Ear Infections in Dogs is no laughing matter. As any dog owner knows when your dog is plagued by an ear infection it is painful to helplessly sit back and watch them in obvious discomfort as they scratch at their ears and shake their head repeatedly, trying to find relief. The inevitable visit to the vet is not only costly but traumatic for you and your dog. Inevitably you’ll be sent home with a saline solution to cleanse your dog’s ears and an antibiotic cream to apply deep into their ear canals. If your Dogs are anything like Gabby and Pebbles they hate having their ears messed with. It is quite a chore to apply the necessary treatments to help heal them. My girls scurry at the site of medication bottles and pout for hours after the treatment is done. Not to mention the evil eye they give me for the remainder of the night. You’ll walk away feeling like the bad guy, even though you know you’re only doing what’s best for them. Therefore, you’re thinking, why not take steps to prevent these infections in the first place? There are plenty of easy ways to prevent your pup’s from having ear infections, it won’t always be possible as other factors are sometimes at play.
How to Prevent Ear Infections in Dogs
The first things you can do to prevent your adorable puppy from getting ear infections is to routinely wipe the inside of their ears with cotton balls and an over the counter dog ear cleaning solution. Unlike treating a full fledged ear infection, these regular cleanings do not have to be thorough or reach deep into your dog’s ear canal. You are simply, and gently, wiping down the inside of your dog’s ear. This will prevent the buildup that occurs over time which can lead to a painful and uncomfortable ear infection. Although your dog may initially resist this minor intrusion, after a few times, they will learn that this process is not painful or uncomfortable. Believe it or not, after a couple times of doing this, my girls actually enjoy the feeling. I try to do it later in the evening as the girls are winding down for the day. I’ll start by petting their heads before taking the cotton ball or soft cloth, doused in the cleaning solution and gently wiping it around the inside of their ear. A warning, stay away from using paper towels or toilet tissue to clean your Dog’s ear, as they can leave small fibers behind which can cause irritation and discomfort.
Dogs react to their human’s body language and demeanor, so it is important to be very casual and matter of fact when cleaning your dogs ears. The whole process for both ears should only last a minute or two. Afterwards I always follow up with a treat.
There are many over the counter cleaning solutions to choose from, but some dogs are bothered by certain ingredients like alcohol or peroxide. If you want to avoid these ingredients and take a more natural approach to ear infections in dogs, try this easy water and vinegar solution. Mix 1/3 cup of apple cider vinegar and 2/3 cups of water. Pro tip, make sure the water is lukewarm when cleaning. It will feel better when applying. Again, if you are doing these cleanings on a regular basis, there is no need to go deep into the canal.
If your dog wears a collar cover you can use it similar to a bathing cap to protect your dog from collecting dirt and other germs in their ear. Especially when roaming outdoors. Ear protection scarves and such are also becoming a popular item and can also be quite fashionable.
Did you know Vitamin C can help prevent ear infections in dogs and boost their overall immune system? Additionally Vitamin C can help prevent a number of other illnesses, including cancer, kennel cough, arthitis, and other respiratory infections, abscesses, and bacterial infections. Additionally, many studies have found that dogs (as well as humans) that are supplemented with vitamin C show greater resistance to disease, and a better ability to recover from injuries or illness. A 28lb dog naturally produce about 28mg of Vitamin C a day, but holistic Veterinarians recommend a daily dosage of 100-500mg a day to truly benefit your pup. This dosage should be spaced out over several meals.
While there are dozens of Vitamin C supplements available for purchase over the counter, I prefer to consider natural sources. What are some good natural sources of Vitamin C for Dogs? Glad you asked!
Vitamin C can be found naturally in many fruits and vegetables including broccoli, kale, brussel sprouts, sweet red bell pepper, spinach, pineapple, papaya, and strawberries. Any of these items can be cooked up in a batch of homemade dog food. My girls absolutely love pineapple and I often use spinach as a base in many of our recipes.
One word of caution in regards to Vitamin C, to much can be a bad thing. Once indication that your dog is getting to much Vitamin C is diarrhea. If this happens, you’ll want to decrease Vitamin C intake until your dogs stool returns to normal. A good rule of thumb is to start low, with 100mg of daily Vitamin C and gradually work your way up.
If your dog is a swimmer or gets caught out in the rain, make sure to dry their ears, as excessive moisture is a breeding ground for harmful bacteria.
Although this next suggestion may sound unappealing, take a good whiff of your pets ears regularly to detect early signs of infection. Healthy clean ears shouldn’t smell. More incentive to keep them clean!
I hope these tips will prevent future ear infections and save your dog the uncomfortable and scary visit to the Vet. Deep ear cleaning and infection treatment are no fun and often very traumatic for you and your dog
