Ear Cleaning??

[PurpleHaze85]

Got a question, I was taught to clean the ears to pull out the hair with a pair of tweezers? Is this wrong? Then rub them out with cotton ball & Apple cider Vinager.

[Moo]

I don't pluck my dog's ears, but that's just me. I comb them so that he doesn't get tangles in his ears, and so that dead hair doesn't get stuck inside, but no plucking for me.

Apple cider vinegar is a good thing to use.

[PurpleHaze85]

Well the school I went to has recently gotten a bad reputation and just wondering if anything I learned was right. Some of the old students are tring to shut him down for abuse. Plus I have read that it is bad to pluck.

[yoda's mom]

I certainly think it would be very painful for the dog. If necessary, a trim is done -plucking? Not something I've heard of.

[erdog3]

Plucking is normal, if done correctly not painful. I have a link typed up on plucking and cleaning ears. I will come back with it here.

If you apply the solution to the ear about 10 mins before plucking, it makes the hair softer and easier to pull out. The more often you do it, the easier it becomes. If when you pluck it does not want to come easily then leave it with the solution longer till it does. Do not pull to the extent of making your dog wince, then you are hurting.
http://www.prodoggroomingsupplies.co...ead.php?t=2512

I have never heard about using cider vinegar, I have always used the ilium from the vets.

[Blistering Wind]

Plucking is standard practice at all the vet clinics I've worked at. We use the ear wash first, then pluck. If done fast, it is no worse than us plucking our eyebrows or nose hairs. Yeah it can hurt if done slow. But you have to look at the other options. 1. Leave the hair and your dog continues to suffer from yeast infections in the ear and various bacterial infections constantly because the ears cannot properly dry out.

Or 2. A few seconds of discomfort (and I bet there is some as many as I've done in the past), and a quick ear wash, some antibiotics or antifungals to remove the irritating creature, and then the ear drys and you don't have to worry about it again for a while.

Keeping the ears plucked, mostly on dogs with "floppy" ears. Those dogs are the ones that you see with ear issues. Or dogs with LOTS of hair in their ears and constant infections.

You can SMELL the infections too. Once you have smelled one, you never forget.

Also, you should only be plucking a few hairs at a time, not the whole thing at once.
OUCH!!

[*Blood*Hound*]

Umm...... plucking?? I dont do that to my dogs. I use cotton balls and qui-tips and some stuff the vet gave me that works really well!

[Troopers Daddy]

I use cotton balls and Q-tips as well. I have 2 give him to ear drops cause he has earmites (nothing contageous to humans, but to dogs yes). The vet said it was very common in dogs but I would never pluck Trooper's ears. It would be very painful unless done the right way (which I do not know of) but anyway the vet didn't mention any PLUCKING so oh well..

[koni]

Is there a type of shampoo or something designed for washing ears?

[Ken Nielsen]

There is a wash solution "Epi-Otic" that works well for 'swishing' around in your dog's ears. 'Swish' then dry lightly with a cotton ball. Check with your vet, buy it from your vet.