# Plucking ear hair?



## Carla (Feb 4, 2021)

Hi. I'm planning to groom my future poodle myself. Recently, I read about plucking ear hairs. Is that really necessary, or only it the ear-hairs cause a problem. I am concerned that the dog would feel the plucking and that it would hurt. Thanks for your advice.


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## Oonapup (Oct 16, 2020)

From what I've read here some folks find it necessary, and others prefer not to. I think it depends on the dog. I haven't fully plucked Oona's ears but I do sometimes reach in and kind of scoop the hair outward to make sure it's not growing down into her ear canal, and sometimes I pluck some of the hair out with my fingers in the process. She actually seems to like it if I'm gentle (she gives the same kind of moan as when I massage her ears).


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## Ava. (Oct 21, 2020)

I pluck my dogs hair since he gets ear infections after swimming. Its easier to get the ear cleaner down in there if he doesn't have hair everywhere


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## Carla (Feb 4, 2021)

Thanks for the feeback. How often do you clean her ears?


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## Ava. (Oct 21, 2020)

Whenever I notice he's got some hair down there. Every month or so.


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## Carla (Feb 4, 2021)

Ava. said:


> I pluck my dogs hair since he gets ear infections after swimming. Its easier to get the ear cleaner down in there if he doesn't have hair everywhere
> 
> Thanks for the feedback. Do you use eyebrow tweezers for that, and does it seem to hurt at all?


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## Raindrops (Mar 24, 2019)

I pluck and use zymox. I find it hard to keep the ears clean when they are full of hair. Also I want to improve airflow and hearing. Different things work for different dogs though.


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## Basil_the_Spoo (Sep 1, 2020)

You have to be aware of ear care in some shape or form when you get your puppy. Obviously your doing your research and that's awesome; prepare for the worst and expect the best. If you just have an ear cleaning solution and cotton balls, then you'll survive the first 6 months with a puppy to figure out how far you need to take ear plucking.

It's a low priority for us since we don't swim ever. It's on the back burner, on low heat kind of priority. I'll pour cleaning solution in her ear once every 2 months as preventative maintenance. If she had signs of constant itching then I would be on it, but she doesn't... So no problem.


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## Carla (Feb 4, 2021)

Great to know that I won't have to worry about that with a young puppy.


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## reraven123 (Jul 21, 2017)

I clean and pluck once a week. I never used to with my other dogs (non-poodles) but Zephyr's ears get really filthy like none of my other dogs ever did, and he has lots of hair growing in his ears, down inside the canals. My vet says I have to pluck. I do a little bit once a week. He doesn't like it, but if you do it that frequently a little bit keeps it pretty clean and it only takes a minute and it's done. I use a mini hemostat to get down in the canals.


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## Ava. (Oct 21, 2020)

I use a ton of this https://www.amazon.com/Gold-Medal-G...8134&sprefix=dog+ear+plucking+,aps,201&sr=8-5 I shake it into his ear, and then I pull it out with my fingers


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## cowpony (Dec 30, 2009)

My boys, Pogo and Snarky, fared badly if I plucked. Pogo, especially, had horrible ear wax; it was like asphalt. He also had very thick ear hair. Plucking their ears would let yeast and bacteria get down into the injured hair sheaths. A day or two later the boys would be shaking their heads with a rip-roaring ear infection. I found it was better, for them, if I simply trimmed the ear hair as much as possible and used an ear cleanser.


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## Carla (Feb 4, 2021)

reraven123 said:


> I clean and pluck once a week. I never used to with my other dogs (non-poodles) but Zephyr's ears get really filthy like none of my other dogs ever did, and he has lots of hair growing in his ears, down inside the canals. My vet says I have to pluck. I do a little bit once a week. He doesn't like it, but if you do it that frequently a little bit keeps it pretty clean and it only takes a minute and it's done. I use a mini hemostat to get down in the canals.


Thanks! What is a mini hemostat?


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## Carla (Feb 4, 2021)

Ava. said:


> I use a ton of this https://www.amazon.com/Gold-Medal-Groomers-Powder-Grams/dp/B000P0SPX4/ref=sr_1_5?crid=5TB5GTGM3UUU&dchild=1&keywords=dog+ear+plucking+powder&qid=1613748134&sprefix=dog+ear+plucking+,aps,201&sr=8-5 I shake it into his ear, and then I pull it out with my fingers


Thanks for the link!


