# Hair in the ears - and mats!



## lisasgirl (May 27, 2010)

So Archie has this soft, wispy, tangly long hair that seems to grow right out of (and all around) his actual ear canal. It's the softest, cottony-est hair on his body and it tangles like crazy. I've been pretty diligent with it for the last few months and we haven't had problems, but over the weekend I discovered - to my horror - that he's somehow developed mats in both of his ears. Like, the beginning of the mat is inside of both ears.

I've done some work on them myself, but it's very difficult to work with for various reasons - the base of the mat is right against the skin in his ear canal, so I can't just chop it out, and even with every trick I've found online combing them out is going very slowly and tends to lead to yelping (though to be fair, he's a bit dramatic and screams/yelps over almost anything). 

I've decided to just take him to a groomer to get them sorted out, but I have a few questions. Does a groomer normally just pluck out those hairs that grow in the ears, or at least trim them? My previous groomer didn't touch them, but I think it's time to get them taken care of somehow. I'd prefer to have the hair removed entirely, but I don't know how painful that would be for the dog. And what should I ask about/look for in terms of mat removal in such a sensitive area? I really want to get this taken care of before he starts developing ear infections or something, but I also don't want to traumatize the little guy.

Anybody have experience with this?


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## PoodleRick (Mar 18, 2013)

There seems to be two schools of thought here. One is the plucker school and the other is the no plucker school. Out of my three Spoos two have had to be plucked. Beau, my second Spoo, would grow his ear hair in a beautiful rasta braid that would slide out with the gentlest of tugs. I guess you could call that plucking also. But both Penny and my first, Roxy, needed plucking. If I didn't or don't pluck things get real nasty in there no matter how much cleaning I do otherwise and wind up with an ear infection. There is a poser for plucking that makes the hair really grippy. I use that and pluck small amounts of hair. It's not comfortable but Penny doesn't seem to bothered by it.

Hope that helps some
Rick


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

You can use a hemostat for plucking or just use your fingers. I do it in little bits at a time.


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## MiniPoo (Mar 6, 2014)

I have plucked the ears of my PWDs and poodles for years. I had to because they got ear infections if I did not, however, I do agree that to pluck a little bit at a time is a good idea. Less likelihood of creating another avenue of infection.

I have a hemostat but stopped using it because once my eye sight failed me and I actually clamped onto the inside of his ear and not just the hair. But hemostats are one way to reach into an area where your fingers do not fit.

I use ear powder to help grab onto the ear hair. Below is a picture of one brand just as an example. I usually use whatever powder I find in local stores. I put some powder in a small container and just press my thumb and forefinger into the powder to coat it and then grab the hair. You COULD lightly sprinkle the powder directly into the ear but be careful not to put a whole bucketful of powder.

After I have plucked the ears, I let the dog rest a little, then I put an ear cleanser into the ear and blot it a little with a kleenix to remove the excess. This last step probably isn't necessary but it makes me feel better.

Then I give lots of treats to the dogs. No, they do not like this but they put up with it because of the high value treats and also, I just do not give them an option. It has to be done.

I try to leave the hair down deep and just remove by the entrance unless I see they have a problem. Then I have to clean out more hair.

Good luck.


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## PoodleFoster (May 25, 2013)

lisasgirl said:


> So Archie has this soft, wispy, tangly long hair that seems to grow right out of (and all around) his actual ear canal. It's the softest, cottony-est hair on his body and it tangles like crazy. he's somehow developed mats in both of his ears.
> I've decided to just take him to a groomer to get them sorted out
> 
> Hello
> ...


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## lisasgirl (May 27, 2010)

Yeah, at this point we definitely need a pro. I think in the future I'll have to pluck it, or at least keep it trimmed very short (though I'm not sure if that would make his ears itch).

When talking to professional groomers, is there a particular technique I should look for? Anything I should ask in particular? How traumatic will it be to get the mats removed from such a sensitive area? I'm thinking of going to a different groomer specifically for this if it's going to be painful, so he doesn't learn to hate his normal one.

It's just such a shame, as I thought we were doing well. His ear hair is just so tangly and staticy, though, and the stuff growing in the ear canal is even worse. I'd been toying with plucking it for a few weeks now, and I guess this decides it.


