I wouldn't remove any ear hair. It is usually for protection against the elements. Someone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.
I clean Koda's ears only because he had an ear infection at an early age, but I have a suspicion it was from going to Tahoe and then back to the Bay Area. I got one too on that drive. I just keep it up for good measure and because I want him to feel comfortable with it, but I also brush his teeth and clip his nails. Mainly, I don't want him to be head shy at all with me.
Plucking hair from the ear canal in breeds like cocker spaniels and goldens is supposed to improve airflow and assist in keeping the ear dry. However, its more likely to cause inflammation and create an entry for bacteria. With prick eared breeds like ours I would almost certainly say it isn't needed. Using a drying solution to clean the ears every so often should be more than adequate.
IMO, I do not think they need ear cleanings if they are on a good diet and don't have excessive wax production from a food allergy. An exception may be when there is exposure to a dunking in water. (When airplane ears don't help.)
I would not remove hair unless the dog is a long-hair and the combination of soft hair and wax blocks off air flow to the inner ear.
My rule of thumb has always been to "smell the ears" to determine if there are ear issues. That's right, sniff your dog's ears! If you get a yucky smell, time to clean them out and if the smell persists, have the vet check them out. (P.S. I learned the "sniff test" from a vet.)
Just so you feel less alone, sukoshi's mom, I sniff the dogs' ears too. Reilly had terrible infections as a pup before we got her away from wheat and corn (now she gets very few grains at all), but I still keep a close watch... er, nose... on her ears anyway.
We had to clean Reilly's ears a LOT in those days and you know how you fill the canal with fluid and then rub the base of the ear to work it down? My daughter made up an ear cleaning song and dance to be performed when ear cleaning is going on:
"When yer ears get too itchy and you need mediCINE, You put in the drops and then you wiggle it in. (You gotta Wiggle it in!)
WORK it down now!"
the dance is very wiggly and shimmying with a big shake at the end when the dog does. If you are VERY nice to me, perhaps next Meetup I'll teach it to everyone and we can all do it together...
Comments
I clean Koda's ears only because he had an ear infection at an early age, but I have a suspicion it was from going to Tahoe and then back to the Bay Area. I got one too on that drive. I just keep it up for good measure and because I want him to feel comfortable with it, but I also brush his teeth and clip his nails. Mainly, I don't want him to be head shy at all with me.
I would not remove hair unless the dog is a long-hair and the combination of soft hair and wax blocks off air flow to the inner ear.
We had to clean Reilly's ears a LOT in those days and you know how you fill the canal with fluid and then rub the base of the ear to work it down? My daughter made up an ear cleaning song and dance to be performed when ear cleaning is going on:
"When yer ears get too itchy
and you need mediCINE,
You put in the drops
and then you wiggle it in.
(You gotta Wiggle it in!)
WORK it down now!"
the dance is very wiggly and shimmying with a big shake at the end when the dog does. If you are VERY nice to me, perhaps next Meetup I'll teach it to everyone and we can all do it together...
...no?
Ear cleaning song/dance - too funny!
But maybe you should do a video and post it to the forum for future use!
LOL
We'll do the "sniff test". We do need to see a demo of the ear cleaning dance though.