Ear plucking?

[Traceyred]

Has anybody got any advice on ear plucking please?

Basically, Charlie developed ear infections in both ears. I'd noticed they were smelly and he kept shaking his head. The vet has given me some drops and I've been having a major problem getting them in his ear. He very nearly bit the vet when she looked in his ears and she had to muzzle him. He's been very close to biting me during my attempts of getting the drops in. He really hates it but I've just about managed to do it whilst distracting him with treats.

Charlie's inner ear is very hairy and I've read on the internet that these should be plucked regularly. I've therefore gone ahead and bought a set of special tweezers, some ear plucking powder and also some ear cleaner. I've not even tried to do it yet, as I want to make sure that all infection has gone first, but does anybody have any tips on how to do this? If he's anything like he has been having drops in then I am going to have a great deal of difficulty!!!

Thanks in advance!

[junip1977]

Sorry Tracey, I have never heard of this, but it seems kind of difficult.  Maybe someone else on here will have some ideas!!

By the way, I love your saying on the bottom of your profile! :-)

[Auburn9]

I leave that to the groomer, he always does Ava's ears.  Nice and clean when she comes home.

[ellietoo]

You need to get the infection out of the ears before you do too much more to the ears. You need help holding him as those ear infections are very painful. That is why he is biting and giving you such a hard time. Try wrapping him good and tight in a small blanket so only his head is sticking out. Try to get the medication down into the ear canal past the hair so the medication can go deep into the canal. Then kind of rub the outside of the ear canal to work the liquid down into the canal. Dogs have long ear canals. The hair is a real problem because it keeps dampness in the ear canal and a fungus starts growing. It is a nasty smelly painful thing. We used to have a yellow lab with the problem. Most long haired dogs have fur in their ears. You have what you need to do the job once he is out of pain you can start plucking. I would not take him to a groomer until the ear infection is gone. If you give him a bath make sure water does not roll into his ears and make sure you dry them out good with cotton swabs and cotton balls.

[raleysmom]

You need to get the infection out of the ears before you do too much more to the ears. You need help holding him as those ear infections are very painful. That is why he is biting and giving you such a hard time. Try wrapping him good and tight in a small blanket so only his head is sticking out. Try to get the medication down into the ear canal past the hair so the medication can go deep into the canal. Then kind of rub the outside of the ear canal to work the liquid down into the canal. Dogs have long ear canals. The hair is a real problem because it keeps dampness in the ear canal and a fungus starts growing. It is a nasty smelly painful thing. We used to have a yellow lab with the problem. Most long haired dogs have fur in their ears. You have what you need to do the job once he is out of pain you can start plucking. I would not take him to a groomer until the ear infection is gone. If you give him a bath make sure water does not roll into his ears and make sure you dry them out good with cotton swabs and cotton balls.

Excellent advice!!  After the infection is gone, if you use the powder designed for plucking, you can actually use your fingers--its pretty quick and easy!

[Traceyred]

Thanks for the advice. I'm pleased to say that the drops have completely cleared up the infection so they're no longer red and there's no smell any more.

Now I just need to tackle getting all that hair out - I hope it's as easy as it sounds! Will let you know how I get on.

[ellietoo]

Hope all goes well. You need to keep up with the drops as that type of infection can come back. It's going to take some time and clean dry ears to keep your puppies ears fungus free. It really is not painful for the dog to pluck the ears the ears are infection free.

[mandy15]

I do what Auburn does with Ava. I take her to the groomers and she does it.

[Ann]

Yes my groomer does it too but when I wash Toby myself I always pluck his ears. I also agree that you need to wait until he is all better after all if you have ever had an ear ache yourself you would want anyone pull hairs form you. LOL

[KateB]

Good luck! I hope the plucking goes/went well and the infections don't come back!!
Just wondering if anyone knows if dogs can get ear wax?? One day Charlie had a little bit of build up in one ear and it looked just like ear wax, there wasn't much there and I just wiped it out with a cloth as it was just at the opening, but wasn't exactly sure what it was... We clean his ears regularly with solution but this ear gets red and he scratches at it quite a bit sometimes. It doesn't smell and vet said no infections but once he scratched so hard it bled a little bit

[ellietoo]

Good luck! I hope the plucking goes/went well and the infections don't come back!!
Just wondering if anyone knows if dogs can get ear wax?? One day Charlie had a little bit of build up in one ear and it looked just like ear wax, there wasn't much there and I just wiped it out with a cloth as it was just at the opening, but wasn't exactly sure what it was... We clean his ears regularly with solution but this ear gets red and he scratches at it quite a bit sometimes. It doesn't smell and vet said no infections but once he scratched so hard it bled a little bit

When they get a fungus infection they have a brown mucky like build up in the ear. It starts out small and just gets to be more and more. Don't know what would have been in Charlie's ear as a normal dog ear is clean and has no residue. Just keep them dry. If you give him a bath make sure no water goes directly into the ear and dry them out real well when your done. Dogs with floppy ears like these dogs tend to have more problems with their ears as air does not circulate in them as well as a dog with upright ears.

[mandy15]

This solution I put in Angel's ears said that it is to keep the wax from building up in their ears. So I guess they can get ear wax. Then theirs a cream and it said to rub in their ears and keep it their so the ear wax don't build up. I haven't used the cream yet. I got this at Petsmart.

[ellietoo]

I really think that the "ear wax" they are talking about is the stuff that forms because of dampness in the ear. Dog ears should not have a build up of anything if they are healthy. Floppy ears stay damp easily and do need to be kept clean, clear and dry in case there is any irritation. Ear mites can also cause a build up of brown icky stuff as well. The main reason the ear hair in little long haired dogs needs to be plucked is because it helps hold dampness inside the ear.

[raleysmom]

I really think that the "ear wax" they are talking about is the stuff that forms because of dampness in the ear. Dog ears should not have a build up of anything if they are healthy. Floppy ears stay damp easily and do need to be kept clean, clear and dry in case there is any irritation. Ear mites can also cause a build up of brown icky stuff as well. The main reason the ear hair in little long haired dogs needs to be plucked is because it helps hold dampness inside the ear.

I agree. 

[mandy15]

What causes their ears to itch so bad if it isn't a ear infection? Does that brown fungus make them itch. Angel's ears are clean I think, but she itches them alot every once in a awhile. Maybe she has itching skin around her ears.