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## N2Mischief (Dec 3, 2012)

I've worked at different groom shops around many different groomers. Some are very gentle and pull a bit at a time, which takes a lot longer.

Others have the opinion better to grab it all at once. They twist and twist until the entire wad comes out at once. Over much quicker.

I am among the opinion that the gentler approach is the only way to go. Yes it takes longer, but I just cringe when they would pull out that huge "carrot" of hair.

I think it is something to talk to the groomer about. Ask their method and see if it is something you agree with.


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## MiniPoo (Mar 6, 2014)

Plucking hair is not as hard as you think. I personally would put more faith in my doing it as gently as possible than a groomer who I have never tried before. If you do use a groomer, talking to her as N2M suggests is very important.

Look at these few Youtube videos to see how it is done. I am not saying I would do it just the way these guys do but it gives you an idea of how it is done. One of them uses a hemostat.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpQ16o73LPQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=susOiKvWxQo


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## UKpoodle (Jul 22, 2015)

Gunther gets terrible, gross gunky ears if I don't clean them out and pluck them regularly. He has incredibly hairy ear canals. I start by using an ear cleaner and some cotton wool balls and giving them a really good clean, then I poof a bit of ear powder in (you can buy it from Amazon) and use my fingers to pull the hairs out. They come out really easily when you use the ear powder and I like to get right into his ear canal, where the really long hairs are. I tried using hermostats once too, but just like Minipoo, I accidentally grabbed his skin with them once and it took a long time and lots of patience and treats before he would trust me to go near his ears again! 
As for the pain, as long as you don't grab huge lumps of hair at a time and you make sure to give the ear a little massage between pluckings, then I find it doesn't bother them at all. In fact Gunther has been known to fall asleep during the process!
Have you considered asking your groomer if she could show you how to pluck his ears? My groomer was happy for me to watch Gunther get his ears plucked one time when he was a puppy, as I wasn't at all confident about doing it myself and was worried it would really hurt him. It really helped - both with getting tips on how to do it and putting my mind at rest that he wasn't being put through some kind of terrible torture!


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## Caddy (Nov 23, 2014)

I was very undecided on to pluck or ot to pluck, and finally decided I wouldn't pluck until I had a problem. So far so good (touch wood). Abbey seems to have average to a lot of ear hair and I haven't plucked since she was really young, I clean her ears regularly and trim the hair.


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## loves (Jul 2, 2013)

I always check ears for hair to pluck. Use ear powder and my fingers and pull a little at a time. Dogs don't even seem to notice what I am doing, besides the ones that object to holding their heads still. I do have issues with those, including vets (that includes mine) that go in there with hemostats, grab, twist and yank out huge hunks all at once. I've had my own dog shriek when it was done by vet, first and last time. Yes, a bit at a time may take a couple minutes longer, but everyone is happy. I can reach pretty far into their ears, except for the rare, usually a toy, that has really tight ear openings. Then I always follow with ear cleaner. That closes up open pores and prevents any problems. I have yet to have a regular client or my own dog, develop ear problems that had good ears when they started. Some nasty messed up ears I won't touch, they have problems and not going to mess with that, but oh the globs of black crud that can come out with ear hair. Personally drives me crazy to see dogs with long hair coming out of their ears. Ewwww. And why switch groomers? Simply talk to your groomer, ask how she plucks ears and ask her to do it. If she refuses, then learn to do it yourself or switch groomers.


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## lisasgirl (May 27, 2010)

Update! After having no luck finding a groomer I was comfortable with who we could get in to see any time soon, I decided to bite the bullet and do it myself. I got some ear powder and went to work. There was some yelping, but the big mat in her ear just came right out! And he doesn't mind the other hair being plucked at all, except that he dislikes having to sit still for it. I feel silly for worrying so much about traumatizing him, haha!

Thanks for the help, everybody! I've got all the hair that was obviously in the way of his ear canal...do you think it's worth getting a hemostat and pulling out the rest?


