# Ear Wash



## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

Got any good homemade ear wash ideas?


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## rick smith (Dec 31, 2010)

i've tried quite a few home brews, but ended up using Zymox at the first sign of any ear problem that wasn't obviously a reaction from a live creature
....nothing has worked better for me, especially on floppy ears

i do use a touch of hydrogen peroxide for basic maintenance, but that might be frowned on by a lot of people nowadays 
- but never had a bad reaction fm a dog tho and don't fill the ear canal with it ..... just my limited experience


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## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

50/50 vinegar and rubbing alcohol..


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Howard Gaines III said:


> Got any good homemade ear wash ideas?


Is there broken skin, bumpy rash, anything like that?


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## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

Connie Sutherland said:


> Is there broken skin, bumpy rash, anything like that?


that is VERY important consideration.


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## vicki dickey (Jul 5, 2011)

My dogs never seem to have ear problems but as a former dog groomer you would hear a lot of "remedies" from owners. Not a wash but a lot of people swore by Bond's Medicated powder for keeping floppy eared dogs from getting yucky ears. Dont know if it works personally or if it is even a good idea (I would ask a vet) but people said it was the best.


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## Michele Fleury (Jun 4, 2009)

I'm with Joby. I've had great success with a mixture of apple cider vinegar and rubbing alcohol. Used it for many years now.


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## mel boschwitz (Apr 23, 2010)

I used to use apple cider vinegar followed by a dusting of boric acid powder, but was told to use white vinegar, not apple cider, since apple cider vinegar has sugar, which yeast will feed on if any is present. Boric acid powder (the stuff you use around your house for bugs), kills bacteria without harming the skin). Good results with it.


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## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

Connie Sutherland said:


> Is there broken skin, bumpy rash, anything like that?


 Nope, she was just shaking her head. Found two ticks on the neck and nothing i/s the ears...


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## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

Hydrogen peroxide and ACV is something a few folks have said or added witch hazel in the mix. I just don't want something that will burn like hell...saw no infection or had bad smells.


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## susan tuck (Mar 28, 2006)

Since in the past I have had dogs with ear issues and since I don't want to use something that is overly drying in the ear which I believe can upset the balance in the ear, and cause more problems, I use a product I get from my vet called Phytovet, which is Phytosphingosine HCI .01% with Aloe Vera.

The way I use it is to put the bottle in a water bath to bring the temp up a little, then I squirt some on cotton balls & then squeeze the cotton balls into the ear, this way I'm not pouring the stuff into the ear canal. I then massage all along and down the the jaw line below where the ear canal makes a turn so that it gets down into the whole ear. I don't ever push cotton balls or anything down into the ear, but I do take the dog outside so that he can shake his head really good to get the stuff out. Then I wipe up whatever is on the upper inside of the ear.

I actually don't clean my dogs ears very often, only if I notice excessive dirt on the inside of the outer ear, which to me, says it's time.


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

I am not a big fan of cleaning a dog's ears a bunch if they don't need it. If they have excessive wax or other discharge or if it is at all red or irritated looking, go to your vet and find out why: yeast, bacteria, allergies, mites, and so on. I like the Sogeval products for dogs that actually need it.


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