My black lab has dirty ears! She does not have mites or an infection, just lots of dirt. Does anyone know any good ideas to get her ears clean and keep them clean?
I have a chocolate lab and he shakes his head and that means his ears are bothering him. What I do is get those round make up pads and use witch hazel, it does not sting. I put witch hazel on the pads and make him lie down and wipe again and again until clean. Then I put warm water on the last round and all done. Don't forget to give him a treat: the treat helps out making it easier for next time.
A breeder told me that make-up pads (those little round ones) and warm dollar store mouth wash is the best way to keep them clean. My dog loves to have his ears done this way. The antiseptic cleans them and the little bit of alcohol dries them immediately. It also makes them smell pretty nice too ! I wish I had known this with my first two dogs.
I have three dogs and they all get dirty ears from playing in our back yard. Like Edie Parks said, it's not easy to actually get to the eardrum so you can clean pretty far down. Two of my dogs have floppy ears and the third dog is a German Shepherd so his ears stand up high and are easy to clean. I buy a roll of Johnson & Johnson cotton, tear off a long piece and form it into a wick by rolling it between my hands. Before I use it, I apply ear cleaner (from the vet) in the dogs' ears, wet the wick, then twisting gently, manuever the wick down into the ear canal. Pull out slowly and you will get most of the gunk out. I also use a small, thin wash cloth in the bath to clean where I can see.
I am a dog groomer. You will have to clean then once a week. I suggest a home recipe for ear cleaner. My first vet (years ago) gave the following recipe to me. 2 parts water,1 part hydrogen peroxide and 1 part vinegar. Another way to put it: 1/2 cup water,1/4 cup hydro and 1/4 cup vinegar I put mine in a old windex spray bottle and put it on cotton balls. You can also spray it on q-tips and really dig if needed. My vet explained to me you cannot hurt their ear drums unless you can get a q-tip to make a L shape. lol If you will do this faithfully you could save yourself expensive vet bills in the future. edie
I have a mixed blk. lab & his ears get dirty too. I just use one of those cotton thin dish towels that sell in 10-20 packs & warm water. It feels good to him & it gets his ears clean. You just have to check his ears regularly. I just smell them because even if they don't look dirty they can be.
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