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## Carla (Feb 4, 2021)

cowpony said:


> My boys, Pogo and Snarky, fared badly if I plucked. Pogo, especially, had horrible ear wax; it was like asphalt. He also had very thick ear hair. Plucking their ears would let yeast and bacteria get down into the injured hair sheaths. A day or two later the boys would be shaking their heads with a rip-roaring ear infection. I found it was better, for them, if I simply trimmed the ear hair as much as possible and used an ear cleanser.


Thanks! How did you trim it? Scissors?


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## reraven123 (Jul 21, 2017)

Carla said:


> Thanks! What is a mini hemostat?


This is not the one I have, I just picked it from random from Amazon. 









Amazon.com : Vet Worthy Pet Hemostat : Pet Supplies


Amazon.com : Vet Worthy Pet Hemostat : Pet Supplies



smile.amazon.com


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## cowpony (Dec 30, 2009)

Carla said:


> Thanks! How did you trim it? Scissors?


There is a special kind of blunt tipped scissors intended for trimming nostril hair. I used those very very carefully. An electric trimmer for nose hair would be safer if the dog will tolerate the buzzing sound.


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## SilverSylvio (Oct 8, 2020)

I was also going to recommend ear powder and a curved hemostat. If my boys ears weren’t too bad I could just use my fingers.


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## Ava. (Oct 21, 2020)

do not ever use scissors. the hair will fall right back down into the ear canal and thats very dangerous


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## Carla (Feb 4, 2021)

Ava. said:


> do not ever use scissors. the hair will fall right back down into the ear canal and thats very dangerous


Oh my! Thanks for the warning.


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## Carla (Feb 4, 2021)

reraven123 said:


> This is not the one I have, I just picked it from random from Amazon.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks!


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## Johanna (Jun 21, 2017)

I have always plucked ear hair because drop ears that have lots of internal hair are so much more prone to infections. I always use ear powder and only pull a few hairs at a time with my fingers - never with hemostats. Most poodles enjoy having it done if done correctly - almost all dogs like to have their ears messed with so long as the ears are healthy.


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## Oonapup (Oct 16, 2020)

Carla said:


> Thanks for the feeback. How often do you clean her ears?


When they start to get smelly or she seems itchy - or about once every two months


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## Foramini (Mar 7, 2016)

Carla said:


> Hi. I'm planning to groom my future poodle myself. Recently, I read about plucking ear hairs. Is that really necessary, or only it the ear-hairs cause a problem. I am concerned that the dog would feel the plucking and that it would hurt. Thanks for your advice.


was
I am wondering the size of the poodle you are talking about. I had a toy years ago, I did not know about the importance of removing SOME of the ear hair, and I found out the hard way. My Toy had hair growing in one ear canal that I could not see. It was growing downwards in a spiral and got packed with wax and really really gross. She was scratching and shaking her head. I had always just wiped her ears out with cotton balls. I got CURVED Hemostats so as to not ever go too deep! I put them down a little into the canal and tiny bit by tiny bit (Pull out quickly like tweezing your eyebrows) and it does not hurt as much. I managed to remove a wad of hair that astonished me!
My current dogs are Miniatures and I have never had any infections in either dog ears. In winter I bathe them every 2 weeks, after the bath I put cotton balls into their ears to block the sound of the force dryer, and it absorbs any water that may have gotten into their ears. After they are dried I lay them on their side and use my fingers to remove the cotton ball and pluck some of the hair inside the ear, and use the CURVED Hemostats to remove some hair from the canal. If this is done every few weeks or every week you do not need to make it a torture. It does NOT need to be bald. Just removing the majority of the hair and keeping the underside of the ear sparse, air can get into the canal. I have never used ear cleaner or ear powder. Neither of my dogs have EVER had an issue with infection. I do think that some Ear issues are actually a response to Food Sensitivity. I had a Cocker Spaniel that had gross smelly waxy ears that was from Corn being the first ingredient in his food. I changed him to NO Corn, and in a matter of weeks his ears cleared up.
I wish you lots of luck with your future poodle!


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Our groomer advises plucking only when absolutely necessary and, even then, as little hair as possible. That obviously requires expert judgment that I don’t personally have, so I was just leaving them alone between appointments.

Now that Peggy’s not going for grooming appointments, I’m struggling with this. And after reading everyone’s comments, I’m still not sure what to do. Lol. Lots of different opinions and experiences.


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## Carla (Feb 4, 2021)

Thank you! After reading advice from several people, it seems to me that different approaches for ears work for different dogs and their owners. I'm getting a standard poodle whose dam is being bred today and tomorrow! I'm kind of worried that ears can be such a problem, but at least knowing what people have had success with does help! 

