You think that cleaning a dog’s ears is easy? Well, you are very wrong! It is one of the things that dog owners struggle to do the most. Dogs can take the risk of living with dirty ears just to avoid cleaning.
There are many ways of cleaning a dog’s ears, and one of them is with Q-tips. Stay with us, and we will show you the 3 best Q-tips for dogs to make your task easier!
AnimoGoods 6 Inch Long Cotton Swabs
Pure and Natural Pet Q-tips
Fabater Cotton Buds
Why you should Clean your Dog Ears
Cleaning the dog’s ears is as important as bathing, brushing, or clipping nails. Even if the dog doesn’t have any health problems, cleaning is recommended.
Regular cleaning can help in preventing infections due to moisture, wax, and debris buildup. Unclean ears are a perfect environment for bacterial and yeast infections. On the other side, dogs naturally accumulate wax, and cleaning will reduce the chances of infections.
Are we forgetting something? The most important thing for tidy pet owners – preventing odor. Please don’t expect that your dog’s ears will smell magnificent, but regular cleaning can reduce the unpleasant odor due to wax and debris accumulation. It will also indirectly reduce the chances of discomfort, pain, scratching, and itching.
Some dogs might need more frequent ear cleaning due to their anatomical characteristics. For example, dog breeds with floppy ears need more frequent cleaning.
3 Best Q-tips for Dogs
Now let’s move to the tools that will help you clean your dog’s ears!
AnimoGoods 6 Inch Long Cotton Swabs
What we like the most: These tips have a longer cotton bud, making it easier to reach every part of the dog’s canal.
This product offers a painless, easy, and rapid cleaning. There is no need for preparation because the product is ready to use.
The cotton buds are soft and gentle and should be handled the same way. Its softness decreases the risk of mucosa damage in the ears. The best thing about this product is that they are 6 inch long making them easier to use than your ordinary q-tips.
Before using make sure to put a cleansing liquid into the dog’s ears and massage the ears for a minute. After that, you can use these cotton buds to remove dirt and secretions.
- Eco-friendly
- Gentle cleaning
- Long for targeted cleaning
- Too long for some breeds
Pure and Natural Pet Q-tips
What we like the most: These Q-tips are made in the USA.
Pure and natural pet leads to detailed cleaning in tight crevices. It is a double-sided swab and the tips are designed for gentle cleaning without any damage to the inner ear. The handle is sturdy to prevent breaking or splintering. It is made with pet-safe and eco-friendly ingredients.
This product comes with a serum that cleans and deodorizes. It also soothes inflammation and reduces irritation and itching. It acts as a natural disinfectant and prevents ear infections. It is made with organic mullein oil, which has a good smell.
- Comes with a serum
- Soothes inflammation and irritation
- Double-sided swab
- The serum might irritate some dogs
- Comes with only 15 tips
Fabater Cotton Buds
What we like the most: These q-tips are a bit longer than our other options, being 6 inch long.
Fabater Cotton Buds are lightweight, compact, and perfect for home cleaning since they provide ultra absorption. The buds are longer and specially designed for cleaning dog’s ear canals. If your pet suffers from some disease, you can apply medicine and clean it at one time.
This product is eco-friendly and skin-friendly since it provides a comfortable experience for dogs. The best characteristic is that it has a thickened cotton head design which prevents it from being too deep into the ear canal. Another good feature is that is also safe for puppies.
- Long enough
- Cleans all dust
- Provides gentle cleaning
- Injury risk (if not handled properly)
How to Clean Dog’s Ears With Q-Tips?
Cleaning your dog’s ears is not as easy as it might seem. Therefore we will provide you with some steps that will help you during the cleaning process!
Step 1: Dress properly and gather supplies
It might sound weird, but yes, dress properly. You cannot imagine the amount of dirt that might come out of your dog’s ears. And we are sure that you don’t want to destroy your favorite shirt!
Collect all the necessary tools that you purchased for cleaning the dog’s ears. No matter what product you choose, we suggest you carefully read the instructions one more time. In case you decide on Q-tips without any additional cleanser or serum, ask your veterinarian for a recommendation.
Step 2: Prepare your dog
This is a stressful experience for both the dog and the owner. Therefore, you must both prepare. Make sure to get your dog comfortable enough and choose the right time. Whatever time you think is suitable for your dog. It can be after a walk when the dog is tired enough to stay calm or after you give it a delicious treat – the choice is yours!
Step 3: Inspect the dog’s ear
Sometimes, the ear needs mechanical cleaning before you start the process. Make sure that you clean the dirt from the dog’s ear like grass, or some foreign bodies, but only if they are visible to you and not too deep. If you notice something strange deep inside the ear, contact a veterinarian.
Step 4: Apply the ear-cleaning solution
It might be a good idea to bring a helper for this step who will keep the dog calm when you apply the solution. It is extremely important for the dog to stay calm during the application so you can avoid injuries.
Step 5: Close the ear flap and slowly massage
Take the outer part of the ear and close it so the fluid does not come out. Then, slowly squish it and perform a gentle massage so that the fluid can dissolve equally everywhere.
Step 6: Allow the dog to shake
After the massaging, the dog will naturally want to shake its head. Remember when you go on a vacation, and the dog comes out of the water and shakes its head and whole body? Well, the same thing is going to happen now as well.
Step 7: Use the Q-tips
Now that all dirt is dissolved, you can use the Q-tips to gently remove the dirt, wax, and debris that stayed in the dog’s ear. Ensure to do this gently so you don’t injure your dog.
After you’ve done this, repeat the same on the other ear.
What You Should Not Do?
This is a very complex process, especially for new pet owners. So, we are going to warn you about some things. Here are some “Don’ts” from us:
- Don’t clean too deep
- Don’t be too rough while cleaning
- Don’t ignore the signs of discomfort and distress
- Don’t use excessive force
- Don’t apply dry Q-tips directly without preparation
- Don’t overuse Q-tips
- Don’t use harsh cleaning solutions
- Don’t overclean
As much as clean ears are recommended, overcleaning might lead to otitis externa.
This is something that all pet owners can do at home. Ear diseases can be caused by dermatological issues in dogs. However, if you notice something strange in your dog’s ear or behavior, make sure to contact a veterinarian.
Dog Breeds Prone to Ear Infections
As we already mentioned some dog breeds might be prone to ear infections due to their floppy ears. The anatomical characteristics of the ears lead to increased moisture and might lead to ear problems.
According to a study, there are increased odds of ear infections in some breeds, including:
- Basset Hound
- Chinese Shar Pei
- Labradoodle
- Beagle
- Golden Retriever
However, there are some breeds like Border Collies, Chihuahuas, and Terriers that have less chance of getting ear infections. But this doesn’t mean that these breeds don’t need ear cleaning.
In general, designer breed types have more chances of developing ear infections than crossbred dogs.
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
We are coming to the end of this post, but before that – let’s answer some of the most frequently asked questions related to Q-Tip dog ear cleaning.
Is it okay to use Q-tips on dogs?
Yes, Q-tips are a good choice for dogs as long as they are used properly and gently because the dog’s ear canal is very sensitive and injuries can occur very easily.
Can I clean my dog’s ears with water?
No, we at Dogaspet don’t recommend water for ear cleaning in dogs because it can never replace ear-cleaning solutions and might lead to some undesired side effects.
Final Thoughts
Tired of going to the groomer or vet for ear-cleaning services? Believe it or not, Q-tips can replace those boring visits and might save you time and money. Since purchasing Q-tips can save you money, why not treat your dog with a new toy or snack?
