Cleaning the ears of a dog and a cat: how and with what to clean the ears?
Cleaning the ears of a dog and a cat
How to care for ears of animals?
The ears of animals are one of the most important organs for them.
It is thanks to the sense of hearing that they get to know the world.
Scientific research has proven that thanks to their ears they are able to hear sounds that people will never be able to register.
So how to take care of our pets' ears? And whether it is necessary at all?
You will find the answers to these questions in my article, so I encourage you to read the whole article.
- How the ears of a dog and a cat are built?
- Taking care of the ears of animals prevents diseases of the hearing organ
- Ear disease in dogs
- Ear diseases in cats
- In which animals should be especially looked after the ears?
- How to care for and clean your dog's / cat's ears?
- How to clean the ears of a dog and a cat?
- How often to clean your pet's ears?
- What should worry you?
- How to get your pet used to cleaning their ears?
How the ears of a dog and a cat are built?
How the ear is built in a dog and a cat? Dogs or cats of different breeds have ears that look different, but their anatomical structure is similar.
The only difference is the appearance auricle.
It can be stiff and simple, such as. in the case of a European cat or a German shepherd, others may be slack and hanging, such as. in a dachshund, Cavalier or Scottish fold cat.
They are attached to the auricle muscles, thanks to which your pet is able to direct their ears towards the sound.
If you look into the ear, you will find it the ear canal, or the channel that leads to eardrum.
In dogs and cats, the ear canal is almost vertical to a certain point, then curves towards the inside of the skull, and the eardrum is placed very deep, hence its mechanical damage (e.g. during cleaning the ears) is very difficult.
Further behind the eardrum is middle ear, and inner ear, responsible for hearing and balance.
Taking care of the ears of animals prevents diseases of the hearing organ
Ear disease in dogs
Dog ear disease The most common ear conditions that affect dogs are otitis externa. Inflammation of the outer ear mainly affects dogs with hanging ears, but not only.
The breeds that are particularly predisposed to this disease are:
- St. Bernardine,
- Newfoundlands,
- spaniels,
- bassets,
- dachshunds,
- German Shepherds,
- dobermans,
- schnauzers.
In the case of the latter, the hair that grows over the ear canal is a common problem.
Then the "ventilation" of the ear is limited, which can lead to inflammation. A favorable environment for ear infections to develop is one where it is damp and warm.
A dog's ear is therefore the perfect place for an infection to develop:
- firstly, its structure - twisting, long ear canal,
- second - the lack of air access to the ear canal through the auricles obstructing it.
An important element is also the living environment and activity of dogs.
Dogs that live in humid environment - close to lakes, swamps, ponds, or active, often bathing in water reservoirs or splashing in mud, are more prone to this disease.
Dogs suffering from allergies, they are also more likely to get otitis externa.
It has an impact too the construction of the auricle itself - many folds predispose to inflammation.
Ear diseases in cats
In cats, it is a frequent problem ear mite.
This parasite is very common in young or outgoing cats.
If left untreated, scabies can lead to severe complications - including hearing loss.
As for inflammation, inflammation occurs in cats as well, but less frequently than in dogs.
In both cases, early detection of the disease is a very important element. Therefore, it is important to check your pet's ears frequently and properly care for them.
In which animals should be especially looked after the ears?
In which animals you need to take special care of the ears? First of all, in animals, Fr dangling ears, or those that have had ear problems in the past.
In dogs or cats that have protruding ears and non-rooted ear canals, frequent cleaning of the ears may result in opposite effect. Too intense hygiene can lead to overproduction of secretions in the ears, and also to microdamages - from here to lighting, a very short way.
How to care for and clean your dog's / cat's ears?
How to clean your dog and cat? - If your pet has frequent problems with his ears - check if he is not in them dark discharge, or ear not it smells different. An alarming symptom is also common flapping ears, scratching the ears, be tilt of the head to one side.
- Remove excess hair (hair) from the ears of your pet. If you are afraid that you will hurt your dog, ask for help from a groomer or a veterinarian.
