Tips for effective cleaning of dogs' ears

Alongside the nose, the dog's ears are the most important sensory organ in our four-legged friends. They should therefore be given regular attention.

Regular cleaning of the dog's ears is important to prevent diseases or infections and thus avoid unpleasant treatment or to recognise the problem at an early stage. A lack of ear hygiene in dogs can lead to the following problems:

• Formation of fungi and fungal infections
• Colonisation of parasites such as mites
• Inflammation caused by bacteria

Dogs usually like to have their ears touched and massaged with scratching movements. If not, train your dog to do this as early as possible and start by touching their ears regularly without cleaning them. If your dog tolerates this without any problems, you can reward your four-legged friend. If he behaves anxiously or avoids it, continue practising in short sequences. This is important because if your dog has an infection in its ears and is due to be treated by the vet, it is unfavourable if the vet does not get to the ears at all. This won't do your four-legged friend any favours either.

The dog's activities influence how quickly and how much dirt accumulates in the dog's ears. Dogs that spend a lot of time outdoors and enjoy rolling around in the dirt naturally catch dirt more quickly. As a rule, however, dogs' ears are self-cleaning, which means that a healthy dog can usually keep its ears clean without treatment and does not need to have the outer ear rubbed out after every walk. Nevertheless, regular checks are important. Breed-related differences in the shape of the ears can mean that self-cleaning works less well. In dogs with upright ears, dirt can come out of the ear more easily. Long, floppy ears, on the other hand, are more susceptible to dirt becoming trapped. In addition, some dogs simply produce more earwax than others. However, this is independent of the breed of dog.

A small amount of earwax in the auricle or ear canal of the dog is completely normal. However, regular checks are never a bad idea. Regular checks are particularly important for dogs that have had ear infections or suppurations in the past. Simply take a close look in both of your dog's ears and examine them for visible dirt. You can use a small torch to help you do this, but it should not dazzle the dog. You should also smell the ears, as an unpleasant odour can indicate soiling or inflammation.

Characteristics of healthy dog ears

• Pinna is a delicate pink colour
• No strong odour from the ears
• No visible coverings

If an unpleasant odour develops, the amount of earwax increases or even the colour of the skin in the pinna changes, these are signals that treatment is necessary. If the changes are severe, however, it is advisable to have your pet treated professionally by a vet rather than yourself.

For moderate soiling in the outer area, you can help yourself and remove dirt and earwax. You usually have good access to the auricle to clean it. Use a cotton wool pad or a clean and soft cloth to gently clean the pinna. Proceed from the bottom to the top in order to wipe the dirt outwards. Excess liquid can then be removed with a cotton wool pad or a clean cloth, or your dog can shake off the excess liquid and loosened dirt.

Occasionally, hair can also grow into the ear canal or be too long and disturb the dog. If this is the case, these can be carefully trimmed or removed regularly.

If cleaning the auricle is not enough and there is still a strong odour, for example, you should seek veterinary advice. They may be able to recommend a medical rinsing solution to clean the ear canal.

In summer there is a dangerous speciality: the awns. The plant parts are prickly and often barbed and can reach the eardrum. It is therefore important that they are removed with particular care to prevent the foreign bodies from being pushed further into the ear canal and causing injury. Cotton buds have no place in dogs' ears for precisely this reason! If you discover foreign bodies during an ear check, a visit to the vet is absolutely necessary!

Even if a strong odour persists or intensifies after cleaning, it is possible that the dirt is deeper in the ear or that there is even an inflammation. Often the dog also shows corresponding behaviour, such as itching or scratching the ear. In this case too, you should go straight to your trusted vet. Inflammations should never be left untreated, because the earlier they are recognised and the sooner they are treated by a vet, the better long-term consequences and permanent damage can be prevented. This is very important for the quality of life of dogs. As we explained at the beginning, dogs' ears are as important to our four-legged friends as their eyes are to most people.

• The structure is similar to the human ear, but works much more precisely
• Dogs perceive 15,000-50,000 vibrations per second (Hz)
• Dogs can completely block out or select sounds
• You can select and memorise rhythms such as steps 
• Dog ears are moved by 17 muscles

• Outer ear (auricle and external auditory canal)
• Middle ear (eardrum and other small bones)
• Inner ear (including inner auditory canal)