Doggy Ear Wax

wannabe

wannabe

"Insignificant Other"
I'm hoping that the BARF doggie people can help me on this one. My Lhasa Apso is now 14, and she has developed a major ear wax buildup issue in her left ear. I've taken her to the vet a number of times now. After treating for an ear infection each time, the problem comes back almost every month. My vet says that it just sometimes happens when dogs get old, and I should get used to the idea that I may just need to bring her back to the vet to get her ear cleaned every month. I've tried using the ear cleaning drops and the prescription ear drops that the vet gave me. I've just settled into the idea that I'm gonna have to pull out the giant ball of was in her left ear every couple of weeks. I'm kinda tired of paying the vet to do it. I'd like to learn how to do it myself.

Has anyone else had this issue with their dog? Do you have any recommendations on how to clean out HUGE balls of wax from your dog's ear? The issue is that it's all clumped into the hairs too, so I can't just pull it out easily. Does it hurt the dog when you pull out their ear hairs?
 
lizard

lizard

Well-known member
See my avatar? Same problem. Big chunks of dark red wax.

Its been almost 15 years but I recall I used a green colored fluid that came in a bottle - ask your vet for the brand.

I would squirt the fluid into one ear. My beloved would shake his head. Wax would fly all over the place sometimes hitting me in the eye. Then I would drench a cotton ball with the fluid and use my finger to clean out his ear. Repeat a few times. Then I would take a Q-Tip and clean out what the cotton ball or head shaking could not clean out.

Then I would do the other ear.

As I recall it was a weekly routine. Worked really well.

Let me know if you want tips on teeth cleaning. I had two rotts. When they were 8-9 my vet said they had the teeth of a two year old. I’m very proud of that.

Bless your heart for being a dog lover. You are the best!
 
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wannabe

wannabe

"Insignificant Other"
I at least feel better that the stuff is just black ear wax according to this chart.

Lizard: I tried the drops. The wax ball is impacted in the ear and stuck in her ear hair, and there is too much in there for the drops to do anything.

bba73b417c6e36120335bfe051779690.jpg
 
wannabe

wannabe

"Insignificant Other"
lizard said:
Let me know if you want tips on teeth cleaning. I had two rotts. When they were 8-9 my vet said they had the teeth of a two year old. I’m very proud of that.

!
Click to expand...


A bit too late for the teeth cleaning. She doesn't have any left. The vets pulled out what she had left a couple years back.

The funny thing is that the COVID restrictions have forced to me to learn how to do some grooming myself. I still suck at it, but I'm getting better.
 
sasquatch

sasquatch

Well-known member
I use Epi-Otic ear cleaning solution on my dog every time after going into the water to prevent infection.
 
afm199

afm199

Well-known member
I clean Streak's ears about once a month. Hit with ear drops, get smacked by her flopping ears, then wait a couple minutes and use some Q tips. She's pretty good about it.
 
wannabe

wannabe

"Insignificant Other"
Thanks everyone. I've settled into the idea that I now need to clean my dog's left ear weekly so that it doesn't get bad, but for now, I need to figure out a way to clean out the thick wax plug that's stuck in her ear. No amount of cleaner can get it out.

After doing some research, I think that the vet is using some sort of irrigation/suction machine to get the wax out. It makes sense because her ear always seem wet every time I have the vet clean it out.


youtu.be/3A-4BLFalbI
 
GPzPop

GPzPop

Ask me about my B-1-D
my Otto is lhaso apso also,
he also seemed to get ear infections on the regular but has been good for a while now , knock on wood

idk about ear wax but i will be on look out for it
 
Free_Bird

Free_Bird

Highways
One Dog developed a severe ear infection. It took daily cleaning sessions for a Month. Using warm diluted Antimicrobial ear cleanser. Multiple washings until the smelly ear dirt is removed.
Spray into ear. Used a small enema bulb.
Massage the ear.
Let the Dog shake it out.
Repeat until clean.

Nasty smelling ear crap gets everywhere. Do it outside and wash up afterwards.
 
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ucmgrad

ucmgrad

Well-known member
Personally Rebel's (9 year old Beagle) get's dark brown/black waxy buildup in one of his ears (right ear when you look at him). Part of his morning routine before his walk is that I clean it out with a couple q-tips, then drops a few of this solution in his ear and he shakes it out. He's used to it at this point and cries when I don't clean his ear because I give him a treat each time :laughing

s-l225.jpg
 
westie

westie

Its Dethklok!
The ear opens up and goes way down. I use q-tips dipped in the cleaning fluid and go deep. Better than paying a vet trainee to do it.
 
Snaggy

Snaggy

Well-known member
Our breed, Portuguese Water Dog, gets big balls of wax and matted hair blocking the ear canal. Doesn't help they jump in the water every chance.

You can pluck their ear hair. They don't like it, but if you grab a smallish wad and jerk it out rapidly, it doesn't seem to hurt much.

I've also used scissors on the ball to open up some loose ends to work with for plucking.
 
littlebeast

littlebeast

get it while it's easy
my vet does not recommend liquid solutions (may dissolve / loosen wax, but has the propensity to drain liquified / loosened wax further into the ear).

according to him, ear wax forms on the outer portion of the ear and that buildup moves deeper into the ear over time. and the best solution is to clean it from that area before it makes it’s way deeper. he recommends frequent use of cotton swabs to gently remove visible wax buildup. may ultimately require veterinary intervention as some escapes too deep, but with the aforementioned routine maintenance, it can be minimized.
 
Climber

Climber

Well-known member
This is what we use for ear wax removal, it would probably work for dogs. Just warm water. Some people add some baking soda to the warm solution, haven't tried that.

7bb3503179b0ac3fd73ed18fa43d8872.png
 
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