I agree, based on experience, that food sensitivities can affect ears. As for me, I get wetness and itching in my own ears if I stray too far from clean eating. An ENT diagnosed it as eczema--in my ears! But it doesn't happen if I avoid much sugar/refined carbs. I've heard of avoiding refined carbs in dog food and have become more convinced that might help my dog have a longer and healthier life, as joint problems and other health issues can be affected.


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## reraven123 (Jul 21, 2017)

I think the bottom line is that dogs vary a great deal in how much hair they grow in their ears, how far down in the canal it grows, and how much ear wax they produce, as well as lifestyles such as swimming and allergies. Zephyr has a lot of ear wax, and a lot of hair that grows down inside the canal, so I pluck and I clean often. You will have to evaluate your dog and discuss with your vet and decide what is best for him.


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## Ava. (Oct 21, 2020)

my dog has no food allergies, he's just an intense swimmer with flop ears. he gets ear infections very easily, and only during the summer when we are a the lake


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## Carla (Feb 4, 2021)

PeggyTheParti said:


> Our groomer advises plucking only when absolutely necessary and, even then, as little hair as possible. That obviously requires expert judgment that I don’t personally have, so I was just leaving them alone between appointments.
> 
> Now that Peggy’s not going for grooming appointments, I’m struggling with this. And after reading everyone’s comments, I’m still not sure what to do. Lol. Lots of different opinions and experiences.


It seems that if your dog isn't having ear problems, then leave well enough alone? On the other hand, some people did, and their dog's ears had problems. But others had dogs developing infections after plucking. It really is confusing.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Carla said:


> It seems that if your dog isn't having ear problems, then leave well enough alone? On the other hand, some people did, and their dog's ears had problems. But others had dogs developing infections after plucking. It really is confusing.


Lol. I think that sums it up nicely.


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## Carla (Feb 4, 2021)

reraven123 said:


> I think the bottom line is that dogs vary a great deal in how much hair they grow in their ears, how far down in the canal it grows, and how much ear wax they produce, as well as lifestyles such as swimming and allergies. Zephyr has a lot of ear wax, and a lot of hair that grows down inside the canal, so I pluck and I clean often. You will have to evaluate your dog and discuss with your vet and decide what is best for him.


Thanks. It does seem like many factors are involved.


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## Carla (Feb 4, 2021)

Ava. said:


> my dog has no food allergies, he's just an intense swimmer with flop ears. he gets ear infections very easily, and only during the summer when we are a the lake


Hi, Ava 🙂. I can't remember if it was you or another person who previously mentioned drying their dog's ears with cotton balls. Do you think trying to dry the dog's ears very well would be helpful (I would guess that you do). I was hoping to take my future poodle swimming and hadn't known it could lead to ear infections. Maybe I'll try cotton balls followed by cotton handkerchiefs and thin toweling. I'm starting to worry too much about the ears 😕


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## Ava. (Oct 21, 2020)

that was not me. When I take him swimming he usually shakes the water out himself, sometimes I take a towel and wipe his ears out, then I put this in his ears : https://www.amazon.com/VetWELL-Ear-...ca-403a-923c-8152c45485fe&tag=5042nst800sr-20

Ears are super sensitive, but there are always things you can do to prevent issues


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## Carla (Feb 4, 2021)

Thanks for the link, too!


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## Foramini (Mar 7, 2016)

PeggyTheParti said:


> Our groomer advises plucking only when absolutely necessary and, even then, as little hair as possible. That obviously requires expert judgment that I don’t personally have, so I was just leaving them alone between appointments.
> 
> Now that Peggy’s not going for grooming appointments, I’m struggling with this. And after reading everyone’s comments, I’m still not sure what to do. Lol. Lots of different opinions and experiences.


Many people are doing grooming for their first time due to Covid - again I stress - each dog is different in how their ears are. My Vet usually SMELLS the dogs ears, he said if it smells like Corn Chips - it is probably fungal infection? He said the ears are not meant to be BALD, but some dogs grow too much hair in the ear, so removing a little at each grooming and checking them often should keep them pretty healthy. I personally will not put anything into my dog's ears without having the approval of my Vet! There are a lot of products out there that are NOT good and NOT safe. A phone call to your Vet even if you cannot have your dog examined MAY put your mind at ease. Hope that helps...


