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Best Dog Ear Cleaners for 2022

Unfortunately for us owners, dogs can’t clean their own ears, and so it’s yet another thing to add to our long and laborious canine grooming routine!

However, anyone who’s pup has suffered from an ear infection or mites will tell you doggy lug problems are no laughing matter and that a basic monthly, weekly or even daily canine ear clean can help save them from a ton of irritation.

And if your mutt has just started having one of these issues, you’ve no real choice but to get cleansing!

To do so, you’ll need a top quality ear cleaning solution or other canal cleaning product which will free your pup of wax, dirt and bacteria build-up.

But don’t worry if you’re feeling lost, as we’ve put together a list of the very best in doggy ear cleaning care products to help your agitated puppy get back to their best!

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    Our Top Picks

    Image Product Details
    EcoEars Natural Dog Ear Cleaner
    • All natural ingredients
    • Pharmaceutical & chemical-free formula
    • Multi-symptom solving solution
    Check Price
    Vet's Best Ear Cleaning Pads for Dogs
    • Single use, moistened finger pads
    • Easy to use ear drop alternative
    • Contains soothing aloe vera
    Check Price
    Thornit Canker Powder
    • For sore, smelly or itchy ears suffering from mites
    • Easily applied non-liquid solution
    • Quick relief with no discomfort
    Check Price

    The Top Dog Ear Cleaners Reviewed

    1.
    EcoEars Natural Dog Ear Cleaner

    For an all-natural formula that targets multiple ear issue symptoms at once, Vet Organics EcoEars is a gentle yet highly effective remedy!

    Covering a broad spectrum of problems, the EcoEars solution uses a careful combination of witch hazel, tea tree oil and plant extracts to end itching, mites, dirty discharge and infections in mutt ears.

    This makes it a fantastic weapon in the fight against wax build-up and debris in dogs, helping restore them to their natural clean state while also boasting antifungal and antibacterial properties.

    And with no harsh chemical or steroids included, it promises smooth, soothing relief for your precious pooch!

    Features

    • All natural ingredients
    • Pharmaceutical & chemical-free formula
    • Multi-symptom solving solution

    Specifications

    • Weight: 240 g
    • Dimensions: 47.8 x 13 x 13 cm
    • Size: 237 ml

    2.
    Vet's Best Ear Cleaning Pads for Dogs

    If you can’t be bothered with the fuss of trying to squirt a load of liquid into your pooch’s lugs, you may find a quick wipe to be the easiest method of cleaning.

    When puppy’s ears are free of infection and simply need a bit of dewaxing and basic hygiene, Vet’s Best Cleaning Pads are a convenient way to clear out a canine’s ear holes thanks to their finger glove design.

    This allows you to be extra gentle when clearing out gunk as it’s guided by your very own touch, while a combination of witch hazel, aloe vera and cornmint helps soothe and heal ear irritations.

    Proven to dissolve wax and improve odour, it’s a hassle free tool to add to your hound’s routine.

    Features

    • Single use, moistened finger pads
    • Easy to use ear drop alternative
    • Contains soothing aloe vera

    Specifications

    • Weight: 159 g
    • Dimensions: 5.3 x 7.8 x 8.5 cm
    • Size: 50 pack

    3.
    Thornit Canker Powder

    If your pooch is struggling with ear mites but takes no pleasure from a dose of liquid ear cleaner, you may want to consider turning to a powder substance.

    Thornit’s Canker Powder has proved a lifesaver for many canine owners who previously struggled to relieve their dogs of scratchy, strong smelling lobes and in some cases has even proved more successful than a visit to the vet!

    With a slightly different application to drops or wash, canker powder requires just a small spoonful of magic dust to be massaged in a mutt’s inner ear, taking care to avoid the ear hole.

    Miraculously, this anti-mite dust can then bring your rover almost instant relief, and it’s fast-acting properties help to completely clear up ear issues in 1-5 days!

    No wonder owners everywhere are ditching dodgy drops for powerful powder!

