Do you want to learn how to clean your dog's ears quickly and effectively?

Experts strongly recommend that dog owners start caring for their pets' ears from a very early age. Even if everything is fine with them. You can wipe a completely clean, healthy ear with a piece of gauze, praise your baby for being a good boy, encourage him with a treat - and this will be a very useful activity.

Why? The fact is that childhood memories of a painless and rather pleasant procedure will help you calmly deal with your pet’s ears in the future, when it needs real, rather than “demonstration” help and treatment.

How to get rid of sulfur

The history of the pug breed goes back almost one and a half hundred years, during which time the rules for caring for these wonderful dogs have developed. There are rules for everything, including cleaning your ears. Dogs of this breed have earwax that is much darker than that of humans; the dark brown color should not scare you. Sulfur has a special smell, but it cannot be called unpleasant, it is not purulent or putrefactive. Normally, the inside of the ear is a pale shade of pink, even almost white, without redness or pimples.

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To maintain daily hygiene, “dry” cleaning is quite enough; if desired, you can use special lotions or wet wipes, which are sold in a large assortment in modern pet stores. When choosing such products, it is better to give preference to already well-known brands. Cosmetics can cause allergies in your pet; if your pet scratches its ear after cleaning with the product, or you notice irritation, then it is better not to use it. Drops are not recommended for routine ear cleaning; they are used in the treatment of hearing diseases.

Earwax is removed with a cotton pad or swab; do not stick the sticks deep into the ear, as this will damage the eardrum. You can only clean the area that is visible. Using a cotton pad soaked in a special lotion, gently wipe the inside surface of the ears. The folds inside are cleaned with a cotton swab. If there is a lot of sulfur, drop a little (a few drops!) of lotion and wait 30 minutes, and then continue the hygiene procedure as usual. If the fold is difficult to clean, place the animal on its back, carefully lay the ear on the bedding, then it will be easier to clean hard-to-reach places. If your pet is nervous, calm him down by talking to him; dogs perfectly understand the intonation of human speech.

Dog ear care products

There are many recommendations on how to clean your dog's ears. In a healthy dog, they can be cleaned without problems with dry cotton swabs and pads. Only if there is a lot of dirt, the sulfur has thickened and there are crusts from scratching, you can use hydrogen peroxide, sea salt solution, green tea and other home remedies. All of them have restrictions on their use, for example, tea and salt can only be used to moisten tampons or cotton swabs. This can be used to clean your ears if the buildup inside is thick or dry.

In some cases, a special lotion is used to wash the dog's ears. A veterinarian may prescribe it, especially if your dog has frequent problems. This lotion does not cause allergies, does not irritate, and is gentle and gentle.

For inflammation, special drops are used. Their use is combined with cleaning. It is important to remember that each ear is treated separately, that is, you need to prepare two sets of cotton swabs, disks, napkins or pieces of gauze for separate use. In this case, the infection from one ear will not spread to the other.

Often the dog shakes its head violently, trying to “throw out” the cleaning solution, lotion or other product. There is no need to interfere with it, only after that you need to drain the sinks.

How to glue ears correctly

A pug's ears begin to break during the period of teeth change. Both “buttons” and “roses” fully comply with breed standards, but “buttons” are more preferable from an aesthetic point of view. The head of an animal with this shape of ears looks rounder and more beautiful.

To give your pet's ears the desired shape, they are glued together. For this procedure you will need a regular patch. Two narrow strips 10-15 cm long fix the desired shape of the ear (see the photo for how this is done).

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The adhesive plaster will come off on its own, no need to remove it yourself. The ears will not take the shape of “buttons” immediately; after the first 1-10 days they will break again, and the operation will have to be repeated. There are cases when you have to resort to this practice until the pet is one and a half years old.

Things you need for care

Yes, the dog should have his own personal belongings, and we are not just talking about bowls and bedding. To keep and care for a dog, its owner will need the following:

• leash and collar;
• comb-brush with rubber bristles;
• furminator;
• shampoo (for shorthairs);
• ear cleaner and eye wash;
• flea and tick treatments;
• nail clipper

It is also necessary to stock up on a large number of cotton pads and tampons, which will be useful for hygiene procedures. Also, owners who do not want to share their bath with the animal will have to spend money on a bath or basin that will be used for dog bath procedures.

Inflammation of the ears

Pug ears are prone to otitis media. Improper ear cleaning will increase your risk of developing this condition. Symptoms:

• the pug scratches its ears, tilting its head;
• unpleasant-smelling discharge appears from the ear;
• the dog’s general mood deteriorates;
• the temperature rises;
• severe redness and swelling appears.

In advanced cases, when the middle and inner ear are affected, your pet may experience pain when moving its jaw, it is difficult for him to chew, eye discharge appears, bad breath appears, if the disease is not treated on time, the animal faces deafness. With such symptoms, you should not try to treat the disease yourself; you must urgently contact a veterinary clinic.

