Here are some hints and tips for cleaning your pet's ears using an ear cleaner.
Vets often advise ear cleaner to be used first before administering ear drops as this will help the medication work more effectively.
It can be helpful to have an extra pair of hands to help hold your pet.
Gently, but firmly hold your pet's head and in the other hand gently pull the ear pinna (flap) upwards to open the ear canal as much as possible.
Hold the bottle in your other hand and apply the advised number of drops directly into the vertical (outer) ear canal.
Massage the ear canal, using your finger and thumb at the base to allow the cleaner to penetrate further into the horizontal ear canal. You should hear a slight squelchy noise as you are massaging. Massaging ear cleaner will enable any wax or debris to come to the surface from the base of the canal.
You can clean the outer part of the ear canal using some damp cotton wool. This will wipe away any excess debris. Never use cotton buds in your pets' ears. Your pet will shake their head afterwards and some cleaner and debris may also be shaken out.
If you are applying cleaner to both ears it is important to keep cross contamination to a minimum and the nozzle should be cleaned between applications.
If you have any difficulty applying the cleaner please let your local branch of Cinque Ports Vets know and they will be happy to help advise accordingly.
Click on the video below to see how to apply ear cleaner to your cat.
