[AgilityIG]

Is the vin/alc mix better than getting an "ear cleaner"? Do you fill the ear up and let them shake it out?? I've been using these "ear wipes" but I don't think they can really get it all since they can only go where my fingers can! Been looking for a good gentle but get the job done ear cleaner

I love the Vinegar/Alcohol mixture. I would not use it if Vinnie's ears were sore. The ONE time he had an infection (my fault - forgot the cotton for his ears when bathing and he got water in one ear) I treated the ear for a week and THEN cleaned it.

I don't fill the ear canal - I just soak a cotton ball and use that to clean his ears, then use a dry cotton ball to wip them out.

 

[redcricket]

We do very minimal plucking here, and as far as cleansers, we use Zymox cleanser, and if she seems to get smelly, itchy ears we use the Zymox drops. So far that method has been working great for us!

 

[giantpoodlekisses]

I just do my own. I use the ear powder for dogs. Just put a little in when he's in my lap and and pull the hairs with my fingers. I don't get every single hair but a pretty good bit, enough to keep things going smoothly.

 

[trj602]

Same here. I just shave the inside of the ears, and keep them clean. No more problems. Ginger used to get them every time her her ears were plucked, so no plucking for her.

What do you use to shave the inside of ears? A human nose/ear hair trimmer?

 

[AgilityIG]

I just use my regular clippers with a 15 blade (usually). Last time I groomed Vinnie, my big clippers were out of comission, so used my Wahl Mini Arco (it has a 30 blade) and that works really well too.

 

[bigredpoodle]

That is how I do it as well. I use the blue ear stuff and find that it works great.. I use a regular 15 to shave the hair around the ear and in the ear itself..

 

[flyingduster]

I also use a 30 on the real 'carpet ears' that mini schnauzers grow... lol!

 

[WonderPup]

I also use a 30 on the real 'carpet ears' that mini schnauzers grow... lol!

Thats a good name for it... LoL.

I'm a plucker as far as client dogs go BUT I don't pluck extra full or extra dirty ears I refer to the vet for that because for the same reason already posted about causing ear infections. I've seen more hairy infected ears than I have seen plucked infected ears. In fact I've never seen a plucked ear get infected from plucking alone, but I know it can happen. I don't do my girls all that often, monthly maybe to keep junk from building up in the ear hair and I never pluck an ear bald if that makes sense. I get whats in the way of air flow only. I have clients complain about it as a matter of fact, I don't pluck enough hair. If you don't like me, go elsewhere

Unless I am for some reason trying to flush one of my own dogs ears I NEVER put ear cleaner down into an ear. I always put it on a cotton ball or swab and clean that way. With the exception perhaps of the ear powder I don't put anything down into an ear that I cannot get back out. No way to get a liquid back out so on a cotton ball it goes. Some probably drips down the ear I suppose but that not the same thing as filling up the ear canal with it.

Ears are one of those subjects though I notice, there are 100 different right answers Kind of like food.

 

[Poodle Lover]

A quick question about Blue Power Ear Treatment. For those who use it, how do you warm it up. The article says to warm up as directed, but I didn't find the directions.

 

[Mj's Legacy]

I have never used ear powder for treatment. I've only used cleaner (epi odic or malceb) and an ear ointment for treatment. Be sure what you are treating, even with products from the doctor it could be the wrong product for the current problem.