As a dog owner myself, I know how difficult it is to clean Chihuahua ears. Unlike other cleaning chores, your Chihuahua’s ears are sensitive, susceptible to infection, and require special attention to keep them healthy.
Although you can always ask your veterinarian to demonstrate how to do it, if you are concerned about damaging or hurting their sensitive ears, here is a complete guide to help you figure out how to clean your Chihuahua’s ears safely and effectively.
So, let’s get started!
5 Tips on How to Clean Chihuahua Ears
1. Get the Right Tools and Equipment
As a general rule, you’ll need the appropriate tools to ensure that the entire cleaning process is safe and effective. And when it comes to Chihuahuas, these sensitive creatures don’t take too long to catch infections; hence, avoid using conventional tools like Q tips that will push the wax further and exacerbate the situation. The best alternative is to rely on a washcloth or dog ear cleaning solution to get the job done.
2. Check for illnesses
This is a crucial step to do before cleaning your dog’s ear. If your dog is suffering from any illnesses, the discomfort might be too overwhelming for your dog to endure. This is due to the fact that poking an infection or tumor can yield excruciating pain.
Here are some of the diseases to look for before cleaning your dog’s ear:
Ear canal tumors
As mentioned earlier, tumors can be highly painful for your dog if probed. Therefore, if you notice lumps or your dog is too afraid to get his ears cleaned, take them to the vet and ensure complete health.
In severe cases, tumors frequently lead to surgery.
Ear canal infections
These are general infections that your dog could be suffering from. This can affect any part of the ear and may lead to more significant issues if not treated promptly.
Ear Dermatitis
This is a condition that affects the outer parts of the ear. Existing infections can cause your Chihuahua to have ear dermatitis, which can worsen over time if not treated. A major symptom of this condition is itching. As a result, you are more likely to observe your dog longing to itch his ears.
3. Choosing the Right Cleaning agent
Unlike human ears, dogs’ have L-shaped ears. This makes it more difficult to reach the bottom and thoroughly clean them. Although standard cleaning solutions bought from the pharmacy may suffice, it’s never a bad idea to cost your vet and ensure you are using only the best.
Here, the optimum time to begin is during bath time, when their ears are more moist than usual, and you can easily get the job done.
4. The Actual Cleaning
Now that you are aware of the fundamentals, it’s time you finally learn how to do the actual cleaning.
Using a cotton pad or gauze, apply a few drops of the solution to the area. You can also soak the cotton ball into the solution by dipping it into the solution.
Pull your chihuahua’s flap back and use the cotton to clean the inner and outer ear. Get right in there, but don’t go too far as you may end up hurting your chihuahua.
Once you are done cleaning, allow the dog to shake off the excess dirt and solution out of his ear. Remember, as their ears are sensitive, you should avoid using a firm hand or harsh chemicals that aggravate the wax situation.
5. Massage
In general, cleaning ears can be quite unpleasant if not painful most dogs. Therefore, please give them a good massage at the base of the ear for about 30 minutes to make sure all the muck has risen to the top. After that, go over with a clean cotton ball/pad and clean the inner ear again.
In situations where your dog has an infection, most vets recommend you squirt the cleaning solution directly into the ear rather than using a cotton ball.
How Often You Should Clean Your Chihuahua’s Ears
The good news is that your chihuahua’s ears require relatively less maintenance than most other dogs out there. This is because their pointed ears allow maximum ventilation, which keeps your dog’s ear healthy and clean at all times.
It would help if you aimed to clean their ears at least once a month, along with regular vet checkups to make sure they aren’t infected. This way, you’ll be better prepared to combat any health issues before they take hold of your dog and become difficult to tackle.
What Not to Use in Your Chihuahua’s Ears
As your Chihuahuas are incredibly sensitive, you need to be aware of the things that might harm their ears. Therefore, watch out for the following ingredients in your cleaning solutions:
- Rubbing Alcohol: Alcohol, in general, is one of the most drying ingredients in cleaning solutions. Using it will not only be painful but also dries out their ears in the long run.
- Hydrogen Peroxide: Like with rubbing alcohol, Hydrogen Peroxide is also one of the strongest ingredients added to cleaning solutions. Make sure to consult your vet before using a solution containing it.
- Cotton Swabs/Q Tips: As said previously, these Q Tips can harm their sensitive skin and push the wax back in, making the problem worse than before.
Conclusion
To ensure proper physical hygiene of your pet, it’s important to clean their ears from the inside now and again. However, since it’s a sensitive area of the body, care has to be taken while cleaning or washing it. Overall, it’s good to know that your dog’s ears might be prone to infection. While cleaning is a vital aspect of prevention, you should always look for potential symptoms that can indicate serious health conditions. These symptoms include redness, loss of hair near the ear, scratching, and pus.
If you notice any of these, consult the vet immediately and treat it right away.
