Pet Herbal Info Blog

posted by Tess on Oct 12

A dog’s ears were not meant to stink but they still do. Nature made all provisions necessary for maintaining health of all organisms, whether in the plant or animal kingdoms. If organisms are vulnerable to attack from external elements they were provided with external and internal systems to combat them.

A close look at the coat of a dog will make you realize its need to protect the dog from the vagaries of the climate. Had the human species not evolved the way it has, there would still be a hairy coat on us. A comparison between the ears of a dog in your house and those of a fox or wolf will let you understand the problems that man has created by interfering with nature by breeding and domesticating the wild dog. A wild fox’s ears are always upright because they were meant to be like that for proper ventilation. Breeding gave rise to breeds with drooping ears and excessive hair growth in ears, which brought in its wake dog ear problems.

Drooping ears and hair in the ears lead to a typical situation that is mostly responsible for stinky ears. Dog’s ears should be clean and dry. But among the drooping ear breeds whatever goes inside the ear is not likely to come out.

However, bad odor is not is particularly breed specific and can occur in all breeds – even those with upright ears. Bad odor is also a sign of infection. A yellowish discharge indicates presence of a yeast infection while black debris points towards the presence of dog ear mites. These discharges cause stinky ears in dogs.

Pets are usually very efficient in self grooming. For example cats self groom a lot but if they get affected with cat ear mites they need your help in removing them. Routine ear care is imperative for maintaining the health of your pets. At the first sign of odor, clean your dog’s ears. Home remedies for dog ear mites can be very useful in killing mites and remove the accompanying odor.

* Vinegar diluted in rubbing alcohol or water usually cleans your dog’s ear of the wax by loosening it up. Clean the loosened wax with a cotton swab with strokes that move inside-out. Don’t use vinegar if you see any open sores in the ears. Vinegar is liable to cause irritation and a burning sensation.
* Dip a garlic pod in olive oil and let it remain overnight. Pour a couple of drops in the dog’s ear in the morning after removing the garlic. This will block the pores of the mites and kill them. Garlic is good for the immune system of the dog also.
* Mineral oils with Vitamin C serve the same purpose.
* Perhaps the most popular, easy and effective remedy for cleaning dog ears is hydrogen peroxide.

Stinky ears are not the problem but a condition caused by sloppy grooming and hygiene. Wax that accumulates due to ear mites or any other reason offers a moist, humid and warm residing environment for mites and yeast to survive and grow. Whether your dog has long ears or not, stinky ears signify that there is an ear problem that you have to attend to. Cleaning the ears first will most probably save you an extra visit to the veterinarian.

References:

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