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## For Want of Poodle (Feb 25, 2019)

My dogs breeder says she never plucks my dog's dams hair. I didn't pluck Annie for the first 10 months and she kept getting reoccuring mild ear infections. I took her to the groomer, who plucked and she ended up with a bad ear infection. The amount of balls of hair and wax the groomer got out was stunning. When that ear infection cleared, I was too traumatized to pluck again- until the reoccuring itchiness despite regular cleaning reocurred. I gingerly plucked a little at a time every week once I had the mild infection under control until I got her ears to where I was happy with them, and now pluck a little bit monthly and haven't had an infection since. She seems to enjoy the plucking process, which I find amazing.

Apparently Annie's sister also needs her ears plucked (chatted with breeder). 
Anyway- long story short. Pluck only when not infected, pluck a little bit often, not a lot infrequently, and it depends on the dog if you need to do it at all!


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## Foramini (Mar 7, 2016)

Very good points! Again the ears do NOT need to be bald . And I agree a little at a time! My girls will not fuss if I do it for a moment or two, and Mostly I do NOT need to put a hemostat in the ear at all. BUT mine are Miniature - small ears, but the TOY that I had was so tiny only a hemostat worked. Again I agree wholeheartedly with you - NOT during an infection!


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## Carla (Feb 4, 2021)

Foramini said:


> Many people are doing grooming for their first time due to Covid - again I stress - each dog is different in how their ears are. My Vet usually SMELLS the dogs ears, he said if it smells like Corn Chips - it is probably fungal infection? He said the ears are not meant to be BALD, but some dogs grow too much hair in the ear, so removing a little at each grooming and checking them often should keep them pretty healthy. I personally will not put anything into my dog's ears without having the approval of my Vet! There are a lot of products out there that are NOT good and NOT safe. A phone call to your Vet even if you cannot have your dog examined MAY put your mind at ease. Hope that helps...


Very helpful, thanks!


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## Carla (Feb 4, 2021)

For Want of Poodle said:


> My dogs breeder says she never plucks my dog's dams hair. I didn't pluck Annie for the first 10 months and she kept getting reoccuring mild ear infections. I took her to the groomer, who plucked and she ended up with a bad ear infection. The amount of balls of hair and wax the groomer got out was stunning. When that ear infection cleared, I was too traumatized to pluck again- until the reoccuring itchiness despite regular cleaning reocurred. I gingerly plucked a little at a time every week once I had the mild infection under control until I got her ears to where I was happy with them, and now pluck a little bit monthly and haven't had an infection since. She seems to enjoy the plucking process, which I find amazing.
> 
> Apparently Annie's sister also needs her ears plucked (chatted with breeder).
> Anyway- long story short. Pluck only when not infected, pluck a little bit often, not a lot infrequently, and it depends on the dog if you need to do it at all!


Thanks! Are dog ear infections very painful, like the kind children get? How did you know she had an infection?


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## For Want of Poodle (Feb 25, 2019)

Carla said:


> Thanks! Are dog ear infections very painful, like the kind children get? How did you know she had an infection?


Yes, they can be. You may notice the dog itching and paring at the ear or being sensitive to the touch/moving away if you touch the ear (most dogs love ear rubs so this is a major sign). You can also smell it usually, and sometimes see dark discharge. They may also become hot to the touch.


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## Ava. (Oct 21, 2020)

when my dog has infections its warm to the touch, he acts like its itchy, and the inside of his ear is often red, sometimes theres dried blood


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## Carla (Feb 4, 2021)

Thanks for letting me know


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## Carla (Feb 4, 2021)

Ava. said:


> when my dog has infections its warm to the touch, he acts like its itchy, and the inside of his ear is often red, sometimes theres dried blood


Thanks for the info


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## Bigbark (Jan 9, 2021)

I haven’t touched Remy’s ears yet. Still not sure how I’m going to handle it.

His breeder suggested a wheat free diet. He said his dogs had fewer ear infections when he switched to wheat free. Has anyone else heard of this?


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## Carla (Feb 4, 2021)

I would be interested to know as well.


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## Ava. (Oct 21, 2020)

A "grain free diet" is suggested because grain is a very common allergen in dogs.

"Preventing allergies is im-paw-tent because rubbing and scratching at itchy skin can cause infections. This is why many vets suggest trying a grain-free dog food for ear infections, as wheat is a common allergen and could trigger both skin and ear infections." Dog ear infections.


