Cleaning Your Dog's Ears
One of the most common sources for dog health problems is their ears. Let’s face it… they are moist, warm, dark places, especially in floppy-eared breeds, so they are the perfect breeding ground for bacteria, yeast, and little parasites called ear mites. Paying attention to your dogs ears and keeping them healthy can save you and your dog trouble and suffering down the road.
Before talking about cleaning, let’s start with inspecting the ear. Take a good look at the inside of the outer ear (basically, the visible part). A healthy dog ear should be light pink, clean, and have no dominant foul odor. Granted, dogs may still smell doggy, even at the peak of health, but an ear infection typically will have a very foul smell. Best bet… sniff your dog’s ears regularly! He may give you a funny look at first, but he’ll get used to it. After a visit to the vet where his ears have been given the OK, smell his ears and get an idea of what “normal” smells like. Then, you will be more prepared to recognize any abnormal smells should they arise.
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