Pet Ear Irrigation

Step 1: Gather your pet’s ear cleaning equipment

Some pets require medicated ear cleaner, but if your four-legged friend’s ears are just a little dirty and need a quick wipe down, an over-the-counter ear cleaner designed for pets will suffice. Keep cotton balls or gauze on hand to help remove debris.

Step 2: Have your pet sit or a family member hold them

Some pets may become anxious when they see a bottle of ear cleaner, so enlist the assistance of a family member to hold them if necessary.

Step 3: Acclimate your pet to the ear cleaner solution

Instead of dumping the ear cleaner from the bottle into your pet’s ear, gently introduce them to ear cleaning by squirting some on a cotton ball and wiping out their ear with the damp cotton ball. However, pets who are prone to ear infections will most likely require a deeper flush, which will necessitate a squirt or two of ear cleaner deep in the canal.

Step 4: Massage the ear cleaner into your pet’s ear to break up debris

Massage the ear base for 20 to 30 seconds after applying the ear cleaner to the ear canal. This aids in breaking up the difficult-to-reach debris deep within the ear.

Step 5: Wipe out the cleaner and the debris

Allow your pet to shake their ears first – there’s a good chance a lot of debris will come out at this point! Then, using cotton balls or gauze, clean out your pet’s ears completely. Cotton balls and gauze wrapped around your finger are effective for reaching the base of the ear canal and cleaning out the folds in the ear flap.