Things Everyone Knows About Golden Retriever Ear Infections That You Dont
Golden retrievers truly are wonderful dogs, besides their ability to hunt and their excellent work abilities, they are the best pet you can have in your lovely house, they are so friendly and they bring joy to your family, with their golden color, that gives them such a fancy appearance. Unfortunately, being a breed exposed them to many problems and infections, Luckily in this article, we are going to share with you all the information that you will need about golden retriever ear problems, golden retriever ear cleaning solution, and golden retriever ear treatment.
We are also going to answer some of the popular questions that many people are wondering about such as: how to clean golden retriever ears? How to treat dog ear infection naturally? How can I treat my dogs ear infection at home? And many more.;
Ear Cleaner For Dogs With Waxy Ears
Moore also recommends this product, especially if your dog has very waxy ears. Its safe and gentle enough to use 2-3 times a day if your dogs ears get really dirty
Highlights:
- Available in multiple sized bottles
- A good choice for multi-pet families because it is safe for dogs and cats.
- Formula cleans, dries, acidifies, and deodorizes.
Things to Consider:
- Has a strong smell that lingers even after youre finished cleaning your dogs ears. This bothered some online reviewers.
- Doesnt work as well for yeast infections.
Signs That You Need To Clean Your Goldens Ears:
It’s recommended that you NOT wait for signs of needing to clean your golden retrievers ears but to instead do the cleaning on a set routine.
Once signs of irritation start, your dog is already decidedly uncomfortable. That said, knowing the signs of trouble is still a good idea so we will look at them here…
When you see that your Golden Retriever is shaking its head a little more frequently, or rubbing its head and ears against the ground, or even scratching its ears its time to do an ear check! ;Some other signs to look for are:
Discharge coming from the ears
Nasty smell coming from the ears
Redness inside the ear
Swelling or growths inside or around the ear
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Keeping Pups Out Of The Trash
One major problem I had with my larger dogs is they love to dig in the trash. While my little Pomeranian couldnt reach my big can, the goldens had no issues. I have been through many trash cans trying to find the one that works best.
I finally settled on the Simplehuman Kitchen Trash Can with Locking Lid. I like this one because its affordable and it works. My dogs have outsmarted just about every can on the market.;
However, the Simplyhuman keeps our refuse all neat in one space. Its a little thing that can be a big annoyance when you clean up garbage 24/7 from mischievous dogs.
How To Clean Your Golden Retrievers Ears
Let us now go through the procedure of cleaning your Golden Retrievers ears:
1) Start by inspecting your dogs ears for any redness, foul smell, or discharge.
2) Only use vet-approved cleaning or ear flushing solutions. Do not use alcohol, vinegar or hydrogen peroxide. Also, do not use cotton buds or Q-Tips as these will only push dirt, ear wax, and bacteria deeper into the ear canal.
3) Trim away any excess hairs. Clean the outside of the ear flap first with a moist towel. Gently wipe away any dirt, crusts, or scabs that are sticking to the skin and hairs.
4) Next, lift the ear flap and, with your moist towel, clean the outer edges.
5) Squirt cleaning solution into the ear. Be careful not to let the bottles nozzle touch the ear to prevent contamination with bacteria.
6) Gently massage the base of your dogs ear for 30 seconds so that the cleaning solution can dissolve ear wax, dirt, and debris inside the ear canal.
7) After 30 seconds, let your dog shake its head to remove the dirty cleaning solution and other debris from its ear.
8) Wipe off the ear and ear canal with a cotton ball.
9) Do the same with the other ear.
After cleaning your dogs ears, make it a point to reward him with treats. Ideally, ear cleaning should be done once a week or whenever your dog gets its body or ears dirty after play. Do not clean your dogs ears frequently as removal of too much protective ear wax may lead to irritation.
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Visit Germantown Vet For Dog Ear Infection Treatment
Dont let your dog suffer from an irritating, uncomfortable ear infection when treatment is just a vet visit away. Our Montgomery County vet clinic is well equipped to diagnose and treat dog ear infections.
Visit us today, and well prescribe medication, teach you how to clean your dogs ears at home and recommend preventive measures to stop future ear infections.
Help your dog feel well againcall us at 240-252-7467 to schedule an appointment;to treat his ear infection at Germantown Vet today!
How To Make Your Golden Retriever Comfortable With Ear Cleaning
If your Golden Retriever;is older, and you havent regularly checked or cleaned its;ears, when it was a puppy, it isnt going to be comfortable with ear cleaning the first time. Fortunately for you, it is easy to get into a routine and ensure your Golden Retriever;is comfortable with ear cleaning. Here is what you need to do:
If you follow this routine every time you clean your Golden Retrievers ears, you will notice that your dog will eventually get used to it and will let you clean its;ears without causing any problem.
