The dog’s ear is the organ responsible for its extraordinary hearing capacity, but also for its balance. The dog’s ear canals are tangled to facilitate their function, although this makes it difficult for air to enter, which would naturally cleanse the ear. The owner must help his dog to keep his ears clean. A few simple guidelines will help you to carry out a correct hygiene of the important, but delicate, ears of the dog at home.
The dog’s ear is the organ responsible for the animal’s extraordinary hearing capacity. A dog can perceive sounds of up to 60,000 hertz compared to the 20,000 hertz that humans hear. This explains why sounds that are not perceptible to people are, however, perceptible to the dog. Our pets tend to distinguish bass sounds better than us.
This almost perfect hearing machine that is the dog’s ear is divided into three parts: the external and visible fraction, which is the animal’s ear. The middle ear, which connects the ear with the deep parts and serves to protect the animal from excessive sounds. And the inner ear: a set of intricate canals and fluid-filled cavities that give the animal the ability to hear, but also to keep its balance.
Check before cleaning the dog’s ear
Cleaning the dog’s ears is an ideal time to check if there is any ailment or infection in this area. The entrance of the auditory canal should present a pale pink color: it is a sign of good health. A healthy ear also does not smell bad.
The anomalous presence of wax in this area of the pavilion, on the contrary, may be warning that there is an ailment. An unpleasant and intense stench coming from the dog’s ear area is a possible warning that there is an infection (otitis). Auditory inflammation usually causes itching and discomfort: the dog scratches insistently and shakes its ears abnormally.
A prompt visit to the vet is recommended in this case. Once possible pathologies have been ruled out, you can proceed to the normal hygiene of the dog’s ears.
Cleaning the frenchie’s ears
Cleaning the external, and usually hairy, part of the ear is not particularly difficult. A towel moistened with warm water and our pet’s usual shampoo is usually enough. The product is then carefully removed and the entire moistened mantle is dried with a towel. The bare pink part of the auditory pavilion and the interior portions of this extraordinary organ require a little more attention. A clean gauze is the right material for this cleaning: our finger is covered with the gauze and the finger is inserted extremely delicately inside the ear, taking care not to touch the bottom. The contact of the gauze with the walls cleans the remains of wax that may have accumulated. There are specific products to help us in the animal’s hearing hygiene. The so-called ear cleaners help the wax residues to dissolve in the product. These types of cleaners are usually sold with an applicator, which helps to impregnate all the areas of the inner ear, including the less accessible ones. Massaging the base of the dog’s ear encourages the cleaner to spread to all corners. The veterinarian warns that some products that, a priori, may seem innocuous, are not advisable when it comes to cleaning a dog’s ear. This is the case of physiological serum. The serum is harmful to the dog as it gets trapped inside the ear. The retained fluid becomes an ideal breeding ground for bacteria and other microorganisms that cause infections.
Cleaning once a week
The inner canals of a dog’s ear make up an intricate maze of twisting canals. This tangle explains why it’s not always easy for your pet to aerate his ducts. The task of cleaning is even more complicated for a dog with large ears, since its hanging canopy (ear) acts as a natural barrier to the entry of air.
The owner must help his dog to take care of his hearing hygiene. Cleaning the dog’s ears should be done at least once every fortnight. However, in the case of animals with large ears, which aerate their ducts worse, the frequency should be doubled, and cleaning should be done once a week.
Bath time care
To protect the delicate ears of the dog, it is also advisable to take into account an added precaution when bathing the dog: plug the passage of water and soap inside the ear canals. A few simple cotton plugs can suffice in this task. . They help to stop the entry of product and humidity in the delicate, but extraordinary, ears of the dog.
Tips :
– Cleaning the dog’s ears is an ideal time to check for possible infections (otitis).
– Cleaning the outside of the ears is done with the help of a towel moistened with warm water and the dog’s usual shampoo.
– To clean the inner area of the ear you will need a clean gauze to roll it over your index finger.
– There are special cleaning products that dilute the wax, and improve canine hygiene.
– Avoid using physiological serum and other products not indicated: they can get trapped in the dog’s ear canals and cause an infection.
– In case of doubt or possible infection, do not hesitate to go to your reference veterinarian.
