How to Prevent Canine Ear Infections
There are certain breeds of dogs that are more susceptible to canine ear infections then others. Dogs that have floppy ears or their ears hang low and over the inside of their ears tend to have more infections then the other breeds that have short, pointed ears. How to prevent canine ear infections is not difficult but requires a lot of patience and time on the dog owner's part.
Many people purchase or adopt a dog on the cuteness factor alone. They do not worry about such things as a predisposition to ear infections. How to treat canine ear infections is relatively straightforward and requires some patience on the dog owner's part.
- Keep the dog out of the water. This is the number one cause of ear infections in canines because water builds up in the ear's many canals and cause yeast or other bacteria to grow. If a dog loves the water, be sure to wipe out his ears after he dives in; this will prevent as much build-up as possible.
- Kill fleas as soon as you see them. Fleas are another ear danger and the sooner you remove them from the dog and the house, the better the dog's ears will become. Fleas cause all kinds of skin irritations and they can get down in a dogs ears and lay eggs, which is never a good thing.
- Pluck the hairs from floppy-eared dogs like Poodles, Cocker Spaniels and Basset Hounds. Their hair grows faster then other dogs, especially in and around the ears because their eyes are covered by the floppy ears. If you find you cannot pluck the hairs, take them to the dog groomers who will do it for a small fee once a week or more often depending on the dog.
- Perform a daily exam on the dog, which would include checking his ears. A dog should be used to a daily exam from the time they are young or come into your home, allowing you to check their teeth, feet and their ears. Check for dirt, moisture, and food particles or grass seeds.
- Remove anything that is not supposed to be in the dog's ears and whip their ears with a dry cloth.
- Treat ear mites, which leave super fine ground dirt behind, with a prescription from the vet's office. Ear mites are very itchy and can cause internal damage to a dog's ear if left untreated.