How to treat pug ears? Depending on the severity of the disease, the doctor will prescribe different treatments. It includes: cleaning the ear canals with saline; ear drops; taking antibiotics; if there is a tumor, then surgical intervention cannot be avoided.

To provide first aid for otitis, you can drip: Sofradex, Ottipax, Bars drops, Ottinum. These medications will help relieve pain and itching.

Frequency of cleaning

There is no universal advice, because different dogs produce ear secretions differently. It depends on nutrition, the anatomical structure of the ears, the health of the animal and even the time of year.

For pets with long ears, cleaning is organized approximately once a week, for those with short ears - twice.

VETERINARIAN ADVICE: Examine the ears more often, once a day if you can. Don't clean your ears unnecessarily. There are dogs whose ears remain clean for several weeks or months, and this is quite normal.

Dangerous insects

During a walk in the summer, insects can easily get into a pug's ears. Is your pug scratching its ears and shaking its head vigorously? Quickly examine the animal. If there is an insect in the ear, it needs to be removed. The insect will not get inside the ear; it will remain in the external auditory canal, from where it can be easily removed. Place the oil in the ear and place the pet on its side; the insect will float to the surface. Now it is easy to remove it with a regular cotton swab. If an insect has crawled deep into the ear, then it is better not to try to pull it out; you will harm the dog by pushing the “alien” deeper. Contact your veterinarian.

What problems do puppies have with their ears?

There are problems that can occur in a wide variety of breeds, regardless of ear shape and size. This:

• infection with ear mites;
• mechanical damage and injury;
• foreign objects entering the ear;
• water ingress;
• infections, viruses, fungi.

If you don’t take care of your pet’s hygiene and don’t clean his ears regularly, some of these problems may affect him too. Ears get dirty pretty quickly if they get neglected. This creates fertile ground for various infections, especially since most breeds have fur in their ears, which prevents air circulation, and this only benefits microbes and viruses.

For the same reason, drooping ears require more attention, as the air flow into them is worse than into ears that are specially cropped or those that naturally stand up.

Some ear problems in puppies can be classified as “man-made.” Take, for example, representatives of the Chihuahua breed, whose ears should stand up, but for some reason they hang down like those of a mongrel. What do the owners of the unlucky Chihuahua do in this case?

They commit violence against nature by gluing the pet’s ears with a plaster or some kind of glue. In this case, the delicate skin is damaged, the wounds get infected, not to mention the pain of all these procedures for the baby.

Experts insist: if you are going to change the set of the ears (this also applies to other breeds, not just Chihuahuas), then you need to do it in such a way as not to harm the puppy - special methods have been developed for this, there are the necessary medications and even special plasters. Your puppy will not even experience discomfort, and the requirements of the breed will be met.

How to deal with ticks

Ear mites are a microscopic parasite located mainly in the external auditory canal and on the inner surface of the ear. The dog will itch a lot, and when you touch the ear, you will notice that it has become too hot. Black grains and crusts appear in the sulfur. All these are symptoms of ear mites.

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But the diagnosis can be accurately confirmed after examining ear discharge in the laboratory; there is no need to treat the dog until we know everything for sure. How to treat pug ears in this case? Treatment for otodectosis is long and difficult. The drugs used for treatment destroy the mite. These are AnandinPlus and Tsipam, they need to be dripped into the ear. Since the medications act on living ticks and not their eggs, it is impossible to end treatment prematurely!

With advanced disease, otitis media develops.

Ear diseases and symptoms

Normally, the resulting sulfur has a dark brown color and a characteristic odor, but in no case is it putrid or purulent.
The inner part of the ear is pale pink without redness or pimples. But if hygiene rules are not followed, as well as if the dog is exposed to wind or draft, otitis may develop. This disease is typically characterized by the presence of:

• itching;
• unpleasant-smelling discharge;
• elevated temperature;
• discomfort when touching the affected ear;
• redness and swelling of the skin.

Otitis media should be treated when the first symptoms appear. This minimizes the risk of complications. For this purpose, it is necessary to rinse the affected ear canals with warmed saline and instill antibacterial drops, for example, Bars, Otinum, Otipax.

In advanced cases, otitis media causes severe pain to the dog. Her general health is deteriorating, eating causes severe discomfort and purulent discharge appears. In such situations, incorrectly selected treatment can lead to deafness, so it is better to consult a veterinarian.

What to do if your ears don't stand up?

When a toy terrier puppy's ears do not stand up when he reaches six months of age, this is a serious problem for those who got a dog not only to acquire a cheerful friend, but also for exhibitions. Therefore, this issue needs to be resolved as early as possible, before it is too late.

Sometimes, no matter how hard the animal owner tries, the ears still do not take a standing position, and some incorrectly placed ears can no longer be corrected. This means that the pet’s competitive and exhibition career can be put to rest.

