Should I Clean Inside My Dog’s Ears?

What could possibly go wrong? Quite a lot actually.

Ear cleaning can be a great way to improve the health of your dog’s ears but it can also cause a lot of harm. Therefore, it’s important to know if it’s the right treatment for your dog.

Here I’m going to help you recognise when ear cleaning is beneficial & when it’s harmful. Everything I say here also applies to cats.

In two weeks I’ll talk about how to do it and what to use.

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Help! My Dog’s Head Is Tilted To One Side

dog head tilt

Some dogs you never forget. They are the ones you know you failed. Like Holly.

She came to me late one night for vestibular disease. And she certainly had all the classic signs:

  • a head tilted to one side
  • loss of balance and inability to walk
  • rapid eye flicking called nystagmus
  • even nausea and vomiting

It had been happening for two years, on and off, and she needed more of her medication. Except she really needed a whole lot more than that.

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Can You Treat A Dog’s Ear Infection Naturally?

natural remedy treatment

If you research home remedies for ear infections you’ll find all these choices…

  • Aloe vera
  • Apple cider vinegar
  • Calendula
  • Chamomile
  • Coconut oil
  • Garlic
  • Grapefruit seed extract
  • Homeopathy
  • Oil of oregano
  • Mullein
  • Witch hazel
  • Yoghurt

The reason there is so much interest in home remedies is simple: dog ear infections can be extremely frustrating. They are common, they keep coming back and they can get very expensive. That’s without even mentioning the discomfort they bring to dogs.

I’m here to tell you that you can stop ear infections. But it’s never easy.

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Why Dogs Get Ear Infections

If your dog suffers from ear infections, then you need to know why they happen. And especially why they keep coming back.

I won’t dumb this down. I will do my best to keep it simple, but the reality of how ear infections happen is complex.

Please stick at it! What comes next may be hard going, but those who reach the end will know more than many professionals. They will also have a clear idea of why some treatments don’t work.

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Total Ear Canal Ablation in Dogs

Remember Fred? Not long ago I told you how he was stolen and recovered 18 months later. This is the story of what happened next.

His path led to a specialist and a procedure called TECA that increasing numbers of dogs are getting. If you have a dog prone to ear infections, you should read this. Not just so you know it’s there if you need it, but also so you can avoid it.

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Preventing Stress, Fear & Scares At The Vet

french bulldog vet

Yesterday: a dog who panics whenever someone touches her feet. The day before: a dog with anxiety about her ears being touched. These dogs are everywhere, but what happened to them?

The answer is something I’ve held back a long time from writing about. It contains criticism of my own profession as well as others. God knows, I’m no saint, and like most vets, I’ve made all these mistakes too. But we’re going to keep making them, so you need to know how to stop them.

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Common Problems Of Dogs, Cats, Rabbits & Chickens

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