Dirty ears

[pookybooper]

Someone recommended using baby oil on a soft cloth to clean out Busta's waxy ears, anyone try this?

[goldenjack]

<img src = "http://home.att.net/~goldenjack/dinopics/dinosunglasses.jpg" align="left" border="0"><font face="comic sans ms">
When necessary, I clean my ears with "Nolvasan Otic" and cotton balls, for both the ear canal and the external areas of the inner ear. You can have your VET show you the correct procedure for cleaning my ears. Now if you will excuse me, I have a <font color=red>HOT </font> date to go to. Ruff! </font><hr color=black>

[shammrok]

I have used olive oil in the past to clean the ears, but on the recommendation of my vet I now only use a clean damp cloth.

[porschelouise]

I have never heard of baby oil - I use Chlorhexiderm once a week, after swimming and bathing, and surgical wipes (they're thin and easy to get "in there") to clean the rest of the time.

[WyattSydneys Mom]

How often do you clean your dogs ears??:204

[timberwolfe13ca]

How often you clean the ears will depend on the dog. We have never cleaned Clancy's ears, and everytime the vet checks him she says his ears are nice and clean. No wax. other dogs I know need ear cleaning every other day due to constant infections.

Look in the ear and you will be able to see if there is a wax build up. I would consult your vet before attempting to clean in the canal.

[WyattSydneys Mom]

Thanks timberwolfe! Wyatt has never had an ear infection, but our vet told us to clean them weekly. I usually do it every couple of weeks. No problems, so I guess I'll stick with that schedule. :032

[porschelouise]

I definitely think it depends on the dog - Porsche Louise is prone to infections, and I have always had to clean her ears - even before she ever swam... You will definitely know - either smell them ( I know... ) or look, and you'll see wax...

[NamVet4]

Hello to all! As a relatively new Golden owner - rescue - I have been cleaning Dallas's ears at least twice a week. He came to us with ear infections. A friend from the training class advised me to try unscented baby wipes. They work extremely well, there is no problem of cotton fiber residue and I can see the amount of “ear gunk” that is removed. I also use a prescription medication, when needed, and supplement with a veterinarian recommended ear wash.

[samoto]

One of my goldens has alot of wax in her ears, the vet told me to use a mixture of vinegar and warm water with an ear syringe to wash the wax out of her ears. This works great!

[Rebecca]

Daisy's ears have to be cleaned weekly. I use a product from the vet's office, but after seeing your answers I will get some unscented baby wipes, too. She really appreciates the cleaning: comes and lays down without me asking her to, leans into it, groans happily, and generally acts silly when it's over.

[KatysPal]

My first post! Hope I don't screw it up somehow...

I notice nobody's mentioned the Blue Power Ear Solution [recipe easily found on the Internet, cheap, and my vet OK'd it when I asked her]. I heard a lot of raves about this stuff before I ever had a need to use it, and I have to say that it works very very well for us, apart from being CHEAP! I passed it along to a friend of a friend who has Cockers, and apparently her world changed <img border=0 src="http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/images/emoticons/tongue.gif" />.

Katy's not thrilled about the process, but she seems more comfortable with the whole thing if I warm it up in a water bath first.

[GoldenLover]

Katyspal??? Do you find that Katy's hair around her ears get stained from the gentian violet solution? That is my main concern about using that recipe. I've also heard it is good in clearing up ear infections, without the expense of antibiotics, but again, I wouldn't want my dogs to have blue ears..LOL

[debandmaggie]

GoldenLover,
I seem to recall a photo from a post a long time ago that showed two dogs who were very blue from pen. Weren't they your two angels?
Deb

[KatysPal]

No blue ears here, though I had been told it stains like mad. When I mixed up my first batch I dripped a drop of undiluted gentian violet on my wooden kitchen counter, and I thought that was forever until I noticed one day it had gone--so it does fade eventually. I have never noticed a stain on Katy's ears [the color is actually violet rather than blue, despite the name]though it looks quite shocking as I fish around with white cotton balls to clean out any excess and gunk. Also, I tend not to get much on the inner ear flap, as I aim deep for the ear canal. Seems to me I recall someone saying, perhaps on a message board, that she was known at the vet's for her blue-eared Cockers, but in our house it has not been noticeable.

I do try to do this outside when possible, but since I haven't seen any damage I will occasionally slack and clean ears while watching TV in the living room. I can pour this stuff over my hand and it rinses off with clear water--I admit I keep it away from my elderly porcelain bathtub, just in case.

It's possible I mixed it up too thin; I had to split the mixture into two bottles because I didn't have the right size handy--but the GV spreads like crazy so I don't really think the other bottle is more densely colored, if that makes sense. Her ears always appear to go straight from inflamed, pink & gunky to clean, white & dry without a "Blue Period" in between. If I mixed this batch wrong, I'm not too worried, because it always seems to work right. She's a medium-dark redhead; perhaps on a blonde, or a white-furred dog like a Westie, some stain would be noticeable. I'd say if you have any interest, give it a shot! "Test in an inconspicuous place," as they say, and see if your mileage varies.

