My dog's ear is red and painful after plucking. What should I do?

I am afraid, if she is still that irritated, you need to have his ears checked. The groomer could have damaged the ear drum or caused inflammation by not cleaning the ears correctly. If the ear drum was damaged, anything you apply to the ear will cause further damage. If the irritation still there tomorrow, please take Truffle to the vet for an ear exam.

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about Barni. The hair could be causing most of the problem right now. 2 schools of thought on hair in ear canals- leave it alone unless it's causing a problem and the other school of thought is to keep them plucked not matter what. Lots of hair in the ear canal can cause excessive itching and can make ear infections worse. Hair is full of bacteria which can aggravate the problem. Normally wax and secretions are produced in the ear canal and those are normally pushed along to the outside of the ear canal. This is a normal process of the ear cleaning itself. Hair causes an obstruction to this process and can lead to problems. Possible reasons for scratching at the ears can be flea infestation on and around the head, too much hair in the canals, an ear infection (ear mites, yeast, bacteria), or some type of skin infection involving the ears. I would advise a recheck with your vet or another vet if you need a second opinion. Typically when I see ears like this and the history you provided, I advise plucking the ear canals and then evaluating the ear canals for signs of problems. Plucking the hair often times requires some sedation/anesthesia due to pain. If there is a discharge in the ears, that should be examined under a microscope to evaluate for ear mites, yeast, and bacteria. If the ears are just inflamed, this could indicate problems with allergies. Once a diagnosis is made or suspected, a sound treatment plan can be implemented. This may include ear plucking, ear cleaning, ear medication, medicine for pain/inflammation, etc. I hope this helps. Good luck with Barni.

I would be concerned that the concentration of vinegar may worsen things or burn the ear. If the ear is still red you can try a commercial ear cleaner from a local pet store that is safe to use in the ears and see if that helps. If the ear stays red or is very bothersome to Daisy, I would have it looked at by your vet to rule out issues such as infection or allergies that may require a prescription medication to treat.

I think most veterinarians would agree that if the ear canals are fine and not infected they should be left alone and not plucked. However, if there is a problem with wax buildup and infection then plucking can be done to help facilitate cleaning and the application of medications. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Hi and thanks for posting. Yes, Theo's ear is very red and appears to have a good amount of debris in there as well. Ear infections can and are indeed painful. I would wait to clean it until your veterinarian has examined the ear. Your vet will need to ensure his tympanic membrane (ear drums) are intact before using any kind of cleaner in the ear. A sample of the debris in his ear will be taken to determine what is causing the infection so it can be treated most effectively.

He will be fine. You’ve already applied the medication so don’t clean it as you may break the scab and start it bleeding again. This is a common injury and it will heal in a few days to a week. I recommend using clippers rather than scissors to trim the fur as it’s safer. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Max.

If she will allow, use an ear cleaner, such as Epi-Otic, to clean the ear(s). Place an e-collar (cone) on her to prevent pawing or rubbing until she sees the doctor. Other medications, even OTC ones, cannot be legally recommended without a physical exam. They may also be the incorrect medication to treat whatever the underlying cause may be.