Food (or environmental) allergies may be the cause if both ears are involved. An excess of grain and/or sugar in the diet is a common causes of ear infections in dogs. Sugar feeds the yeast already in the body and causes an overgrowth, which results in the dark, yeasty-smelling buildup inside the ears.



https://www.thehonestkitchen.com/articles/causes-remedies-for-pet-ear-infections




"For most dogs, ear infections come from food allergies. Allergies to food cause inflammation in the intestines, which leads to bacterial and/or yeast overgrowth in the intestines, which then spreads to the whole body, including the ears"









Are Food Allergies Causing Your Dog's Ear Infections?


In this interview, owner of Healthy PAWsibilities, Dr. Cathy Alinovi, discusses the importance of identifying food allergies as a source of ear infections as well as symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment.




pethelpful.com





And lookie, from the same article... 

*Dogs Predisposed to Ear Problems*

Cocker Spaniels
Golden Retrievers
Poodles
Schnauzers


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## Basil_the_Spoo (Sep 1, 2020)

Carla said:


> Hi, Ava 🙂. I can't remember if it was you or another person who previously mentioned drying their dog's ears with cotton balls. Do you think trying to dry the dog's ears very well would be helpful (I would guess that you do). I was hoping to take my future poodle swimming and hadn't known it could lead to ear infections. Maybe I'll try cotton balls followed by cotton handkerchiefs and thin toweling. I'm starting to worry too much about the ears 😕


I'm trying to find a video from the youtube groomer, Melissa the groomer, who I learned this specific technique using cotton balls from. Also, I had the same question and my vet explained it to me like this - there's an evaporating agent in the ear cleaning solution, like how alcohol evaporates, and the dogs shake the gunk.

The technique is this:
1) Saturate the cotton ball with cleaning solution
2) Stick cotton ball in dogs ear, squeeze out solution
3) Use the cotton ball to wipe out the wax you can reach
4) Massage the base of the ear, done.

The difference is that I'm not trying to stick the bottle directly in the ear to squirt it in. For some reason, Basil was more jumpy when she saw the bottle, but she is less reactive to the cotton ball saturated with ear solution. Small difference, but it made the process go smoother. 

Just write on your list, "bag of cotton balls" and "generic dog ear solution" then move on. This will be as easy as tying your shoe once you get there. Don't worry, you got this, the community has your back.


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## Carla (Feb 4, 2021)

Thanks so much for the good explanation and kind reassurance. This may sound absurd, but I was beginning to question whether I could handle a poodle due to this problem, while I've already paid my deposit for a puppy and and love everything else about the breed. 

I carefully researched breed temperaments and characteristics for many months before deciding on a spoo. At first, they weren't even on my list because I'd thought they were frou-frou dogs, then saw that they ticked all the boxes that were important to me.

However, I began to worry when my dentist told me about the continual ear problems he'd had with his poodle. And when I read about ear plucking, my worry increased. Having this community does help, and seeing how happy everyone is with their poodles is very reassuring too. I'm very grateful for this forum and for everyone who's so generously willing to share their experience, great info, and extend their welcome and support. Thanks again!


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## Spottytoes (Jul 28, 2020)

I have nothing new to add but thought I’d still chime in. It really depends up the individual dog as all the previous posts reflect. Our experience is that we need to pluck. I don’t do it though. The groomer does it when he goes in for his regular full groom every 4 to 6 weeks. We went a long time without plucking just to see but he has super hairy ears and the hair was growing downward into the canals. I tried doing it myself but I just couldn’t seem to effectively do it. 
The breeder, the groomer and the vet all said Bobby’s ears really need to be plucked so I finally told the groomer to go ahead. He’s never had an ear infection but I’m sure had we waited longer we definitely would have had problems.


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## Mufar42 (Jan 1, 2017)

Renn also has thick hair which will grow into the ear canal if not plucked. I do it myself now. I always use the zymox with hydrocortisone following ear plucking. It soothes any irritatio ad few days later I follow up with an ear rinse as usually wax drains out on to the ear flaps. Only 1 ear infection in 3 years since I began this protocol.and that was prior to plucking.


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## CieCie (Dec 27, 2020)

You just asked a simple question 😉 Not!
Our old spoo girl Indie had really thick ear hair and between me and the vet techs it seemed we were constantly working to stay ahead of it. Our new 17 week old girl pup has very little ear hair and I am very grateful!! It's true that plucking with a infection present is bad and if plucking is necessary a little here a little there is easier on everyone. For the last few years of her life I only trimmed Indie's ear hair with the same type of scissors that cowboy uses. It was enough to allow cleaning and airflow and was so much less stressful. Please know that there is no one size fits all answer to almost any question. Our pups do great on rice but not on wheat for example. Once you have your sweet baby (I can't wait to see pictures) you will learn day by day and we will be here to help.