    Features

    • For sore, smelly or itchy ears suffering from mites
    • Easily applied non-liquid solution
    • Quick relief with no discomfort

    Specifications

    • Weight: 20 g
    • Dimensions: 2 x 4 x 6 cm
    • Size: 20 g

    4.
    Petlife Otodex Veterinary Eardrops

    For a quick, wax eradicating ear cleaner, you won’t find much better value for money than Petlife’s Otodex Drops.

    Containing a wax solvent to help clear up bacteria-ridden blockages, these ear drops are also packed with fungicides and bactericides to help kill off any chance of infection. This makes it a great option for owners who need to treat canines with chronic ear issues, as it can help keep on top of bacteria build-up efficiently and easily.

    Best of all though, Otodex is proven to be an effective ear mite killer, ensuring a serious reduction in your pup’s head shaking and lobe scratching tendencies!

    It’s the cheapest way to cheer up that earache!

    Features

    • Fast acting wax clearing formula
    • Helps treat common and chronic canine ear issues
    • Kills ear mites

    Specifications

    • Weight: 13.6 g
    • Dimensions: 20 x 5 x 5 cm
    • Size: 14 ml

    5.
    Virbac Epi-Otic Ear Cleaner for Dogs and Cats

    Virbac are one of the most trusted and respected pet health brands, best known for their revolutionary teeth products for plaque troubled tykes. But did you know they also provide fantastic ear cleaning care for canines too?!

    The Epi-Otic ear cleaner is a non-irritating cleanser with antiseptic properties that helps remove skin debris and dry the ear passage of suffering mutts using sodium docusate.

    This helps soften and remove wax, regulate moisture and most importantly acts as an anti-inflammatory to reduce soreness and agitations in the ear. Anti-adhesive properties also prevent microbial attachment while patented anti-odour technology rids your pup of foul-smelling ear stank.

    Best of all, Epi-Optic also uses an innovative short nozzle applicator, meaning there’s no danger of the nozzle picking up bacteria and re-seeding an infection on later use.

    It’s a sure fire way to restore microbial balance and deodorize doggy ears!

    Features

    • Removes skin debris from ear
    • Antiseptic properties
    • Short nozzle to prevent re-seeding of infection

    Specifications

    • Weight: 150 g
    • Dimensions: 17.6 x 4.2 x 4.2 cm
    • Size: 125 ml

    6.
    Vetzyme Antibacterial Ear Drops and Cleanser

    Helping to remove wax and tissue debris from doggy lugs, this antibacterial drops and cleanser from Vetzyme is an affordable and effective answer to the issue of irritated and odorous ears.

    It’s main ingredient is Triclosan, an antibacterial and antifungal agent often found in soaps and surgical-grade cleaning treatments. This means you can be confident that your canine will be thoroughly cleansed with each use, helping promote ear health and hygiene.

    It also makes it one of the best choices of disinfectant, helping hounds to heal infection-free from any cuts or grazes or ear mite bites they might acquire.

    At 18 ml, it’s not the biggest helping of ear cleaner in the world, but it’s likely that the strength of the solution will do a lot of good with very little.

    Features

    • Softens a removes ear wax
    • Disinfect cuts, bites and grazes
    • 18 ml x 6 pack available

    Specifications

    • Weight: 59 g
    • Dimensions: 3.4 x 5.1 x 9 cm
    • Size: 18 ml

    7.
    Pro Pooch Dog Ear Cleaner

    Sometimes speed is key when trying to relieve your poor pup from agitation, especially if symptoms such as head shaking, scratching and foul smells become out of control.

    Pro Pooch’s Ear Cleaner has been scientifically formulated to deliver effective results quickly thanks to a pH balanced and naturally derived ingredients list, and is choc-full of citrus extracts for a fresh and rejuvenated scent.

    It’s also totally free of alcohol, parabens, silicones, and enzymes, making it undoubtedly one of the safest solutions available when it comes to honing hound hygiene.

    For those who love dogs more than life itself, Pro Pooch also donate a large percentage of their profits to canine charities, so it’s a great way of lending a helping hand to more than just your personal pooch!

