How often should I clean my puppy's ears and when is it needed?

You can follow this link to an article by one of our experts that will describe the process. Ear cleaning frequency depends on the dog. Some need it more often than others. https://www.petcoach.co/article/7-steps-to-clean-your-dog-s-ears-properly/

If the ears have never been tested or swabbed at the veterinarian's clinic, then I would recommend having this done. Sometimes there is only a small amount of debris in the ear canals with a mild infection and the ears do not always appear red or inflamed. A small amount of yeast can cause stinky ears. If the ears are clean of infection, then I would recommend using a weekly ear cleaner such as Epi Otic or Zymox otic cleanser. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

I recommend purchasing a dog ear cleaner at your pet store and cleaning the discharge from his ears. Put some cleaner on a cotton ball and massage the fluid into the ear canal. Rub it around to loosen the debris and then wipe it out. Take a dry cotton ball to remove any cleaner left in the ear. I clean ears daily to start, then as the discharge decreases then clean only when needed. If Maxo has ear mites or a severe yeast or bacterial ear infection this will help but specific prescription medication will be more effective. When you can take him in to your veterinarian for an ear exam. They will look at the ear discharge under the microscope to determine the cause of the problem. Then they can give him the right medication. Ear medication often contains a drug to stop the itching as well as something to cure the cause of the infection and that would be more effective than just cleaning his ears. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Maxo.

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! I would avoid alcohol in the ears as it can be irritating and drying. I would use a good ear cleaner instead twice monthly. Below is an example of a good ear cleaner. Have a good day! https://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3307+61+23848&pcatid=23848

That is a mild amount of discharge that can easily cleaned with a some wet cotton (do not use cotton buds) ONLY on the outside of the ear canal (basically the bit you have taken the pics of). You can use a cleaning solution for the ears (Sancerum or Cleanaural) but only once a week or every two weeks. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

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!

Hello. Just watch this for the next few days. We want to be carful putting anything on the ears as your mother dog will probably just lick things clean. If you see it spreading a bit, then wiping the ear 2-3 times a day with a skin antiseptic containing chlorhexidine ( like Hibiclens ) will be fine. Thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.