Choosing a Dog Ear Cleaner
Cleaning a dog’s ears can be a difficult process and unfortunately no specific type of formula is more easily applied than another.
However there are several types of dog ear cleaner available and you may find your dog has a preference in terms of what is most comfortable, and you may also find that certain types provide a much faster or effective clean than others.
The choice you make should usually come down to the current state of your dog’s ear hygiene and why your particular pup desperately needs them washed:
Infections
For dogs who have ear infections, a deeper cleanse is required and so liquid solutions which can get further into the ear without damaging them or being abrasive are usually the best choice. They should also boast antifungal and antibacterial properties to help disinfect and clear up the infection.
Mites
For dogs suffering from ear mites, they’ll need a formula that guarantees the killing of parasites. Some liquid solutions promise this feature, while canker powders have also proven to be very successful in the treatment of ear mites.
Basic Hygiene
If you’re merely washing your puppy’s ears as a preventative measure, ear wipes may be sufficient enough to remove wax and keep up good ear hygiene. However liquid formulas naturally provide a much deeper cleanse.
Types of Ear Cleaner
Ear Drops
Similar to eye drops or human ear drops, this type of cleaner is simple to use and allows you to administer a few drops of solution into your dog’s ear canal, before massaging the base of the ear to help distribute it through the inner structure of the canal. This helps dissolve wax build up and debris trapped in the ear hole. Downsides to ear drops is that they can be quite messy, as a canine will naturally want to shake their head to rid their ears of excess liquid.
Ear Wash
These types of liquid solution usually allow you to be fairly liberal with how much solution you put in your pup’s ears, however they work in the same way as normal ear drops. Again this can get quite messy!
Ear Powder/ Canker Powder
A dry powder that only needs a small spoonful to be effective, this is a dry solution which can be applied with a soft brush (make-up brush is best). Unlike liquid solutions, you don’t want this powder to go near your mutt’s ear hole and so it needs to be lightly dusted round the inner ear and then massaged gently!
Wipes
Very easy to use and definitely the least messy, wipes come at the price of not being able to clean deeper into the ear without risking damage. They’re probably best for dog’s with healthy ears that just need a regular cleanse to prevent build-up.