Selecting a Safe and Natural Dog Ear Cleaner

Selecting a safe and natural dog ear cleaner isn’t as complicated as you may think. Don’t be fooled by all those fancy colorful bottles you find at high end dog boutiques, pet stores and veterinarian offices. Those products cost a handful and chances are will do your dog more harm than good. Luckily you’ve stumbled on this article because I have some great natural alternatives you can try. I’ll give you some easy dog ear cleaning solution ideas that will keep your dog’s ears fresh and clean the natural way.

How often do you hear of dogs with frequent ear problems coupled with visits to the vet? The problem is becoming more common. Dog owners usually end up with a nasty vet bill along with some form of ear drop solution in a white paper bag. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not talking about those instances where your poor pet has severe inflammation and irritation of his ear with smelly brownish flaky discharge sprinkling your carpet. In this case you MUST see your veterinarian quickly because your dog might have some sort of ear infection, allergy or skin problem that might need some dear attention. I’m more concerned with your regular routine for cleaning dogs ears – general maintenance. Every so often the guilty party isn’t necessarily a bug or infection or food allergy but the overuse of that little liquid bottle.

Easy Does it with the Dog Ear Cleaner

More often than not, regular puppy ear problems are due to over cleaning his ears with a dog cleaning solution. You see the more you clean the more you disrupt the delicate balance of flora and microorganisms that live in your dog’s ear. Logically you would think that regularly cleaning your dog’s ears is a good thing, but it’s not. Quite the opposite. When you clean your dog’s ears you are removing the waxy buildup that protects his ear canal from infections and such. So by removing it with a dog ear cleaner you’re actually inviting more bugs to hang around because that protective barrier is gone. On top of that, the dog’s ears start to release a surplus of wax created by the intrusion and irritation of frequent cleanings which might create a host of other problems.

You’re wondering how often you should clean your dog’s ears? Seldom, if you have a healthy dog. Routine ear cleaning isn’t necessary when your dog is in top shape with a healthy solid immune system. An occasional cleaning to moderate waxy buildup is normal and recommended to keep the ear system in good running condition.

We highly suggest that you clean your companion’s ears only on a when-you-see-fit basis. I can’t tell you to do it once a month because your individual dog might not require such frequent treatment. Get familiar with his ears and routinely inspect them for changes in smell, color and discharge. This will help you determine what’s more appropriate. Your dog really doesn’t want you to be poking around more than needed.

So if we have a healthy companion we clean as needed. Aside from that, all we need is a good dog ear cleaning solution – Read on!

Two Dog Ear Cleaner Options

You can purchase a good quality natural dog ear wash, or you can make your own dog ear cleaner with some simple ingredients. Either one will get the job done in a safe natural way. It all depends on which option you prefer.

Option One: Natural Dog Ear Wash Products

Remember to do your own research so that you can select a product that works best for you and your companion’s specific needs. One of the products I suggest is Cloud Nine: Herbal Ear Wash from Halo. It’s a gentle formula with several quality essential oils in a Witch Hazel base that will refresh your dog’s ears in no time.

Another good bet would be Ear Dr. which is an olive oil based dog ear cleaner by Native Remedies. Ear Dr. is high quality pharmaceutical grade and is a 100% natural herbal product that is gentle on your dog’s ears. It has a nice mix of essential oils that won’t irritate the delicate ears. A little reminder, clean your dogs ears only when needed for best results and a happy healthy dog.

I want to note that I don’t favor dog ear cleaners that come in a cream or powder formula. Because of their consistency they might not get properly expelled by the body and can build up in the ear, creating more problems.

There are many other natural safe formulas for cleaning dogs ears on the market. Look for natural herbal oil and/or liquid-based products that have the least amount of ingredients. Your dog will ultimately tell you if he likes it or not, so test it out first.

Stay away from those dog ear washes that contain unpronounceable chemicals and alcohols because they might irritate your dogs lovely ears. Most of the time these formulas are way too strong and can damage/injure your pet.

Option Two: DIY Dog Ear Cleaning

If you want clean dog ears there are many DIY easy dog ear cleaner recipes that are safe and effective and won’t cost you much. You’ll find some of the ingredients at home. Others you’ll easily find at your local health food store. Here’s a host of simple solutions and herbal alternatives you can try with your dog.

Our #1 HBD Recommended Solution is:

1 tsp. of Apple Cider vinegar to a 1/2 cup of distilled warm water using a dropper. Apple Cider vinegar helps restore the natural balance inside your dog’s ear.

