Question 1

What is the best way to clean my dog's ears?

Accepted Answer

For regular upkeep, I put a few drops of a dog ear cleaner on a fresh wipe, lift the ear flap, and wipe only what I can see, then use a new wipe for the other ear. No cotton swabs and nothing deep in the canal.

Question 2

How often should you clean your dog's ears?

Accepted Answer

I clean whenever I notice a musky smell, plus every bath, which is every two weeks for us. The cleaner I use suggests two to three times a week. Dogs with floppy ears may need it more often.

Question 3

How do you get brown gunk out of a dog's ear?

Accepted Answer

A little light brown wax wipes right off with a cleaner on a wipe. If there's a lot of dark brown gunk, it keeps coming back, or there's a bad smell, I'd have a vet look before cleaning, because that can be a sign of an infection or mites.

Question 4

What can I use if I don't have dog ear cleaner?

Accepted Answer

I always use a cleaner made for dogs, and I'd ask your vet before using anything else. Some home remedies can irritate the ear, especially if there's already a problem.

Question 5

What home remedy can I use to clean my dog's ears?

Accepted Answer

I don't use home remedies for my dogs' ears. A bottle of dog ear cleaner is about $13 and lasts a long time even with three dogs, so it's not worth the risk to me.

Question 6

How do you clean a dog's ears when they hate it?

Accepted Answer

Go slow and keep it short. My youngest hates it, so I kiss him and praise him the whole time, and with my 14-year-old I just go extra gently. I don't use treats anymore because they were making my dogs gain weight.

Question 7

Can I use cotton swabs to clean my dog's ears?

Accepted Answer

No. The TropiClean label specifically says not to, and swabs can push wax deeper. I use a wipe wrapped around my finger and only clean what I can see.

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