Hope this helps!

[KatysPal]

Oh, oh, I almost forgot--I also wanted to throw out a quick disclaimer/warning. It is my understanding that the Blue Power solution is effective in treating yeast and other fungal infections because the gentian violet is a fungicide, traditionally used in humans to treat thrush. I do not know how severe an infection it can handle, as I use this stuff for routine cleaning and prevention, also to handle occasional gunk & itchies caused by allergies. I don't know how serious yeast can get, though.

It is also my understanding that bacterial infections are a whole other kettle of fish, that dogs may have both yeast and bacterial infections at the same time, and the one may mask the other. I don't think BP is intended to treat bacterial infections which may lie deep within the ear canal. I am acquainted with a lady who fought yeasty ears for literally years before discovering that bacterial infection deep down had taken hold; by the time they were properly diagnosed both ears had to be ablated [basically removed] and the dog is now deaf. MUCH happier, mind you, healthy, but still deaf. So the bottom line is always to check with your vet if you're not 100% positive it is yeast, and only yeast, that you're attempting to treat.

Sorry so long-winded, will go back to lurking.

[GoldenLover]

LOL Deb.....yuppers, they were my two brats!!
Here's Jack
http://pic1.picturetrail.com/VOL137/669548/1567753/18706577.jpg
Here's Jewel (the ringleader)
http://pic1.picturetrail.com/VOL137/669548/1567753/18706515.jpg
As you can see by the photo's KatysPal....My Goldens are cream colored..I may try it..My females ears get kunky more often then my boys.

[KatysPal]

Adorable pix!! If you do try it, let me know how it works for you. I would feel better about recommending products that work for me if I knew they really were helpful for others.

[Goldenheart]

<span style="font-family:georgia; color:navy;">Hey GoldenLover.....did you say Jack and Jewel are cream colored<img border=0 src="http://www.topgoldenretrieversites.net/smiles/415.gif" />
Well, they look pretty blue colored to me<img border=0 src="http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/images/emoticons/roll.gif" /><img border=0 src="http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/images/emoticons/roll.gif" /><img border=0 src="http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/images/emoticons/roll.gif" />

Great pic, and those two goldens have got to be a riot around the house<img border=0 src="http://www.topgoldenretrieversites.net/smiles/029.gif" /><img border=0 src="http://www.topgoldenretrieversites.net/smiles/029.gif" /><img border=0 src="http://www.topgoldenretrieversites.net/smiles/029.gif" /></span>

[GoldenLover]

Hahaha Dianna.....ya think? blue? Katyspal, I'll let you know :)

[honeyhunter]

Hi Guys
All of your goldens sound like a hoot!:lol Honey hasn't started with ear problems as of yet but I am sure with all the swimming she does it will present itself in time! At the groom shop I work at we also use baby wipes for ears. At the vet clinic we used chlorhexiderm on cotton. We also told alot of owners of labs and goldens to use alcohol to clean the ears with since it dries up and doesn't leave the ear canal wet. If your dog has sores of any kind I wouldn't use alcohol because it will burn too much!:415 Just always make sure after a swim you dry their ears out good and usually you won't have a problem unless of course you have one of those dogs that are just prone to ear problems no matter what you do! I had a cocker with chronic ear problems that was a fight to clean those ears everyday!:b

[amjacks]

Does anyone's pup give them a hard time while trying to clean their ears? Max (8-months old) is not very cooperative when we attempt to clean his ears. He is also not a big fan of eye drops either -- he has an infection in one eye and we have to put drops in every day. My fiance and I either have to sneak attach him or practically hold him down to get either of these tasks accomplished. It is very exhausting!

[johnwa]

A few suggestions:

Put the dog at eye level with you when you do this. In other words, use one of those grooming-type tables. I have found that the dog is more at ease and you have more control over the situation. If the dog gets scared, simply reassure the dog. It's important that you remain calm. i.e. Try not to get mad or frustrated at the situation; if the dog detects that, it's all over.

Also, if he still gives you are hard time, have a friend put peanut butter on their finger and have the dog lick the PB while you are doing his ears/eyes. See if that helps some.

[Jo Ellen]

I use baby wipes to clean Daisy's ears. I also use antibiotic ear drops a couple times a week if they look like they're getting red or she's itching. She has a tendency towards ear trouble, especially her right ear but we've learned to manage. She hasn't had to go to the vet in over 2 years.

If you choose baby wipes, be advised they are not all created equal. I currently use Cottontails with Aloe and Vitamin E, unscented. I really like these. And the reason I know is because I use them for myself, to remove my make-up --some baby wipes are more drying and irritating than others. Cottontails are the least offensive that I've found yet.

:003

[Abby Aniela]

Abby has a severe debris problem in her left ear. Her right is always spic-n-span clean, but her left ear gets filled up with gunk every few hours!

