How to Clean Dog Ears with Vinegar – The Easy Way

Dog Ears Guide Before Cleaning

Basically, you should always check your dog’s ears from time to time. The best time to do this is when the dog is lying relaxed next to you.

• Casually accustom your dog to having you examine him occasionally. He will not associate it with negative experiences. Then when you need to examine him, he will not react aggressively or scared. In this way, you can treat your pet stress-free even in the event of illness.
• You should check your dog’s ears regularly, that is, at least every two days. A healthy dog’s ear is clean, light pink, and smells neutral. However, if the ear is inflamed or has excessive wax, you should clean it. We explain how to do this in this blog article.
• Remove hair in dog ears regularly. This is especially true for floppy ears, as these are not so well ventilated due to the anatomy.
• If you often shake your head or scratch your ears, you should take a closer look. Parasites such as mites may have established themselves. You can recognize mites by the fact that a greasy black substance soils the inner ear.
• If the ear is swollen and dark red, the dog’s scratching may be the cause, as parasite infestation is often associated with severe itching. The dog may also have an infection.
• In particular, if the ear is already ulcerated and gives off an unpleasant odor, you should immediately consult a veterinarian. Depending on what kind of illness it is, you can do a lot of damage with self-treatment. The same goes if you delay going to the vet for too long.

Step by Step Guide on How to Clean Dog Ears With Vinegar

In addition to the common rinses and tinctures for a dog’s ears, there is also the easy step by step ways of cleaning the ears with home remedies. However, if your dog already has an ear infection, you should discuss it with your vet.

The cedar vinegar is proven to work well. Some medical practicioners even use vinegar for ear yeast infections. To do the cleaning process, follow these steps:

1. Prepare a solution of vinegar, water, and peroxide in a ratio of 1: 1: 1. Mix them in a vessel.
2. Then, you soak a cotton ball with the cleaning solution and clean the inside of the ear.
3. The ear wax is often removed from the ear with a single cotton swab.
4. However, you have to be extremely careful and not penetrate too deeply into the ear canal and possibly injure the eardrum.
5. Finally, use a clean cotton swab to remove the excess cleaning solution.

The ears of your four-legged friend are thin-skinned and very sensitive, so be careful when taking care of them. You can brush out the outer ear with a soft comb and clean any dirt with a damp cloth.

The inner ear should be treated with great care as it is very sensitive. You should use special care products from the veterinarian, pharmacist, or specialist retailer for pet supplies. From ear drops to cleaning rinses and cleaning pads to ear powder – everything is possible.

Make sure that the products are free from preservatives and fragrances, and talk to the vet beforehand about which product is best for your dog. In addition to conventional vinegar remedies, there are various home remedies for ear care of your four-legged friend. However, it would be best if you also discuss any home remedies with your trusted vet beforehand.

• Chamomile promotes the natural cleaning performance of the ear and also prevents the formation of bacteria. You can buy chamomile drops in retail stores, or you can boil two teaspoons of dried chamomile in 50 milliliters of water and let it steep for 20 minutes in a covered pot. You can mix the concentrated chamomile with about 25 milliliters of water and use it as an ear rinse.
• Calendula, more commonly known as marigold, is another popular home remedy. This can be purchased at retail outlets as an ointment or tincture. Put calendula undiluted on a cotton pad and apply thinly to the inner ear.
• As an ear rinse, oil dissolves the fat and declares war on ear wax. It is best to use a high-quality oil such as almond, walnut, or olive oil. Two rinsing cycles are recommended for use, as the fat-dissolving effect occurs more slowly.
• Coconut oil has a nourishing effect, prevents inflammation, and inhibits the formation of germs. Apply coconut oil to a cotton pad and dab the inside of your ear.
• Alcohol and hydrogen peroxide is best to use under the supervision of vet.

Keep in mind that all of the products mentioned here can be drizzled onto a cotton pad/cloth and then gently wiped off the ear with it.

Which Dogs Need Special Ear Care?

Floppy ear or erect ear? Ear problems in dogs also depend on the breed. Dog breeds with long hair and kinked ears, such as poodles and Irish setters, are particularly prone to ear problems.

In contrast to erect ears, floppy ears do not allow natural air circulation and are therefore poorly ventilated. For this reason, the dirt is trapped in the ear canal, and germs and bacteria form faster. Dog ears with a lot of fur on the inside should be checked at least once a week and need more grooming.

What Makes your Dog Ears Get Problem or Dirty Again

It is essential to know what makes your dog ears get dirty again fast and even catch another problem:

• Awns are the tips of the tall grass in which seeds ripen. In summer, awns can easily get caught in a dog’s ear and penetrate to the eardrum there. This is particularly painful for the dog and can affect the eardrum. If awns are already deep in the dog’s ear, only the vet can help.
• Ear mites are tiny parasites that can lodge in the outer ear and around the ears’ edges. They feed on flakes of skin and ear wax. Ear mite infections are very itchy and contagious, so all household living must be treated. You can recognize a mite infestation by the brown-black ripples in the auricle and on the edges of the ears. It is imperative to have a veterinary consultation, where you will be given a special cleaning agent and a mite-killing ointment. Simultaneously, watch out for ticks in the ear and remove them immediately with a tick hook.
• Environmental and food allergies in dogs regularly cause ear problems. The symptoms (itching, pain) are relieved by pain medication and antiallergic drugs that the vet will give you.

Mistakes to Avoid

Never treat the sick ears of your fur nose yourself and with “home remedies,” but leave the treatment to a veterinarian. The sick ears usually have one or some of these symptoms:

• Your dog continuously scratches his or her ear
• Rub head/ears on the carpet
• Often holds his head crooked, possibly shaking
• Your dog is afraid to touch the ears
• Howls
• He becomes restless or aggressive

Finally, as soon as your four-legged friend’s ears smell unpleasant, dark secretion adheres to the outer ear canal is open and reddish, there is a high probability that an ear infection (otitis) is present.