Is it safe to use homemade ear cleaner for my dog's sensitive ears?

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your question. I would not recommend formulating your own ear cleaner and instead purchase a commercial ear cleaner. I would recommend using Zymox otic cleanser or Epi Otic ear cleanser. Both of these can be found online quite easily. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further. Please take the time to mark this question as helpful or not as it helps us to improve on the quality of our answers to other pet owners. Thank you kindly!

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

I don't recommend to use peroxide or any other product not tested and proven safe for pets. Instead use a cleaner (vets and pet stores carry these) that is meant for dog ears. These products will generally not overly dry the skin, cause damage to the ear drum (but if the ear drum is ruptured, any products applied in the ear will cause damage) and these products generally condition the skin as well. Here is a helpful link: https://www.petcoach.co/article/ear-infections-otitis-externa-ear-cleaning-in-dogs/ I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additiona questions.

I really like the Douxo Micellar Solution. It is great at breaking up waxy debris in the ears, it is gentle, and safe if the eardrum is not intact. Here is the link to purchase it on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00G3DN3ZW/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1515718924&sr=8-1&keywords=douxo+micellar+solution&dpPl=1&dpID=318m8cDzvCL&ref=plSrch Thank you for using PetCoach!

Yellow discharge is usually related to a bacterial infection and should be ideally treated with antibiotic ear drops, which require a prescription. I would recommend to have Chloe checked by your local vet.

It is probably because it is nearly impossible to make a homemade ear solution that will be 1) Tolerated by your pet and 2) Actually works. I would stick with the manufactured pet specific ear cleaners from your local pet store or vet office. They are relatively affordable and effective, especially the ones through your vet office. Also just note that most pets don't require regular ear cleanings because the ears clean themselves. Also if you are seeing debris and noticing foul odors from Mike's ears then he has an ear infection which will need topical prescription ear medication as well through your veterinarian.

It's best to clean the ears with a product labeled for dogs. This will be appropriately balanced and have components that allow the ear to dry after it is cleaned. You can make your own ear flush at home with sterile saline (can get this in pharmacies) and add a tablespoon of white wine vinegar to a liter of saline. This is not as good, but will at-least help to flush out the debris and help manage yeast infections. Any time there are chronic (long-standing) ear infections I want to ensure that they are not suffering from an allergy. German Shepherds are more prone to allergies than other dogs and this will cause the ear to keep getting infected. It's best to have a veterinarian look at Rusty and see if there are any other signs of allergies. This can be treated with medication. You can definitely use gauze instead of a brush. There are also little finger brushes available that I find easier to use rather than a toothbrush. Make sure you use a dog toothpaste and not one made for people. You can also use baking soda instead.