after that. Some dogs prone to ear infections need to have ear drops on a regular basis.
Ear Mites – can be present in the wax accumulated in the ear. Mites should be treated with insecticides to be used as instruction by your vet.
Ear Canker – causes a dark- colored discharge and foul odour in the ear, is caused by lack of air circulation and wax accumulation.
Ear Allergies – lead to constant scratching, should be treated by the vet.
The owner and the groomers should understand the serious nature of ear problems and always ensure that any suspect conditions are handled by veterinary inspection.

Ear Cleaning Procedure –
1. Take a cotton ball, dip in hydrogen peroxide, squeeze excess out
2. Wipe the dog's ear out.
3. Clean all around the little crevices as best as you can.
4. Use another cotton ball for the other ear.
5. Make sure to dry the ears thoroughly.
6. Water and excess ear cleaning solution must never get in pet ears.
7. Do not use water in the cleaning process.

Links
http://www.petgroomer.com/Grooming101/Articles/ear_cleaning-revised.htm
http://www.barkbytes.com/care/earcare.htm
http://www.medi-vet.com/canineearcare.aspx