Here are some great Herbal recommendations that are gentle and safe to clean dog ears. Look for organic essential oils and base oils. You get all the benefits without any chemicals or pesticides.

Niaouli Essential Oil – it helps with ailments including aches and pains, respiratory conditions, cuts and infections. Niaouli is sometimes less irritating than Tea Tree Oil. Dilute the essential oil by adding 1-2 drops to 5 ml of a warm base oil such as extra virgin olive or almond oil.

Aloe Vera Gel – If you have dogs and children in the house you need to have this wonderful little product in your medicine cabinet. Aloe Vera is wonderful for painful, sensitive and slightly irritated ears. 1 teaspoon of Aloe Vera gel into each ear works wonders.

Almond Oil – 1/2 teaspoon of warm oil into each ear should do the trick to help loosen any dirt and wax buildup. Almond oil is soothing and gentle on skin. Your dog will like it.

Green Tea – I know you might be wondering “Wow! Not only is green tea so good for drinking but it can also clean and soothe my dog’s ears? Awesome!” If you’re going to use this method I highly suggest you clean your dog’s ears with some Almond Oil first, then follow with the green tea. This method is wonderful for ears that are producing mostly dark and smelly materials. Make sure you purchase a high quality green tea. Not Lipton or Nestle or any commercial brand like that. We buy our green tea at the Asian market where they have a large selection. We love Maeda-en loose leaf Sen-cha green tea and we’ve been drinking it forever. Take one small rounded teaspoon of loose leaf tea and steep in boiling water for about 10 minutes or so. Drain and let the tea infused water cool down slightly and you can flush your dog’s ears.

Quick Easy Steps for Efficient Dog Ear Cleaning

Happily ask your dog to come to you and let him smell the ear cleaning solution and cotton gauze pads so that it gives him an idea of what you guys are going to do.

We always give Halle a nice soft massage just before we start followed by heavy praise or treats, even a quick burst of playtime whenever possible.

Take your preferred ear cleaning solution and administer the liquid into the ear carefully. Make sure you are holding your dog’s head relatively close to you. Be swift, because your dog will want to instinctively shake his head which is quite normal. I too would freak out a bit if someone was pouring something into my ears. Be very compassionate. Vish and I always do this a ‘deux’. Once the liquid is in, quickly close the ear flap and begin to massage. Give the ear a nice soft massage for maybe 15 to 30 seconds depending on the need, holding at the base of the ear, you should hear a squishy sound, that’s normal. You want squish!

“Can I be honest? These are all great ideas but I truly DON’T enjoy getting my ears cleaned! There… I said it!” } Halle

Remember to highly praise your companion for being such a good sport. We like to keep high value treats handy at all times so the dog associates ear cleaning with tasty reinforcers. If your dog doesn’t seem to want any treats during the cleaning, wait until there’s a break between ears or at the end of the session to praise and treat. Some dogs get extra focused on the task and want to be done with it rather than digest a goody during cleaning. Positive associations for the dog will simplify the process with time.

Once you’re done washing, allow your dog to shake to his hearts content and lightly remove any expelled dirt, and excess liquid ever so gently with a rectangle or square cotton gauze sponge. You can purchase them at any pharmacy for a couple of bucks.

A word of caution, never use Q-tips or cotton balls they are way too harsh and might cause ruptures, lesions and can cause permanent damage to the ear canal.

And you’re done!

Again – lotsa treats with loving praise and petting too! Your dog might want to run around, shake his head and rub his ears on the ground so be prepared for some ultimate cuteness once the cleaning session is over.

You can also use homeopathic solutions, washes and treatments available for cleaning dog’s ears. We recommend you see a specialized homeopath practitioner who will evaluate your dog’s needs and specific condition and offer a personalized ear cleaning plan.

Once you’ve selected your preferred ear cleaning method take good care of your companion’s ears and clean only as needed to avoid unnecessary problems. I’m sure you’ll enjoy using some of the above natural ear cleaning solutions. They are safe and get the job done without fuss. I want to thank Tammi and Rob who inspired this article. May you and Gracie enjoy many happy ear cleaning moments!

So what’s your favorite dog ear cleaner? Do share in the comments below:

Tagged as: clean dog ears, Cleaning dogs ears, Dog ear cleaner, dog ear cleaning solution, dog ear wash