Keep Your Dogs' Ears Clean

Like humans, dogs have a tendency to have build-up like wax in their ears after a period of time. Because of the curves and twists of a dog's ears, parasites, debris, bacteria, and yeast can get trapped inside the canal. If not taken care of properly on a consistent basis, your mutts would be prone to unwanted ear problems such as tick infections which can lead to other major health issues.

Below are some things you can do at home to help prevent ear infections for your dogs:

• Cleaning the ears: To clean your dogs ears you may take a cotton ball, wet it with some mineral oil / hydrogen peroxide / or a solution meant for dog ear cleaning, and gently wipe the inside of their ears. Keep in mind that you shouldn't do this too regularly and to NOT jam the cotton ball into the ears too much as it would cause irritation. 
• Preventing water going in: If your mutts like to go swimming or if you give them regular baths, it's crucial to make sure that water doesn't get into your dogs' ears. To help prevent water from entering, you can try sticking a cotton ball into the ears before any swimming or bathing and then removing them after.
• Using ear drops: There are ear drying solutions made especially for dogs at the pet store if your mutts seem to be more prone to getting water in their ears. These drops should dry out any excess water trapped inside the ear canal. For more information on these drops consult your trusted vet. 
• Regular grooming: A part why periodic grooming is important for your dogs is because a good groomer will help you clean out the hair and debris inside your mutts ears as well as keeping the rest of our dogs' body clean and healthy. So be sure to stay on top of your dogs' grooming schedule.

Be sure to consult your trusted vet on any other ways to take care of your dogs' ears or if you are noticing symptoms of a possible infection (i.e. ear discharge, redness, swelling, and/or bad smells).

Keep your mutts happy, healthy, and hearty!