# Cleaning ears.



## ls1norcal (Oct 16, 2008)

Since Enzo was a puppy, hes HATED having his ears messed with. Basically now, when hes dead tired I will try to clean his ears, spray the solution into his ear, and I will be able to clean for about 5 seconds until hes had enough. 

Anyone have any tips on how to do this? Hes been scratching at his ears lately, to the point where some fur has come off, so I think they are bothering him. Thanks for any help.

Hes 8 months old.


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## WinitheGSD (Sep 21, 2008)

oh, don't spray it in his ears! We don't even buy the solution usually. You can if you want to. Its just been cheaper for us to mix rubbing achohol and water together. Then just dab it on a soft rag and wipe it in his ears.


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## ls1norcal (Oct 16, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: WiniIsmylifeoh, don't spray it in his ears! We don't even buy the solution usually. You can if you want to. Its just been cheaper for us to mix rubbing achohol and water together. Then just dab it on a soft rag and wipe it in his ears.


Hmm. Well the vet (who ive had trouble with, and dont go to anymore) told me to do it this way, then wipe it out.


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## littledmc17 (Apr 9, 2008)

I'd wipe them down with a damp towel nothing but water 
if it persists take to the vet


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## HeidiW (Apr 9, 2009)

If he scratches his ear to much he can break a blood vessel and get a hemotoma can't spell that, it will fill with blood and cause his ear to flop and require surgery, it happened to my poor Kasey. Turns out she had alergy and skin problems.


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## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

First of all you really shouldn't SPRAY something into the ears. The sound of something being sprayed can be loud - and then right in the ear it's even louder!

Second, only put something in the ear if it's been warmed to body temperature. If it's cold it will REALLY bother the dog.

So, warm up the solution and then pour a little on a cotton ball and clean the ear with that.


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## adas (Nov 22, 2008)

Aloha, all. On the spraying in the ears. Rasa likes her ears sprayed inside a bit with a water hose and offers each ear to be sprayed . Her ears get really clean. Is it a total no-no? (hopefully this associated question is not thread hyjacking)
Frank


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## TxRider (Apr 15, 2009)

I just went through this with a 3yr old rescue GSD.

She has previously scratched her ears so bad from very long untreated ear infections both ears are permanently scarred and ruined from hematomas. You can see them in my avatar, that's what ear scratching can do

She would yelp even before you touched her ears when I got her, all you had to do was reach for them. The vet had me giving antibiotic ear flush to use twice a day for a month. She would fight with every bit of strength she had to avoid it.

It took a week to be able to do give them.

First I got real nice treats and touched her ear and treat, next day touch them a little more and treat. By a week I had her where I could manipulate her ears and handle them and look in them about as long as I wanted for a good treat.

She knew what a bottle was, and wouldn't even accept food when I had the bottle out, so I used cotton balls soaked with the ear flush to squeeze in her ear and that worked out well.

After 3 weeks of that I could finally use a bottle if I was careful.

Now that her long standing infection is gone the vet says a flush with 50% white vinegar and 50% water twice a week to keep them clean. Just drip a bunch in there, massage the sides of her head so it gets all the way down that long deep ear canal and then let her shake it out, no wiping.

Funny part was with the antibiotic ear drops I would wait about 5 minutes afterward and wipe the nasty gunk out she had shaken up from her lower ear canal, and after a while it must have felt so good that now if I get a little toilet paper wrapped around my finger she will cram her ear on it and loves me cleaning out her ear, she pushes so hard I was afraid she would cram my finger in too deep.

But she still hates the drops, just tolerates it without me holding her down now. And I still give her treats and a bonanza of treats once I have flushed out both ears.


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## OkieAmazon (Jun 14, 2005)

Vinegar/water is good; keeps the ears acidic and stops yeast growth. You can get them used to ear cleaning, treats, treats and more treats.


Pretty hard to START training while there is an on-going ear infection though. 

Whoever puts alcohol in their dogs ears...... OUCH!!! How would that feel to you if you had a little sore or raw place inside?


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## meisha98 (Aug 27, 2008)

I have to approach Lainey from the back to do her ears with a dampened Bounty towel of solution. If I try to do it from the front, she fights me.


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