Here are some hints and tips for applying ear medication to your pet prescribed by your veterinary surgeon.
If you have been advised to use ear cleaner as well, make sure you use this first as it 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 hold 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. It is important to make sure the drops go down the canal.
Massage the ear canal, using your finger and thumb at the base to allow the drops to penetrate further into the horizontal ear canal. You should hear a slight squelchy noise as you are massaging. Your pet will shake their head afterwards and some medication and debris may also be shaken out.
You can clean the outer part of the ear canal using some damp cotton wool to wipe away any excess.
Never use cotton buds in your pets' ears.
If you are applying medication 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 medication please let your local branch of Cinque Ports Vets know as they will be happy to help. Veterinary nurses offer free appointments during which they can apply the medication for you.
Click on the video below to watch how to apply ear drops to your cat.
