You want your pet to live his best life, so you feed him the best food and attend regular veterinary appointments. But did you know one simple part of his health, which only requires a few minutes of effort from you, is often overlooked?
Your pet’s ears serve an important function for him, as part of his sensory input and communication. So keeping them healthy will also keep him happy. Luckily, it’s pretty easy to do that, in two easy steps.
Regularly clean your pet’s ears. Cats only need their ears cleaned if a problem is noted by a veterinarian. Dogs, on the other hand, could use a regular cleaning on an as-needed basis. But do be careful not to clean more often than truly necessary, as this can also cause problems. We can consult with you about an appropriate ear cleaning schedule.
All you need is a few cotton balls and a good quality ear cleaning solution. Just lift your pet’s ear flap, fill the ear with solution, and massage the ear so that the solution works its way down into the canal. Don’t insert anything (like a q-tip) into the ear canal. Allow your pet to shake the solution out, wipe the outer area with a cotton ball, and you’re done. Reward your pet with a treat, so that they learn to appreciate a good ear cleaning.
Inspect your pet’s ears. Inspect your pet’s ears regularly, and make an appointment with us if you note any of these symptoms:
- redness
- discharge
- foul odor
In addition, you should monitor your pet’s behavior and give us a call if you notice:
- frequent head shaking
- excessive yawning
- rubbing ears
- any reaction that indicates pain in the ears
Don’t hesitate to ask us for more information on this topic. We can recommend a good ear cleaning solution and help you develop a schedule for cleanings.