Algorithm of action if you notice that your ears do not stand up:

1. First of all, you need to contact a specialist. He will ask you some leading questions. This will make it possible to find out the reason why the puppy has problems in terms of positioning the auricle. We must remember that the sooner you find out the correct cause, the sooner you begin treatment, which means you are more likely to be able to eliminate the pathology;
2. The dog will need to undergo a course of treatment prescribed by a doctor. These can be special tonic preparations, as well as vitamin supplements;
3. Review your pet and judge: does he receive a sufficient amount of all the elements necessary for growth and development? Be prepared for the fact that some products will have to be removed, some replaced, and something new added;
4. Make sure your animal gets calcium. It is sold separately at the vet. pharmacies, but you can prepare, for example, calcined cottage cheese for your pet;
5. Together with the above, gluing the ears of a toy terrier has a productive effect. Thus, the ear cartilages will always be in a standing position and strengthened due to all the supplements and vitamins that the dog receives after the start of treatment;
6. If, after the gluing procedure is carried out, you see that the ears are not fully erect, then it is worth carrying out this process with individual parts of the auricle, and not with the entire cartilage;

You must keep in mind that even if you follow all the recommendations and carry out all the necessary procedures, your toy terrier’s ears may still not rise. If this happens, all you have to do is accept it. The dog will not lose the best qualities of its character from this factor.

Nowadays this problem is very common, especially when you consider that many new owners take Russian Toy puppies without fully understanding all the features of their maintenance. The main thing is to avoid deviations in ear development at all, but if you already have some suspicions, then don’t hesitate. You can consult with the breeder from whom you took the puppy, or go to the veterinarian - they will give you recommendations. It is not always possible to raise the ears, but the sooner you start treating this and if you care for the puppy correctly from the very beginning, then no problems will arise.

How to properly clean a dog's ears

Dog ears, like human ears, must be periodically cleaned of dirt and wax. If this is not done, the accumulation of deposits can cause inflammatory diseases of the ear canals.

Dogs cannot get rid of wax on their own, so this problem should only be solved by his closest person - the owner.

When should you “bet”?

It
clearly states that the ear should be in a standing position and in no other position.
Therefore, if participation in exhibitions is a fundamental factor for you, and ear cartilage is not formed naturally, then it’s time to apply measures from the outside world.

Moreover, a recumbent ear can cause some problems in someone
, primarily with the hearing organ.
But if you do not plan to take Toy to exhibitions at all and agree to carefully monitor the condition of the ears, then you can do without the procedure for supplying the ears.

If a dog appears in the house in order to take prizes, then you need to monitor the condition of its ears:

• watch your puppy from the moment you get him;
• if the puppy is already 6 months old and the ears are lying down, then carry out the procedure for supplying the ears;
• if you see that this process went wrong, then you need to make an adjustment.

What you need to clean your toy terrier's ears.

So, your veterinarian recommended or advised you to clean your toy terrier's ears. Absolutely simple actions will not take you much time. The only problem that may arise is the reluctance of the pet itself to endure this procedure steadfastly and patiently, instead of running and playing.

We prepare in advance the necessary items that should be at hand during cleansing.

• cotton swabs. We hasten to prevent the use of cotton swabs during the cleaning process, or at least be extremely careful with them. The terrier is unlikely to be able to withstand the entire “cleansing” session calmly, so the slightest jerk will provoke damage to the ear canal with a cotton swab.
• olive oil, previously boiled, or lotion used to clean the hearing organ. Such lotions are sold in veterinary pharmacies. But when buying a product, pay attention that the product is intended specifically for cleaning the ears, and not for treatment. These products include “Rosinka” and “Cliny” lotions, which contain herbs (calendula extract, St. John’s wort, sage and water) and “Beafar” and “8 in1” antiseptics. In principle, you can refresh and disinfect your ears with regular chlorhexidine. And this is not hydrogen peroxide, as many people mistakenly think. The fact is that hydrogen peroxide, like alcohol-containing products, should absolutely not be used.
• clean soft napkin.

Why don't my ears stand up?

For some owners of this breed, it is the ear problem that becomes urgent.

They don't rise for many reasons, but here are the main ones:

• The puppy’s parents had problems with the formation of ear cartilage;
• the baby did not receive sufficient nutrition from the mother in infancy;
• the breeder did not provide the grown puppy with food rich in all the necessary vitamins, i.e. he eats an unbalanced diet;
• the puppy was obtained from the mating of a longhaired and toy terrier;
• calcium deficiency;
• various injuries of the auricle at birth or later;
• stressful situations

NOTE!

If you are afraid that your dog’s ear will not stand up, although you are confident in his health and in the health of his parents, then after consulting with a veterinarian, start giving him vitamin supplements.