- Using specially designed for this liquids if gels, clean your pet's ear:
- first apply the preparation to the ear,
- then massage the auricle at its base for approximately 20-30 seconds,
- after this time, give it to your pet shake the liquid off the ear.
- any remaining fluid as well as discharge must be removed, so that the surface of the ear is clean and dry; it is best to use a gauze pad over your finger or a wide ear stick; the best for this purpose are those intended for babies.
- pay special attention to whether a piece of cotton wool is left in the ear canal; Also, do not insert the stick too deep - this can damage the sensitive surface the ear canal.
- After each bath or walk on a rainy day dry the pet's ear with a gauze pad or cotton ball. Do not use cotton wool for this purpose - single fibers may remain in the ear canal.
- If you see anything that has worried you, please contact your veterinarian. Do not clean your dog's ear before visiting - the doctor is able to assess the condition of your pet based on the appearance and smell of the discharge.
How to clean the ears of a dog and a cat?
How to clean the ears of a dog and a cat? There are a number on the market today ear cleaning preparations.
What preparation to use? I recommend ear cleaning preparations to my patients, such as:
- Oticlar,
- Aurum,
- Otifree.
Depending on the size, the price of ear care products fluctuates around 20-50 PLN. In general, it is best that these resources should as little water as possible.
It is also important that in their composition preparations for ear hygiene in animals contain substances that dissolve earwax, such as:
- ethylene glycol,
- oxyethylene compounds,
- glycerol,
- disinfectants, herbs and oils.
They are designed to destroy impurities, dust and bacteria present on the surface of the skin of the ear canal, and at the same time create a barrier for moisture penetrating the ear.
If your pet does not currently have an ear problem do not use means with antibiotics - bacteria present in the canal become resistant to them.
I also do not recommend:
- olive oil,
- hydrogen peroxide,
- vinegar,
- alcohol.
They change the ear's pH, they also destroy the natural bacterial flora on the surface of the ear can also lead to irritation.
How often to clean your pet's ears?
How often to clean your pet's ears? For cats that don't have ear problems, that's enough once a month you will check the inside of the ear - alternatively, you can use a dry cotton swab to check if there is dry secretion inside the ear, characteristic of scabies.
As for dogs - enough monthly control of the condition of the ears.
However, if your pooch has ever had problems with his ears - clean them every week using a cotton ball or a stick with a wide head, using special liquids for this purpose. If you notice any discharge on the swab, contact your veterinarian.
What should worry you?
If, while grooming, you notice that your pet's ear is flushed, ear hurts, doggy or kitten impossible to touch instead, there may be inflammation.
It is characteristic of him dark waxy discharge, usually in large numbers.
If you notice oil on a cotton ball, it may indicate a very advanced disease process. This is a serious situation as it can lead to irreversible damage and even perforation of the ear canal, or to purulent infection of the brain.
It can be disturbing in cats dark, dry, "Moving" discharge.
It can testify to the presence ear mites.
Scabies can also occur in dogs, but these cases are much less common.
How to get your pet used to cleaning their ears?
How to get your pet used to cleaning their ears? Dog and cat ears are very sensitive structures, therefore the process of learning ear care should begin with your pet's early youth. It is worth massaging the turbinates every day while playing, or looking inside the ear.
You can also try to make a fake ear clean by gently inserting a gauze pad wrapped around your finger into the center of the ear.
Then we reward our pooch or kitten somehow - eg. giving him a treat or toy.
You can also put a drop of cleaning fluid in it - this way the pet will get used to the feeling of moisture in the ear.
In young animals, particular care should be taken to ensure that do not flood the ear while bathing.
When water enters our pet's hearing organs, there is a very high probability that our pooch will feel deeply trauma with each bath, and touching the ears will be impossible.
Summary
Periodic inspection of the ears during a visit to the vet In conclusion, if your pooch or kitten has never had a problem with their ears, they are also not predisposed breeds, limit the care of their ears to observation. If you notice anything disturbing - from a strange smell coming from your pet's ear, to dark discharge, scratching the ear or head-shaking, see your veterinarian.
You have questions about ear disease in dogs and cats? Or maybe you want to find out how much it costs to clean your dog's ears at the vet?
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