What would you recommend to clean a dog's ears?

1. 73

   toknowinfoposted 12 years ago

   What would you recommend to clean a dog's ears?

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2. 86

   Novel Treasureposted 12 years ago

   Our dog has issues with ear mites, so our vet gave us a large syringe that we can use to flush out their ears then we use a damp cloth to wipe away the outer.
   
   They don't recommend cleaning the inner ear and would rather us bring them in because q tips and other things can damage their ears.

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   1. 73

      toknowinfoposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      It is a good idea to use a syringe.

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3. 99

   DrMark1961posted 12 years ago

   You do not need to buy commerical ear cleaning products. You can clean the ears with vinegar (be sure to dilute) or apple cider vinegar. You will find more details on the artlicle "How to clean your dogs ears with vinegar". On my profile page the hub can be found next to a photo of an African WIld Dog (big ears!)

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   1. 73

      toknowinfoposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you. I have cleaned my dog's ears with white vinegar previously, but never thought of apple cider vinegar. I look forward to reading your hub.

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4. 71

   d.williamposted 12 years ago

   If you are capable of gently swabbing the ears with a Q-tip and mineral oil, this will kill the mites by smothering them. 
   If you have a dog that resists and moves a lot, then i would suggest not using Q-tips or certainly not pushing them beyond what you can see. 
   Using an eye dropper to insert mineral oil is also a good method without the fear of  damaging the inner ear.
   It is always best to consult your vet before using anything in your pets' ears, or trying to treat symptoms that may be something other than what you suspect them to be.
   The best rule of thumb is to never do anything to your pets that you would not do to a child.  (assuming of course that one is not abusive to their children and actually care about their well being.)

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   1. 73

      toknowinfoposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I never knew about mineral oil. Thanks for your advice. I like your rule of thumb.

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