Poodle ears and cheatgrass: How to protect? Does mineral oil help?

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, thanks for using PetCoach! Poor Filio! Chronic otitis is usually a sign of allergies to food or the environment. If she eats mostly a chicken based diet I would change her to a different meat protein like fish, venison, beef or pork. Give it a good 2-3 months and do not offer any other treats or food that isn't the same protein as what is in the food you chose. I would highly recommend a long term medicated ear wash. And only used topical antibiotics and antifungals in the ear when she has an active infection. When there is an active infection I recommend cleaning every other day for 2 weeks and then decreasing slowly in frequency at one month intervals. Dogs with chronic infections should at least have their ears cleaned 1-2 times per week forever. Consider plucking the hair form her ears so there is more air flow through the ears. All that hair traps moisture. If she will not tolerate cotton in her ears then be extra careful with water on her head and around her ears. They also make drying drops. I would also clean her ears more frequently post bath. I hope this helps in some way! https://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=24620 https://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=27611

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.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! You can try putting cotton in his ears to prevent excessive water getting into the canal. The best way is to clean the ears with an ear cleaner with alcohol (not straight alcohol) to dry the water after. Kisses to Tux!

Honestly, I would just leave it alone for 24-48 hours since putting anything in the ears will hurt very much. Ear plucking is commonly done in this type of breed, but you may ask the groomer not to do it in the future. In a day or two, if Shotsie still seems uncomfortable and the ears are still irritated, you can get a pet ear cleaner like Dechra EpiKlean Ear Cleanser - it is balanced, so it won't burn like vinegar would, and will help the ears stay dry. Use the ear cleaner once a day for a couple days. If the ears still look irritated, then Shotsie should be evaluated by a vet for infection or other damage.

Although relatively safe I would recommend using an alcohol free dog ear cleanser which is correctly balanced to help remove wax and help dry the ear also. If painful your dog should be assessed by your vet first to rule out infection or a ruptured ear drum and they can demonstrate safe ear cleaning and preventive care