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## mvhplank (Dec 5, 2012)

My nearly 18-month-old standard has pretty wispy ear hair, so I got distracted between groomings and didn't look at his ears closely. Big mistake! This week I was shocked to see he had actual mats near his ear canal opening on both sides. My 9-year-old standard has never had that problem! I gently worked everything out, and the boy was very patient about it.

Regarding the dogs that get infections after ear plucking--if someone hasn't already suggested this--use a mild antiseptic like witch hazel or your preferred ear cleaner to head off yeast and bacteria.

My older dog's ear infections were caused by a chicken allergy. I changed him over to a high-quality, fish-based kibble and the improvement was dramatic.

So just do as much as your poodle seems to need, but definitely keep an eye on it!


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## Carla (Feb 4, 2021)

mvhplank said:


> My nearly 18-month-old standard has pretty wispy ear hair, so I got distracted between groomings and didn't look at his ears closely. Big mistake! This week I was shocked to see he had actual mats near his ear canal opening on both sides. My 9-year-old standard has never had that problem! I gently worked everything out, and the boy was very patient about it.
> 
> Regarding the dogs that get infections after ear plucking--if someone hasn't already suggested this--use a mild antiseptic like witch hazel or your preferred ear cleaner to head off yeast and bacteria.
> 
> ...


Very helpful advice about regular monitoring. Thanks! About the chicken allergy-- how are such allergies diagnosed? Also, was there any difference between the ingredients in the kibbles, other than the chicken vs. fish? Which brand of kibble are you using now please? (I may want to try it). TIA!


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## mvhplank (Dec 5, 2012)

The chicken allergy was not definitively diagnosed by testing. The vet observed that food allergies can cause ear problems and that the most common allergen is chicken. (I've also heard it was beef, but it has never been a problem.) He urged me to try "novel" proteins like venison or kangaroo and see if it made any difference. Then a friend said one of her dogs did better on fish kibble because it was mostly a "northern" dog and genetically more likely to thrive on fish, so I though I'd try it--even though poodles aren't particularly "northern."

I use NutriSource Seafood Select. NutriSource is a privately owned company and I understand they also own their own manufacturing plants (other suppliers may rent space in existing plants and have no control over quality or process). The last I've heard, they never had a recall.

At first I got it delivered from Chewy, but after Chewy was acquired by a large chain, the NutriSource people would no longer sell their products to them. You can find NutriSource at small independent feed stores, or look up retailers on their website: Healthy Dog Food & Cat Food | NutriSource Pet Foods.

It's about $61 and change in 30-pound bags, which includes a modest discount for getting delivery an automatic schedule. Pet Food Station, the place I order it from, isn't too far from my home--an hour's drive, maybe. I don't know if it distributes all over the country (that is, the USA), but I think it might. Dog Food | Cat Food | FREE Shipping over $49!


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## kontiki (Apr 6, 2013)

cowpony said:


> My boys, Pogo and Snarky, fared badly if I plucked. Pogo, especially, had horrible ear wax; it was like asphalt. He also had very thick ear hair. Plucking their ears would let yeast and bacteria get down into the injured hair sheaths. A day or two later the boys would be shaking their heads with a rip-roaring ear infection. I found it was better, for them, if I simply trimmed the ear hair as much as possible and used an ear cleanser.


My Spoo has had exactly the same problem. We no longer go to the groomer that insisted on plucking his ears and he has not had an infection since.


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

Carla said:


> Thanks for the feeback. How often do you clean her ears?


For me about every 4-6 weeks. I clean the hair with a cleaning solution the get all the gunk out and I pluck.


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## Carla (Feb 4, 2021)

mvhplank said:


> The chicken allergy was not definitively diagnosed by testing. The vet observed that food allergies can cause ear problems and that the most common allergen is chicken. (I've also heard it was beef, but it has never been a problem.) He urged me to try "novel" proteins like venison or kangaroo and see if it made any difference. Then a friend said one of her dogs did better on fish kibble because it was mostly a "northern" dog and genetically more likely to thrive on fish, so I though I'd try it--even though poodles aren't particularly "northern."
> 
> I use NutriSource Seafood Select. NutriSource is a privately owned company and I understand they also own their own manufacturing plants (other suppliers may rent space in existing plants and have no control over quality or process). The last I've heard, they never had a recall.
> 
> ...


Thanks so much for sharing the detailed info. Much appreciated


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