    Features

    • Non toxic & free of alcohol & parabens
    • Natural citrus extract to neutralise odour
    • Prevents persistent itching & head shaking

    Specifications

    • Weight: 240 g
    • Dimensions: 17 x 6 x 6.4 cm
    • Size: 250 ml

    8.
    VetIQ Ear Cleaner

    Thankfully, you don’t actually have to have the IQ of a vet to use this product, meaning you can get supremely clean canine ears without even having to think about it!

    VetIQ’s solution shines ahead of its competitors thanks mainly to what it calls the flexi-applicator, a movable nozzle that adapts with the shape of your pup’s ear for a less intrusive and more comfy application.

    But it’s also a perfect pooch formula, utilising the fantastic ingredient of neem oil, a natural cleanser which removes bacteria and fungus from your lassie’s lugs. This also helps deter a wide range of insects and parasites without the use of alcohol or toxins!

    As an added bonus, the unique ingredients of VetIQ’s product also ensure that good hygiene is maintained without staining or discolouring the hair around the ear, surely making it one of the smartest choices on the market!

    Features

    • Flexible nozzle for easy application
    • Antibacterial & antifungal properties
    • Keeps ears clean & debris free

    Specifications

    • Weight: 113 g
    • Dimensions: 4.1 x 4.1 x 18.4 cm
    • Size: 100 ml

    9.
    C&G Pets Dog Ear Cleaner

    Organic and cruelty-free, C&G Pets Dog Ear Cleaner is a natural and gentle option that’s specially designed to break down waxy ears and eliminate ear odour. As a fast-acting formula, C&G promises it will offer soothing to the ears immediately and provide visible results in 2 days from daily use.

    As a British business, Cooper and Gracie (full title) is a brand that’s vet trusted and started from a pair of dog owners that needed a solution for their own pet. Their products are sustainably sourced, and as part of their 10 Million Rescues mission, they donate a proportion of their profits to rescue centres around the world.

    This is a great product for multiple reasons; it’s from a trusted brand with good values, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-itch. It also benefits from a sensitive, easy to use applicator.

    Features

    • British, family-run brand
    • Ethical and Sustainable
    • 90-day money back guarantee

    Specifications

    • Weight: 270 g
    • Dimensions: 17.3 x 5.3 x 5.1 cm
    • Size: 250 ml

    10.
    Paw Originals Ear Cleaner For Dogs Wash

    A non-drying formula made from natural ingredients, Paw Originals Ear Cleaner is a safe and solid choice for maintaining mutt ear hygiene.

    pH balanced and packing a plant-based punch of non-abrasive ingredients, it provides specifically targeted action to prevent head shaking, itching and dirt build-up in dog ears.

    Non-toxic and free of alcohol and other nasties, it’s also a gentle yet effective solution that’s backed by UK vets and proven to work fast in the war against wax!

    Features

    • pH balanced, non-drying solution
    • Plant-based ingredients
    • Scientifically formulated for faster results

    Specifications

    • Weight: 254 g
    • Dimensions: 5 x 5 x 17 cm
    • Size: 250 ml

    Buying Guide

    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.

    Other Buyers Ask...

    How much should dog ear cleaner cost?

    Unless buying some form of multi-pack, dog ear cleaners usually shouldn’t cost you more than £10 if under 100 ml.

    However, pay attention to how much solution you are getting for your money. In some cases a formula will be over £10 because it’s a larger size of 200-300 ml.

    Which is the best dog ear cleaner?

    The answer to this very much depends on the issue your pup is suffering from.

    For mites, the best solution is Thornit’s Canker Powder, which has received glowing reviews from pet owners who had previously been unable to solve their dog’s problems.

    For infections, Vet Organics Eco Ears is a great choice, as it uses no harmful ingredients and utilises plant-based products to naturally combat all dog ear issues!

    And for basic hygiene, Vet’s Best Finger Wipes provide an easy, hassle-free way to quickly clean a canine’s lugs from time to time.

    Does dog ear cleaner expire?

    Yes, like many medications, dog ear cleaner does have a best before date and can eventually become less effective.

    It’s also important not to overuse a dog ear cleaner over a really long length of time either as studies have shown that the tips can end up picking up some of the bacteria from infections, hence why Virbac Epi-Otic is so innovative!

    Help and Resources