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Golden Retrievers And Ear Infections
Golden retrievers are quite lovable, especially due to their cheerful temperament, and appealing appearance retrievers due to the structure of their ears unfortunately prone to ear infections.;
If you have a golden retriever and you suspect your dog might have an ear infection, you need all the information you can get. Fortunately, we will be providing with you with all of that in this article.;
Golden retrievers are often bred as service dogs and as seeing-eye dogs for assisting the visually impaired. The golden retrievers’ ears are very sensitive, and they have an acute hearing; this is why some people breed them as hearing service dogs.;
When caring for your golden retriever, paying close attention to their ears is a very good idea.
Your dog’s ears, apart from providing the sense of hearing, also contribute to the dogs’ sense of balance as in all mammals. Even if you do not need your dogs are cute hearing abilities, the ears are still very important for their other functions; hence, you need to care for them properly.;
Because of the shape of the golden retrievers’ ears, it is really prone to ear infections. This is a general condition for dogs with heavy hanging or drooping ears. Because the golden retriever has drooping ears and a combination of really thick fur this breed is even more susceptible to ear infections.;
How To Clean Your Dogs Ears At Home: 8 Easy Tips
Whether floppy, fluffy or pointy, dogs ears are often their most striking feature as well as extremely important, delicate organs. Learning how to clean dog ears can be beneficial to your dog, especially if he gets ear infections, as it prevents bacteria and yeast accumulation.
Cleaning can be a good way to make sure that you are checking your dogs ears for infections, pain or inflammation, says Dr. Michelle Woodward, assistant professor of veterinary dermatology at the Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine.
Breeds that have ear anatomy that causes a buildup of sebum or wax, like Basset Hounds, Cocker Spaniels, Pugs, Bulldogs and Poodles, or dogs that have other problems such as allergies may require more regular cleanings than others, says Dr. Sarah Wooten, a Colorado-based veterinarian.
When I see a dog that comes in with frequent ear infections, occurring every three to six months, that dog has something in their ears that predisposes them to grow yeast or bacteria, explains Dr. Wooten. In this case, she says, learning how to clean dog ears and during so regularly is advised.
Ready to learn how to clean dog ears and how to clean puppy ears? Weve got some tips and advice from our experts on when to clean them, the best cleaner for dog ears and how to get your pup to sit still while you do it.
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Touch Your Golden Retrievers Ears As A Puppy
If your golden is a puppy, you should do a training exercise with him called touch-desensitization. This is when you touch your dog in sensitive locations on his body to get him used to it so that, later in life, he wont react negatively when you, a veterinarian, or anyone else touches him in these areas.;
Most dogs are sensitive when their ears, paws, hind end, or tail are touched.;
The ears are an especially sensitive location for most dogs. Youll need to touch your puppys ears on a regular basis to make him feel comfortable with the sensation. Start off by gently touching your puppys ears. After you do so, praise your pup. Make sure to start slow and do these exercises a couple of times per week for the best results.;
Dont touch all of your pups sensitive locations at once. Work on one area first then slowly integrate other areas when he becomes more comfortable.;
For example, start by desensitizing his ears. After that, desensitize his paws. Once he is fairly comfortable with you touching both locations, you can work on touching his ears and his paws at the same time.;
You can also practice touch-desensitization if you have an older dog but be aware that they might not always react well if they didnt experience this kind of touching when they were puppies. Over time, they will learn to trust you and begin to feel more comfortable being touched this way.
Puppy Pads Versus Crate Training
Some people swear by puppy pads and others by crate training. I prefer the best heavy duty dog crate for many reasons.
Puppy pads are a hard habit to break. Once you remove the pad from your dog and demand they go outside, they often retreat to other carpeted areas to replace the missing pad.
With crate training, dogs love tight spaces and an area that feels like theirs. They can use the crate while youre at work or at night.
There are many instances in their life when they need to be confined to a small space. Dont worry, they will love their cage.
Every dog owner needs a good enclosure. When youre mopping the floors or there is company that is not dog-friendly, you have a lovely space for them. Plus, during the potty-training phase, most dogs wont use the restroom where they sleep. It’s a win-win for both owner and pet.
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Best Cleaner For Dog Ears
If your pup has chronic ear infections, a medicated ear cleaning solution may be in order. According to Dr. Wooten, these cleaners typically act to dry out and acidify the ear canal, which keeps infection at bay. Though these are available over-the-counter, your veterinarian is the best source to ensure the safety of your pet.
