Ear health, checking the ears and keeping them clean
Why do I need to check my pet’s ears?
Checking your pet’s ears regularly is the best way of monitoring general ear health and allows you to take appropriate action in order to reduce the risk of your pet developing a more serious condition, like an inflamed or infected ear.
There may be some instances where ear infections develops for reasons beyond your control showing little symptoms beforehand. This is why routinely checking your dog’s ears and perhaps incorporating regular ear cleaning into your routine is helpful in the fight potential problems from occurring.
What could cause ear problems?
In some instances it is difficult to determine the cause of sore or infected ears but there are circumstances that make it more likely your pet may develop an ear problem, for example if they:
- Have floppy ears
- Swim regularly
- Have been diagnosed with an allergy
- Prone to dirty and/or smelly ears
What are the signs of sore or infected ears?
- Head shaking
- Scratching
- Redness or swelling of the skin in the ear
- Pain around the ears
- Unpleasant odour
- Discharge
- Changes in behaviour
- Other animals licking at your pet’s ears
It is very important that you contact your vet as soon as possible if your dog is showing signs of ear discomfort or the ear is not looking or smelling ‘normal’ to you. The earlier that you treat ear conditions, the better the outcome.
When should I clean my pet’s ears?
A gentle, pH neutral and anti-bacterial ear cleaner, such as EpiOtic, can be used for routine ear cleaning or as an addition to most good ear treatments. Please speak to your vet or a vet nurse who will advise on frequency.
When using in combination with a treatment for an ear infection use EpiOtic before the treatment to ensure that the ear canal is clear from wax, pus and debris. Please check with your vet to see if your ear treatment recommends regular cleaning during treatment.
