Healthy Doggie Ears

Does your pooch have healthy dog ears? I can hear you wondering “how do I know, his ears look fine”, but it takes more than just seeing if his ears are still attached to his head to know if healthy dog ears are hanging off the dog’s head. Let’s take a look at how we can care for our best friend’s ears so he or she has those healthy ears we all love to scratch.

There are certain breeds that are more prone to ear troubles. These breeds include basically any dog that has long ears. Examples are the Golden Retriever, Beagle, Dachshund, Bloodhounds, all the Spaniel breeds and Black Labs to name a few. Dogs who enjoy swimming are also candidates for ear issues. These long ear dogs have restricted fresh air movement into the ear canals so are prone to more problems. Extra attention is required for healthy dog ears with these breeds.

Weekly looks into your dog’s ears is the best way for preventing potential problems. Using a small flashlight, look into each ear for dirt, ear mites, ticks, or any object that may have become lodged in the ear. Also smell the ear as foul odors coming from the ears is a clear indication the dog has an ear problem. If your dog shy’s away from you touching his ears this is another indication there is a problem. If you see dark matter this is usually a combination of dirt, ear wax, and ear mites. If there is a foul odor along with a discharge of pus your dog has an infection within his ears and should be taken to the vet immediately. Most of the other issues covered above can be treated at home.

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