A Golden retriever's ears are one of the most expressive parts of their body. It can be gratifying to see a Golden's ears perk up and his tail wag when he spots you coming up the walk. Unfortunately, the ears are one of the most neglected body parts on a dog. Many Golden retriever owners spend time grooming and brushing their dogs but leave their ears untouched. This is unfortunate since the ears are frequently the site of infections, allergic reactions, and mites. A Golden retriever ear cleaning doesn't have to be a difficult task. Here are some simple guidelines that will make the job quick and easy:
Gather your supplies
To do an effective Golden retriever ear cleaning you need the proper supplies. When you next visit your drugstore, purchase a big bag of cotton balls and a commercial ear cleaning solution. You can make your own ear cleaning solution by mixing witch hazel and white vinegar in equal parts.
Inspect your dog's ears
Lift back your dog's ears and inspect them closely particularly if you've noticed an odor coming from that area. Make sure there's no discharge redness or other signs of infection. If this is the case, call your vet immediately. Also look for the presence of ear mites before beginning the cleaning. Ear mites can cause a thick, dark crusty discharge to develop in a Golden retriever's ears. You may only be able to see the discharge not the actual mites themselves. A veterinarian will be able to see them using an otoscope.
Start the cleaning process
Once you've ruled out infection and ear mites, moisten the cotton ball with your cleaning solution and gently lift your dog's ear back. Use the moistened cotton ball to gently clean the entire inner surface of the ear, stopping to moisten a fresh cotton ball when the first one becomes dirty. Only clean as much of the inner ear surface as you can see. Never attempt to probe deeper into the ear canal using a cotton swab as this can result in injury to the eardrum.
How often should you do a Golden retriever ear cleaning? A visual inspection of the ear canals with a cleaning should be done once a week particularly during the summer months when your dog spends more time outside. This can be done at the same time as your dog's routine grooming. Before starting the cleaning process, make it a practice to do a “sniff test” to check for odors that could indicate an infection or an allergic reaction.
A Golden retriever with clean ears will be a happy Golden retriever. So the next time you groom your Golden, don't forget about the ears!
