The health of your dogs’ ears is an essential thing in their life. Even when a dog doesn’t have any ear infection currently, regular ear cleaning using the ear cleaners will prevent bacterial, mites, and yeast from developing in the ear. In this article, you will get the best ear cleaners for your dog currently in the market.
It’s our daily mandate to keep the health of the dog from toes to tips. You are using the glucosamine supplement daily to enhance the dog’s joints health, investing in a good orthopedic bed for pets that is cushy to give your dog a comfortable sleep.
What about your dog’s ears? Are they getting frequent checkups and cleanings? Timely checkups for any ear wax sign in excess and using the best ear cleaners will help stop possible infections on the dog’s ears. Worse infections will also be treated using these dog ear cleaners.
Parts Of Dog Ears
Dogs have different ear shapes, but the structures of the ears are the same.
- The pinna – it’s the outside flap of an ear.
- The Ear canal – it starts just outside an ear and has glands that secrete oil and ear wax.
- Eardrum (tympanic membrane) – an ear canal goes up to the tympanic membrane. It’s a thin tissue that vibrates any time sound waves struck it. It, therefore, generates signals towards the brain, which results in hearing.
- The inner ear: Dogs’ middle ear comes after the eardrum. The inner ear which comes after the eardrum has structures for both balance and hearing.
Ear infections may attack any of the ear parts causing nasty infections and when they access the inner ear will lead to hearing loss, a condition that can either be permanent or temporary, referred to as a vestibular disease. Vestibular dogs lose balance, always crocodile rolling or thrashing because of the infected inner ear. If the condition is resolved, these dogs will regain balance.
How To Select An Ear Cleaner For A Dog
Composition Of The Best Ear Cleaner
Take time to look keenly all options since ear cleaners have similar features.
There are many dog ear cleaners in the market currently and choosing the best might be a problem. Talk to a veterinary officer for guidance before you buy any dog cleaner. If a dog shows any of these signs, then the possibilities of ear infections are high;
- Shaking the head frequently.
- Redness or irritation.
- Ear pawing.
- Foul smell.
- Swelling in the canal.
- Any drainage in the ear.
Always use cleaners first before applying medicine to avoid it being washed away. Ear cleaners treat some conditions like swimmers, pH balance, and wax buildup. Always abide by the vet’s directives.
Ingredients
A good ear cleaner should have high-quality ingredients which won’t irritate the dog. A red canal is an indicator of sensitivity, and chemicals like hydrogen peroxide and alcohol will irritate.
Formula
Many ear cleaners target one specific purpose while others are multipurpose. Multipurpose cleaners will deodorize, dry and clean ears in a single application. Ensure you get the cleaner that will solve the problem at hand.
Wipes vs. liquids
Decide which ear cleaner to go for, either wipe cleaners or liquid cleaners. Wipes will remove debris and dirt from the ear canal’s outer part and the pinna, while liquid cleaners are good for deep ear cleaning.
Ease to use
The best ear cleaner must come with instructions which are easy to interpret without complicated steps to follow.
Top Best Ear Cleaners
When introducing your dog to ear cleaners, ensure it doesn’t have any complications like ear mites and infections that will result in other conditions.
The following are the best dog ear cleaners.
1. Dechra MalAcetic Otic Cleanser
The cleaner has a unique formula for your dog. It has two percent acetic and two percent boric acid that fights all microbes and bacteria. The two acids make ear canals inhospitable for bacteria and fungus without irritating how alcohol and hydrogen peroxide would.
Dechra, an American company, uses quality ingredients to make this product using malAcetic hypoallergenic formula specifically designed to deal with skin sensitivities and allergies. The 16-ounce bottle is used in parking the cleaner. It doesn’t have a pleasant smell.
Advantages
- Veterinarian recommended.
- No irritation to sensitive ears.
- Repels and fights fungus, bacteria, and microbes.
Disadvantages
- It has a bad scent to owners.
2. The EcoEars Natural Cleaner
EcoEars gives natural options with synthetic chemicals and free pharmaceutical ingredients for a dog. The natural formula makes it safe for sensitive skin and all dog allergies, and it leaves a pleasant smell after clearing out wax buildup. The cleaner comes with a 100 percent money-back warranty.
