Tuesday’s Pearl: Cleaning your dog’s or cat’s ears with minimal stress. I often hear from clients that ear cleaning can be a challenge. Here are a few suggestions for making it go just a little more smoothly: 1. First of all, it may not be necessary to clean those ears, or certainly not very often. Some animals produce more cerumen (ear wax) than others. If there is no evidence of infection such as excessive black or brown debris, skin redness, odor, shaking or scratching, it simply may not be necessary to clean the ears other than occasional bathing. Weekly reaming is usually unnecessary in healthy ears. 2. Always have food ready to distract, countercondition or reward your pet for tolerant behavior. If possible, feed *while* working with the ears, rather than waiting until its over. 3. Gentle massage of the opposite ear (as long as it’s not infected or painful!) can be helpful. 4. If your veterinarian recommends monthly, every few weeks or weekly treatment with an ear solution (these are often acidifiers), warm the solution first as you would warm a baby bottle. Do not microwave it, but instead let it sit in a warm water bath before using. Warm ear solution is much nicer than ice cold! 5. Never use cotton swabs like Q-Tips in a dog’s or cat’s ears. 6. One method which can make it a little easier with some animals is to use cotton balls. Pick the kind that are about an inch in diameter (not too small) and soak one for each ear in the warmed solution, then gently place it in the ear canal and massage from the outside to squeeze the solution out. Remember to remove it (almost all will shake the ball out, but it’s important to ensure that the cotton ball is placed loosely and does not go too deeply into the ear canal ). You can then use an optional dry cotton ball to gently soak the excess fluid, but without rubbing, which can irritate the skin. 7. Dogs with a history of biting may need to be treated at the veterinary hospital or gently muzzled. A basket-style muzzle still makes it possible to use food. If youre unsure about the safety of ear treatment, ask your veterinarian for help or schedule regular treatment outpatient visits. If your dog or cat has an ear infection and has to be treated more frequently and with a topical medicine in addition to (or instead of) the cleaner, talk to your veterinarian about the exact sequence, interval and volume (such as number of drops) and ask for a demonstration if you’re unsure. Confirm that any antibiotic, anti-inflammatory or antifungal solution can also be warmed just before use. Your pet will be grateful!https://facebook/ReisnerVetBehavior
Posted on: Wed, 28 May 2014 14:31:28 +0000
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