Start with a good dog or cat approved ear cleaning solution. Whether it is from your veterinarian or the pet store, make sure it is pH balanced and has no more than 10% alcohol in it so it is a comfortable cleaner for your furry friend. If your dog has a current ear infection, the ears should be cleaned out every other day until the infection is resolved. Then maintenance cleaning can be done on a weekly basis to every two weeks as needed.
To clean the ears, simply poor a generous amount of the liquid ear cleaner directly into the ear canal. Message the base of the canal to help break up wax and debris. Then allow Fluffy to shake his head (this will actually aid in removing some of the build up). Now use a clean cotton ball to scoop out the wax and debris from the canal. You can go as deep as your finger and the cotton ball can get in without fear of hitting the eardrum. They have a very long ear canal. Repeat wiping out the ear canal and pinna around the canal until you get a nice clean cotton ball. You may need to add a little more cleaner to the cotton balls as you go if the ear is getting too dry but is still dirty. Once you have a nice clean ear, don’t worry about residual cleaner liquid as it will evaporate due to the small amount of alcohol content. Next, repeat with the second ear and you are all done!
If your furry friend has an ear infection and needs medication, now is the appropriate time to instill the medicine deep into the clean ear canal as often as directed by your veterinarian.