Helpful Tips to Keep Your Golden Retriever's Ears Healthy

Cleaning the ears of your Golden Retriever should be part of their general care. This breed has long, heavy, floppy ears that hang down and which may prevent the ear canal from receiving air. This keeps the inner ear warm, moist, and receptive to yeast and bacteria. Aside from ear infections, mites, wax, and debris are also some common ear issues experienced by this breed. If not treated, chronic ear conditions can develop and may result to deafness. Ear cleaning can be easily carried out by pet owners, and can help to reduce the risk of your pet developing ear problems and maintain good ear health.

Dog Ear Infections and Mites

Otitis is another term for ear infection. It can present in many ways depending on the type of ear infection. Signs of problems include inflammation, your dog's ear may be reddish in color, warm when touched, contain puss, scabs, or have a foul odor. Your pet may scratch at either one or both ears, or shake their head excessively. Frequent scratching can cause a blood vessel to rupture, which may result in hematoma or blood-filled swelling. When examining your pets ear's look for any ear mites before cleaning. Although ear mites themselves may not be visible, signs of ear mites include a crusty and dark discharge within the ear which has the appearance of coffee ground. Your veterinarian can confirm the presence of mites using a magnifying instrument called an ostoscope which allows them to visually examine the auditory canal and eardrum. If you suspect that your pet may have mites, segregate them from other household pets to avoid any spreading and call your veterinarian.

Preventive Dog Ear Care

Try to check your dog's ears regularly, ideally once a week. Start by examining both the outer and inner ear for signs of problems such as odor, discharge, redness or other signs of infection. Before cleaning your dog's ear, gather any supplies such as a bag of cotton balls and a commercial ear cleaning solution. You can also make your own solution by mixing white vinegar and witch hazel in equal parts. Apply the solution to the cotton ball and clean the inner ear surface. Do not attempt to move deeply into the ear canal as this may cause damage to the eardrum. Another preventative measure for Golden Retriever ear health is by protecting your pet against outdoor pests. Apply flea and tick products to your pet's skin to prevent tick diseases and other pest infested problems. Try to keep you pet away from areas where foxtails grow, as these may fall from the plant and attach themselves to your pet including lodging and damaging your pet's ear.

Treating Ear Problems

If your Golden Retriever does show signs of an ear infection immediate treatment should be administered. If not treated an outer ear infection can spread to the middle ear resulting in a more serious infection. Your veterinarian will thoroughly clean the ear and administer any medication and provide you with instructions for follow up treatments at home. By taking preventive measures, pet owners can keep theirGolden Retriever problem-free, healthy, and happy.