How to safely clean my dog's ears when they have dirt or wax?

There are a number of ear cleaners on the market, both OTC and prescription-based. For heavy wax buildup I like Cerúmenes, which should be available from your vet. I’m not familiar with cases of dogs that have so much wax they need surgery to remove it, so I wonder if your dog actually has recurring ear infections. If this is the case it’s not unusual for them to need deep cleanings under anesthesia. In these cases usually allergies are he underlying cause and these must be controlled in order to get the amount of debris in the ears under control.

Poor Roadie! Dark-colored waxy debris and redness in the ear canal are both common signs of an ear infection. Roadie will need prescription ear meds from your veterinarian to treat this, so I would recommend taking him in today for an exam. In the meantime, if using the cleaning solution seems to make the ear more irritated, I would just leave it alone until you're able to see the vet.

This black, tarry substance is mostly wax and cleansing twice daily with an alcohol free ear cleanser for 5-7 days should help remove this (it will also remove any mites which may be stuck in it). Fill the ear with the solution, rub gently and then wipe away the disolved wax - repeat 3-5 times until ear appears clean; do this twice daily until ear has been thoroughly clean for 2 cleanings and then 1-2 times weekly to prevent build up. Any severe pain, blood or loss of appetite indicates there may be an infection and this would require assessment by a vet to prescribe the correct medicated drops

If the q-tip comes out black, then there is an excess of ear wax and likely an infection. The infection can be caused by bacteria, yeast, or even mites. Ear infections in dogs are very itchy, and often require prescription medications to help clear them quickly and manage the itch. The first step in treating an ear infection is breaking down the large chunks of wax and getting them out of the way so that medications can get to the surface of the ear. I like ear cleaners like Dechra Malacetic Ultra Otic that are antibacterial and antifungal. If you clean Remington's ears twice a day for a couple of days and he is still itching, he will need to go to the vet for prescription medications.

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

It is difficult to tell from the picture but it could just be some discharge from his ear. You could try to clean his ear with an dog ear cleaner and see if it helps. Otherwise, have him examined by a vet to determine if he has an ear infection. Your vet can do a cytology and look at the discharge under a microscope to determine the type of infection and then prescribe medications to treat.

This product is labeled for use in cats and dogs. It should be fine to use unless Ewin has a sensitivity to any of the ingredients. You can dab a drop on the ear and monitor for redness or itching. If nothing appears after an hour or so, you can proceed to clean the ears.