The cleaner has denatured alcohol so that it may irritate the dog’s ears. Keenly watch your dog since some dogs will react to the cleaner’s natural ingredients. Reports show it doesn’t remove debris and dirt.
Advantages
- Has natural formula.
- 100 percent money-back warranty.
- Can work on sensitive skin.
Disadvantages
- Has denatured alcohol.
- It’s not effective in dealing with dirt.
- It can cause allergic reaction.
3. The Miracle Care Ear Powder
It works well for a dog with hairy ear canals like Poodles, Havanese, and poodle mixes. Excess hair growth is a breeding place for bacteria and mites. The hair needs frequent plucking.
Miracle care powder removes hair painlessly and quickly. The powder has silicon dioxide, zinc oxide, rosin, bentonite, and methyl salicylate that, alongside removing the hair, also protect ear canals from bacterial and fungal infections.
On the downside, it doesn’t give actual cleaning, and thus you have to add other cleaners to clean the ear fully.
Advantages
- Hair is removed painlessly.
- Protects bacteria and fungus infections.
Disadvantages
- It’s not a good cleaning product.
- It may be messy when using it.
4. Pet MD Cleaner Wipes
The Pet MD Wipes are alternatives to liquid cleaners. Their formula contains aloe vera oil, eucalyptus with a fine scent. The aloe vera doesn’t irritate ear tissue.
Wipes are disposable after use and also easy to use. Their pleasant formula allows their daily use without drying the dog ears excessively.
The downsides of these wipes is these are thinner and smaller, making it hard to clean the ears well. The wipes at the bottom of the bottle easily saturate with liquids meaning you will squeeze out water first.
Advantages
- Veterinary formula.
- Disposable.
- Works well on irritating ears.
Disadvantages
- Wipes at the bottom of the jar saturate with liquid.
- They are thin and small.
5. Virbac Epi-Otic Cleaner
The cleaner comes in two different versions; the advanced and the regular cleaner. Both of them have low pH that discourages fungus and bacteria from growing in the ear.
The advanced cleaner has salicylic that promotes healthy ear canal drying to prevent pathogens from hanging in the canal. The instructions that come with these cleaners are easy to implement. The cleaners are non-irritating for frequent use.
If a dog has an infection, you will need additional medication. The bottle has an apple-like scent.
Advantages
- Veterinary formula.
- It has two strengths.
- It soothes the ear with regular use.
Disadvantages
- Unpleasant scent.
- Wipes don’t treat infections.
5. Zymox Otic Hydrocortisone Treatment
Zymox octic cleaner works well against fungal, bacterial, and yeast infections. Made in the USA, it has quality products tested and proved to be effective on animals.
The cleaner irritates sensitive ears, and it can over-dry the dog’s ears, which isn’t good. The price is high compared to the quantity parked in the bottle. The cleaner isn’t meant to use for a longer time, so it’s good to read the label first.
Advantages
- Enzymatic cleaner.
- Works well against bacteria, fungus, and yeast.
Disadvantages
- Expensive.
- Irritates sensitive skins.
- Over dry dog ears.
- Not a long-term cleaner.
How To Keep Your Dog’s Ears Healthy
Frequent cleaning using the best ear cleaners for dogs is one way to better ear health. Avoid wetting the head of the dog during baths. You can use a cloth to wash surplus water out of the canal. For dog swimmers, clean the ears thoroughly with a soft towel.
For any dog with hairy ears, the hairs need to be plucked. If the dog is uncomfortable, use a groomer to do it. Use broad-spectrum and high-quality tick and flea preventatives. They will protect ears against mites.
Also Read: My Pet Peed Review – Pro Strength Pet Urine, Stain & Odor Remover
Summary
Never let a veterinary officer to be the one to check the condition of the dog’s ears. Please take it as a personal duty whenever you come in contact with your dog.
It will put you in a position to detect ear problems early for early intervention to avoid severe damage to the ear. Whenever a dog dislikes its ears to be touched, then it means they have a problem.
When you get a good dog cleaner, you will free dogs’ ears from infections, debris, frequent grass blades, and surplus ear wax. Proper care for your dog will make you proud of your pet. Your dog will feel happy to be around you too.