# Ear cleaner



## Cardi2008 (Sep 26, 2008)

What does everyone use to clean out ears and prevent ear infections? I have pulled all the hair and been keeping the outside clean. What do you all use to put into the ear to keep the inside clean too?


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## Kela (Aug 12, 2008)

I just have some basic ear cleaner...I try to check them every week or two and clean them at those intervals. I pluck the hair about once a month when I groom.


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## SECRETO (Aug 20, 2008)

I just was at the vet on Tuesday and the vet said to mix vinegar and rubbing alcohol if I wanted to make my own. Or just buy over the counter ear cleaner. I bought dermacare ear cleaner I believe its called from the vet. I really like it. Im pretty sure petsmart carries it too. 

It smells like a apple cider vinegar. Works great.


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## Cardi2008 (Sep 26, 2008)

Rubbing alcohol and vineger eh? That seems kinda harsh. And the vet said to use this? What where their instructions for useing it? Do you pour it into the ear canal? Or do you just dip a cloth in it and wipe the outside of the ear canal?


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## Purple Poodle (May 5, 2008)

I used to have chronic ear infections and my doctor told me to use alcohol and vinegar on a cotton swab so its not really that harsh.

Anyway I use this and it works very well. I get it from my vet.


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## SECRETO (Aug 20, 2008)

LOL .... Its more for cleaning the ear not putting it down the ear. I personally don't like the idea of dripping cleaner in my dogs ears. They even say to put cotton balls in the ear to prevent water getting in during baths. So, to me I don't think putting ear cleaner in once a week is the best. (my opinion)lol

I have been cleaning my Standard Eli's ears with ear powder and alcohol. Here is my rutine and its worked great. It was recommended from a groomer.

First... I put the ear powder in the ear and rub it around with my fingers so it lightly coats the ear. Pull the hair out with my fingers and go down as far as I can reach. Then put the alcohol on the cotton ball and clean out any dirt you can see and rub it around the inner part. (ring out the cotton ball so its just damp not soaking) Then put a little more ear powder and coat the ear again. (The powder keeps the ear dry and prevent moisture in the ear) 

I have been doing this for a year now and he has never had a smelly ear or any signs of infection. However Im going to start mixing the alcohol with the apple vinegar. (better smelling)


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## Purple Poodle (May 5, 2008)

What you use also depends on how dirty your dogs ears are and how much wax they make. Tuesdays ears get very waxy and its almost impossible to pull the hair so have to first get all of the wax out and the ADL works great at that. Then I use the ear powder and pluck the clean hair out.

For my mom's Mini Jack I just have to use ear powder because he hardly has any ear hair same with my Toy mix Cher.


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## Cardi2008 (Sep 26, 2008)

Hey Purple Poodle, what is the name of the solution you use? I can't read it from the picture.


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## Purple Poodle (May 5, 2008)

Its ADL Foaming Ear Cleanser and Drying Lotion. Bigger picture


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## Pamela (Sep 9, 2008)

My vet gives me T8 Keto solution ( I mean I buy it from hime ha ha) and I use it about twice a week - My dogs have very waxy ears. Works good and not harsh.


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## T o d d (Sep 25, 2007)

Are you doing this only when there's a problem or all the time?

We wipe down moose's ears a couple times, but really only about once a month does he get a COMPLETE cleaning from the groomer.. No smell, no itches = Todd and Moose are happy


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## Cardi2008 (Sep 26, 2008)

I want to find a solution that I can put into his ear canal to dry it out, and the ones I have heard about you would put in on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. Someone mentioned useing Zap. My mother uses a bottle of green solution on her Golden Retrievers ears and that works really well, but you can only get it through a vet. So I'm looking for over-the-counter solutions. I currently pluck all the hair and keep the outside wiped clean. His ears produce a moderate amount of build-up. I want to prevent the problem before it becomes one, so I want to find something now and begin useing it.


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## SECRETO (Aug 20, 2008)

This ear cleanser is designed to clean and dry out the ear. Use weekly for best results. I bought it from my vet but I have seen Dermapet products at Petsmart. 

Here is a pic of the bottle if your interested....


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## Pamela (Sep 9, 2008)

I do it as a preventative - before this they had some icky problems - now they are fine! But if Moose is doing good - well if it aint broken don't fix it - right?


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## Roxy (Apr 4, 2008)

Hi, Do you use tweezers or those plucker things (can't rememebr the names, looks like scissors). My groomer always did my last gal and I am not sure what I will do with the puppy now.


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## SECRETO (Aug 20, 2008)

Roxy said:


> Hi, Do you use tweezers or those plucker things (can't rememebr the names, looks like scissors). My groomer always did my last gal and I am not sure what I will do with the puppy now.



I like to put the ear powder and then pull the hair. It helps when gripping the hair. After Im all done with the cleaning and hair pulling then I put a little more to keep the ear dry. 

By the way I cleaned Eli's ear with that new solution and he shook his head for a week after. Im not to fond of putting liquids in the ear. I prefer just powder and clean them out with solution on guaze or cotton balls. That's my preference.


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