# Ears. . . again I know



## remmy600

Quick Question. Our V has active ears. By that I mean they get dirty and cruddy very quick! We have a solution from the Vet that we are trying to use once every two weeks. My question is about the time in between. I usually just use a tissue and wipe them out, but I want something with some moisture to really get the gunk out. What do you guys use? I have read rubbing alcohol, peroxide, witch hazel. . . . My concern with rubbing alcohol is the burn since she scratches her ears so much sometimes. What do you guys use? Thanks ahead of time!!


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## scooby

I use a product called 'CleanAural' on a weekly basis and I'm always amazed at how dirty his ears get.


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## Luna

i use either baby wipes, or plain cotton pads with a bit of johnson's baby oil to clean luna's ears. both methods loosen the grime up easily, and they're mild and soothing to her skin.


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## Islander

Our breeder uses a solution of half white vinegar half alcohol .... I have been using this on Ziva since we brought her home, maybe once a week, soaking a cotton ball and then wiping out her ears. She seems to enjoy it and it does a great job. And it's something most people have around their home already.


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## gunnr

We used to mix saline solution( contact lens stuff), about 8 oz. and capful or two of alcohol for swimmers ear after pool workouts, humans. Some people did use peroxide too. The solution is very mild. There is also a solution some people used that was for infants. I forget the name, but they got it at WalMart.

Don't put anything in a dogs ears you wouldn't put in your own. Their ears are very sensitive, maybe even more so than ours.


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## vizslandobes

This is by far the best ear cleaning solution:
http://www.amazon.com/Epi-Otic-Virb...1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1268537792&sr=1-1

Epi-Otic by virbac.

How are you cleaning your dogs ears? Remember, you can NOT hit a dogs eardrum with a q-tip. The ear canal is "L" shaped and is protected from getting punctured by such items.

The way I like to clean, especially in a dog with very active ears is the following.

First place a DRY cotton ball into the ear canal. Then squirt the solution into the ear canal. The cotton ball that is already in place prevents the "shakes" that is caused by the sensation of the liquid hitting the eardrum. Put enough in so that you can massage and get a plunger-like noise for a few seconds. Remove cotton ball and repeat if the cotton comes out filthy. Once you get a reasonably cleaned cotton ball use a few q-tips to get the nooks and crannies.


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## remmy600

I have solution that we use every other week from our vet. I douse a cotton ball with it and drip it directly in the ear canal and massage and let her shake it out and then carefully wipe everything outside of the canal. I would never use a Q-tip. I guess what I was really looking for is what people use just to wipe out the ear when it gets gunky in between the "major cleaning". The solution from the vet can get expensive, so I don't want to use that all the time (and I think its medicated) when I just want to do a quick wipe down so the gunk doesn't build up. 
Baby wipes are on the line if what I was thinking or one of the household solution ideas!

Thanks!
Megan


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## Big Rick

I agree with vizslandobes. We also use the cotton balls and Epi-Otic but we secure the cotton balls with some hemostats and use that to massage the inner ear and remove and bad nasties. Keeps the ears clean and smelling fresh.


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## scooby

Thanks fo the info viszlanddobes I was always worried about going too far down when cleaning Scooby's ears because of the ear drum issue good to know I can't hit it Cheers :


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## Moose

we're coming into Moose's bad ear season, every spring with allergies, comes massive ear infections. We clean his ears all the time with Epi-Otic and hubby puts the cotton ball fairly far into the ear, flaps the ear closed and rubs, rubs , rubs and it gets the nastiest GUNK out of there, and it almost seems orgasmic to Moose haha. 

Anyone else with an allergic V? do you give them children's benedryl , or something else? We try all sorts of solutions, he's horrible during ragweed and hayfever season, but we have yet to find the PERFECT solution.


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## jld640

Hey Remmy600 and Moose - thanks for the idea of putting the soaked cotton ball in the ear and then rubbing. Savannah was much, much happier with that method and the ears were clean enough that they only needed a quick second swipe. Thanks again!


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