Consider speaking with them about trying one of the following best-selling dog ear cleaning solutions:
Zymox Otic Pet Ear Treatment with Hydrocortisone
$21.99
How To Clean Dog Ears With Vinegar And Other Ways
Cleaning your dogs ears is an essential part of canine care. It is very important to regularly check the condition of your dogs ears.
Most dogs naturally have healthy ears and never need ear cleaning in their lifetime. On the other hand, some breeds of dogs with long hair are at high risk of ear infection and require regular ear cleaning to prevent ear infections. If you are uncertain if your dog needs their ears cleaned consult with your veterinarian to help you decide if your dogs ears need to be cleaned.
If your dog regularly visits a professional groomer, make sure their ears are cleaned there. If you want to clean your dogs ears at home, you should know the ear cleaning procedure and other important aspects. Read the article below and learn how you can clean your dogs ears.
How to clean your dogs ears with vinegar?
So you want to save on buying sometimes expensive dog-specific ear cleaners? Vinegar can also be used to clean the dogs ear. This is how you can use vinegar
Some vets recommend a 10% ear cleaning solution because if it is too strong, it will sting, and the dog will start scratching his ear.
Do not save the solution for later use, as you make the solution, use it only on time
Vinegar has a lot of benefits. It can help to remove the extra wax to decrease ear infection. As the solution is acidic, it will kill a lot of harmful bacteria.;
How to clean your dog ears?
Equipment needed
Recommended procedure to clean a dogs ears:
Procedure
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How Often To Clean Your Golden Retrievers Ears
If your golden retrievers ears are in excellent health, then you can clean their ears once a month, but if they are suffering from an ear infection, then you should clean their ears more often, for example, 1-3 times a week to fight off the infections and keep their ears clear.
As stated above, it really highly depends on the condition of your dogs ears, the environment theyre staying in, and the weather, actually. This is why its usually quite hard to just give one simple answer because nothing is ever this simple.
Let me give you an example; a dog that lives in a city with dry weather, spends most of their time away from the water, and usually plays in clean places will definitely not needs to have their ears cleaned as a dog that lives somewhere like Florida where its hot and humid and their ears would quickly have moisture building up in it.
By the way, you can learn how to help your golden retriever stay comfortable anywhere with hot weather here, and I do recommend checking these posts out and they have some very practical and useful tips that will make a difference.
Causes Of Golden Ear Infection
There are many causes for golden retriever ear infections, and its really important to be aware of them, to prevent your dog from getting one, its always better to protect something than to fix it later on. Here are some of the causes
All dogs have a different ear shape, and it changes from a race to another, however, breeds suffer the most from ear infections due to their ear anatomy. The golden retriever is one of the breeds that their ears created a serious problem because they have more angled ears than others.; In other words, their ears trap dirt, moisture, and wax deep in the lower part of the L,; this produces a warm, moist environment for the bacteria to invade and grow nicely in, which leads to yeast and many serious infections.
Dogs are similar to humans, they can also have allergies to some things that may look normal to us, for example, smoking or dust both can lead to infections, in addition, many of the products we bring into our homes may trigger reactions in dogs. Examples include perfumes, cleaning products, and some fabrics, and of course, food can be a reason too, many dogs have allergies to certain food.
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Homemade Dog Ear Solutions That Work
- Pour white vinegar and rub alcohol into a small glass bowl and use the turkey baster to dip into the bowl and put it in your dogs ears
- You can use a combination of olive oil, almond oil, and some natural oils and add a couple of drops to the outside of your dogs ear canal, wait for your pooch to shake their head and if they do not shake their head, you can massage their ears to help spread the oil and just like the other methods use the cotton ball to remove oil and the debris;
- Mix 1 tablespoon of glycerin with 2 tablespoons of boric acid, put it on the cotton ball, and wipe their ear, the glycerin soothes their skin and prevents it from getting too dry, and the boric acid breaks up waxy build-up.
- Mix one part 3% hydrogen peroxidewith one part water, and pour it in your dogs ears and wipe away the debris
- This one is great for floppy-eared dogs, mix cup of water and cup of apple cider vinegar.
You can get
I do not always recommend homemade ear cleansers because some of them can contain some harmful and irritating ingredients but also there are some homemade ear cleansers that do a really good job.
In the end, its up to you. I would recommend going slow and trying the easiest homemade solutions first before moving to the more advanced remedies with hydrogen peroxide and such.
What To Use To Clean Golden Retrievers Ears
For your ear cleaning session, you will need:
- Commercial ear cleaning solution, preferably one that uses natural enzymes.
- Commercial ear cleaning wipes or cotton pads.
- Scissors.
- A small towel.
Before you begin the cleaning process, take your dog outside to play tiring it out will make it more docile. You want easy access to your dogs ears and dont want to alarm or excite it while you clean.
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