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## MiniPoo (Mar 6, 2014)

Using a hemostat is a risky business. You have to be sure to only grab hair and if he moves unexpectedly, you might accidentally poke deeply into his ear and injure him. I would leave the use of a hemostat to the vet if she thinks he needs it. Plucking with powder then using a liquid ear cleanser should be enough. JMO.


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## kglad (May 10, 2014)

Abby's first bath by a groomer resulted in ear plucking and her inner ears were red and irritated. I didn't see a reason to pluck back then, as she was less than 4 months old and her hair wasn't all that long.

Since then, I'm the only one grooming her (except for the last two weeks while she was boarded) and instead of plucking, I decided to shave her ears for tassels and use the clippers to reduce hair on the inside flap and trim a bit in the canal area. For the inside/underside of the ear leather, I used the "longest blade" setting on the Wahl cordless (Bravura?) and using a small Chris Christensen "face and something comb" or my fingers to lift hair from the ear canal (and the wax, ewww!), I extremely carefully worked with the Wahl cordless. I just trim the hair shorter and remove any matting/waxed-up hair in there. So far, it's worked GREAT! But, not everyone wants ear tassels or to shave close to their pupper's ear. She's REALLY good with getting groomed, though, and I am extremely slow, patient, and steady-handed.

Healthy ears make for happy dogs, and I'm sure you'll find whichever method works best for you to keep her ears dry and clean


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## loves (Jul 2, 2013)

Just use your fingers, you can get all the hair you need to. She will get used to holding her head still, or stiller.  There shouldn't be any yelping, did you pull too big a section of hair? And always always flush the ear after with ear cleaner, rub, the base of the ear, and swipe out with a cotton ball.


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## DavidT (Apr 15, 2010)

Hi,
OUr male spoo also got a hairball inside his ears. I did not know what it was...took to Vet who plucked it out.

My theory now is not to pluck due to potential for infections etc. I now use a very small clipper from Wahl that I use just to thin the ear out and (about 3/8 wide} to create a way for ventilation into his ear. I now never let the hair get that thick, but if it did, I would just thin it out slowly with scissors and this clipper.

If you are showing the dog in a showring, you probably have to pluck.

David


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## PoodleRick (Mar 18, 2013)

lisasgirl said:


> Update! After having no luck finding a groomer I was comfortable with who we could get in to see any time soon, I decided to bite the bullet and do it myself. I got some ear powder and went to work. There was some yelping, but the big mat in her ear just came right out! And he doesn't mind the other hair being plucked at all, except that he dislikes having to sit still for it. I feel silly for worrying so much about traumatizing him, haha!
> 
> Thanks for the help, everybody! I've got all the hair that was obviously in the way of his ear canal...do you think it's worth getting a hemostat and pulling out the rest?


Glad it worked out for you. It really is more intimidating before you do it. After it's like, wow, that's all there is to it? Cool.

Rick


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## kontiki (Apr 6, 2013)

I am so glad to be reading this thread. My groomer completely freaked my spoo out by insisting on using a hemostat and forcing him between her legs while screaming at him and yanking him when he had a bad ear infection. He ended up raw and bleeding. The next 2 times we went I had been using vet prescribed prescriptions to get rid of the infection, but it was still there. She insisted on doing the same thing again, including the screaming and yanking. He refused to have anything to do with her again and would run the other way just when we got there.

Just because someone is a professional groomer does not mean they will be kind to your dog!

Having gone through three different prescriptions to try to get rid of the infection, I finally used Zymox Enzymatic Solution (without Hydrocortisone). It is supposed to be used without any cleaning before or after using. It was a big mess for about 2 weeks, and then started getting better. Yeah!

I changed groomers and asked the new one to be really gentle with him so that we could get him back from being so reactive. And also asked her not to pluck ear hair until he is totally healed. 
So he likes her! Which is wonderful, but she just doesn't do as lovely a job on grooming. For example his face and paws are pretty uneven. Darn.

I have arthritis so cannot do much with my hands.

From what all of you are saying I think I need to get some of the ear powder and try to do a bit at a time. Hoping I can at least grip a bit of the hair. Sometimes it is hard to even hold a pen or pencil. Thanks so much for the encouragement.


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