Sometimes we tease our clever pet by saying: ‘What are you doing with your ears? And he just pretends to be completely uninterested in our accusations. And that is perfectly normal. It’s even okay. It’s worse when he stops flapping his furry triangles. And it’s not because he’s become docile, but because of an ear disease.
It’s not often that a cat or a dog needs its ears cleaned, but it’s necessary for at least three reasons:
to remove earwax before a show;
to remove dust and moisture from the ear;
using it as one of the treatments to combat ear mites.
It is recommended to examine the ears of your dog or cat during brushing and if you notice that your pet is constantly flicking, rubbing and scratching its ears. A caring owner should inspect their dog’s or cat’s hearing organs daily and clean them once every two weeks.
Cat Ear Cleaning Procedure
First, put a bottle of oils or paraffin oil in a pot of hot water and wait, until the oil is hot. Never heat the oil in a saucepan as it can overheat and burn the ear. Then lay the cat on a table and, if possible, ask someone to hold it.
It is absolutely not recommended to clean the ears of a cat or dog with water!
Even better than oil are special liquids for this purpose, which can be bought in a pet shop.
With your left hand, hold the cat by the scruff of the neck and turn its head so that the ear is on top. Fill the canal with oil almost to the top and gently massage the base of the ear with your thumb and forefinger to squeeze out the pus.
Use a piece of cotton cloth to absorb the excess oil by dabbing it on your finger. In the meantime, your cat will probably shake its head vigorously, so do the whole procedure on a table that is not afraid of oil drops. Then wipe off any remaining oil and pus with a cotton swab. Apply pressure to all the folds of the ear, but do not press too hard. Finally, add the medication and wipe off the animal’s fur ant its remaining oil drops. If necessary, do the same procedure on the other ear.
Dog ear cleaning procedure
To clean your dog’s ears, you will need a special liquid for cleaning the ears, which you can buy in a pet shop, or a lotion, or vegetable oil, and a simple piece of cotton wool. Do not go deep into the ear. Clean it of sulphur and dust only in the area of the visible folds.
Dogs are particularly affected by poor hygiene, which leads to ear infections. The most commonly affected breeds are Bassets, Spaniels and Setters. Poodles with bolognese can also develop inflammation due to excessive hair on the earlobe. Belgian and German Shepherds are affected because of their long and narrow ear canal.
The most important thing for every owner to remember is that even the smallest parts of their pet’s body can be exposed to a wide range of infections and diseases. To ensure a healthy and long life, any dog or cat, from their older friends and family, should be given the following.