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Ear care during baths

Daisy's Mom

Well-known member
Hi Everyone,

I've read some ideas in books about what to do to keep water out of our Cavvies' ears, but I thought I'd get input from all of your collective years of experience with Cavaliers. It is top of mind right now because I have a sneaking suspicion that all is not right with Daisy's ears. She has been shaking her head a lot more than usual. It could be teething, though. She's tearing a little bit for the first time. She's been getting her big-girl teeth, but she has a few of the baby teeth still hanging on. (She's 6 months old.)

I've read to put cotton balls in their ears. I haven't tried it, but it seems like the water would just soak into the cotton ball and right past it into the ear canal. I've also read to soak the cotton ball in a little oil of some kind to keep it from soaking up the water. What do you all do?

I probably haven't been as careful as I should with her ears. I do put Oti-Clean in her ears after every bath. THe vet said to put it in twice a week, but it ends up usually being only with her weekly bath because she hates it so much and I haven't had the heart to subject it to her twice a week. I also bathe her in our laundry room sink that doesn't have a sprayer, so I can't be as careful as I'd like to be about where the water goes. I bought an attachment, but it didn't fit so I'm back to Square One on that one.

Anyway, thanks for your input. I'm going shopping today for a new faucet or sprayer of some type that will hopefully fit.
 
I put cotton balls in their ears when I bathe them.

The one time I didn't put cotton in India's ears (I forgot) she got a yeast infection later on. :(
 
I usually just use cotton balls too. Make sure you dry the insides of their ears too and the fur there as if it's left damp this can cause an infection :(
 
Also, leave the ears until last and they are less likely to shake while in the bath.

The cotton wool doesn't get very wet, because it's covered by the ear leather, so isn't having water poured directly onto it.
 
I'll echo what everyone else has said - I put cotton balls in Cupcake's ears during bath time and it has worked quite well. The one time I didn't she got an icky yeast infection (bad bad mommy!). :(
 
OMG! i had no idea they werent supposed to get the inside of they ears wet!!! :shock: :yikes gosh im such a bad mummy! so what exactly happens if they do get wet?!?!?! because i have never purposely wet the inside of thei ears but i havnt been cautious about it at all so water definitely couldve got inside...so what happens exactly?
 
With Cupcake the water kind of fermented in there and made her ears incredibly itchy, flaky, smelly and red (you can tell I'm not a vet by that very scientific description!) :).
 
With Cupcake the water kind of fermented in there and made her ears incredibly itchy, flaky, smelly and red (you can tell I'm not a vet by that very scientific description!)
:lol: d/w i understand what your saying...well nothing like that has happened 2 my two so water must not have gotten in...ill have 2 b careful next time!
 
They wash Gus' ears at the groomers, but at home I usually just bath him from the neck down and then wipe his face with a warm washcloth.
 
Never knew u had to keep water out of the ears :oops: Sally also loves our local lake and goes there at least twice a week, should i put cotton wool in her ears then as well. :?
 
Lucky has just gotten over a yeast infection in his ears. Our vet gave us a special drying ear wash to use in Lucky's ears every couple of weeks and after every bath.

It is a wet wash, but it evaporates any water that is in there so it does not cause an infection.

I like the cotton ball idea too though - better to not have the water in there in the first place and I can still wash as the Dr. recommended.

I would think for dogs that love the lake like Sally, you might want to just check with your vet at the next visit and possibly get a drying ear wash as well. The ears can get wet, the key is making sure they don't stay that way. :D
 
i used to put cotton wool in jadans ears too, but he would just shake them out. i prob didnt put them in enough as was worried about how far. i do poor water over his head as opposed to shower him though as he loves this. his ears are the first thing i dry too, inside and out and then luckily he loves having the hair dryer on him. i noticed this by accident as i always dry my hair upside down and i thought he was going for my hair but then realised he wanted a blasting of it too ;)
 
My vet gave me some wonderful ear wash for Lily. It dries the ears very well and keeps them clean and smelling good. I am always afraid as to how far in I can wipe with cotton balls. This makes me feel much better. It evaporates anything I miss!
 
I don't use anything when bathing my two. Knock on wood...I've been doing it for 4 years and neither of mine has had an ear problem. I am careful never to spray into their ears. I cover their ear opening with my hand when I'm washing the underside of their ears and use a low spray. I am very careful to keep their ear opening away from direct water.
 
That's what I do Cathy--I just try to be careful not to spray water directly into the ears and cover her ear canal with my hand when rinsing her ears. I might try cotton next time, though...good idea!
 
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