I use a product called Epi-Otic to flush her ears every few days .... boy does she HATE it! The minute she sees me grab the bottle off the shelf, she runs behind the couch and hides. It must be an awful feeling to have that stuff squirted into your ears and swished around, I feel terrible doing it to her .... but it keeps her from getting an ear infection and it dislodges the deep down debris so I can clear it out easily with an ear wipe pad. Once the debris rises to the top of the ear canal and is easily visible, I clean her icky ear a few times a day with the ear pad (it looks like an Oxy-Clear wipe for your face!). Now *that* she loves, because she knows if she sits like a good girl and lets me wipe her ear, she gets a treat.

The Epi-Otic works very very well, and can be purchased at www.petvetdirect.com (http://www.petvetdirect.com) for only ten dollars for a 16 oz. bottle. My vet gave me the first bottle, so you know it comes highly recommended!

[Cassidy'sMom]

I guess I'm just lucky. I never have to clean Cassidy's ears. They just never get dirty. I never see wax build up or anything. I do squirt a cleaning agent in there after every bath to dry out the water but that's about all I have to do with her ears. :029 Every time we visit the vet she says "Well, Cassidy's the winner of the cleanest ears award for the day!"

[Snowball]

Snow had one really bad ear infection before she was a year old and it took about 2 months to clear up after finally having to give her oral antibiotics. Since then I clean her ears with OtiCalm which I get from the vet. I do it every day most of the year because she swims every day. In the winter I do it a couple times a week. She hasnt had a problem since I start this. She is pretty good about it, she will stand there for me, but has a very pathetic look on her face.

[molmotta]

I use a tea tree oil ear cleaner on my Davidson every week since I got him. The first two sessions was hell, he'd squirm and wrestle with me, with alot of "NO!". Now he's accepted d routine.

I'd sit on the floor with him between my legs, sitting position. Squirt a few drops, give his ear canal a good massage (he likes dat part) and carefully use a qtip to clean the ear canal. be careful not to go too deep though. sometimes when I am cleaning, his hind legs will actually twitch and shake!! :p

[SteveR]

Sinbad sees the bottle of ear cleaner and heads for the hills. When I finally catch up to him I have to give him the bottle to carry around then he's not wired. He absolutley refuses to let me squirt it into his ears so I take a cotton ball and fill it up then squeeze it into his ears, do the massage and let him shake it out. I then take the ear wipes and clean all the way down inside and out. His ears are never dirty but from time to time he'll shake is head. This usually tells me it's time for a cleaning.

[goldenlover]

SteveR, that is exactly how our vet told us to do it -- moisten the cotton ball instead of squirting into ear. When she did it, he was very good. We bought a bottle there, but haven't done it yet. But I think he'll tolerate it.

[Peggy]

I clean Murphy's every couple of weeks with some ear cleaner on a gauze pad. He doesn't mind it too much, but then we rub his ears a lot, and he enjoys that so I think he just sees the cleaning as an extension of something that feels good. Now if we could just get him to behave for the nail-clipping! Last evening it took both of us to get it done.

[WendyGirlfriend]

Wendy always has one ear that is much worse than the other. I clean it twice or three times a week. She too sees the bottle of cleaner (got it from the vet) and she splits fast. Sometimes she even barks about it. If I show her the treat, she comes closer and closer. Once in a while I trim the fur on her ears, and stroking the fur down in one direction tends to put her to sleep. Then it is so hard to get her to lift her head up to do the other one...

Goldenlover, I loved the blue. Reminded me of when Wendy got hold of one of the kids green markers...it was all over her mouth and paws. (non toxic) She loves to chew pencils (wood) markers and pens. We hide them well. All of the kids action figures have been banished to the basement. She can pop the head off of one of those in the blink of an eye...lol. That doesn't make anyone happy here. When she has something she's not supposed to have she usually likes to come and show me. She trots past, head held high, thing in her mouth, tail wagging like she's saying "Look at what I got! Look at what I got!"

[Skyesmom]

Just wanted to know what you all use to clean your goldens ears. I mean for weekly cleaning just to keep ears clean to minimize the risk of ear infections and other problems. I've been using 8in1, Ear Clear, Ear Cleansing Liquid but the store I got it from don't carry it anymore. Saw online that you can make your own solution with white vinegar, powdered boric acid, isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol), and Betadine antiseptic. Anyone familiar with that solution?

[Boondox]

We use equal parts of white vinegar, warm water, and hydrogen peroxide for Molson, the Alpha, who is so terrifying the other dogs won't clean his ears. Molson cleans everybody else's ears.

Pete

[ChicagoCanine]

Ginger used to get ear infections almost constantly when I was giving her lower-quality food. Her ears were also always full of wax even when she didn't have an infection, if I cleaned them every day they'd still be waxy. This was before I read about dog food ingredients... When I switched to high-quality foods (no by-products, fillers, not lots of chemicals, etc) she completely stopped getting ANY ear infections. It wasn't an allergy as I've given her all kinds of ingredients since then and never had a recurrance...

I almost never have to clean her ears because of a combination of them not getting much waxy buildup anymore and the fact that my terrier has started cleaning them out for her! He's very thorough about it too :laugh2
When I do clean ears, I use Halo Herbal Ear Wash.