Eye & Ear Care For Dogs And Cats

Taking care of your pets means that you must take care of their needs. Just like you clean your ears and eyes your pets need the same, but unlike us they don’t have opposable thumbs.

When Should I Clean My Dogs Eyes & Ears And How Often?

While there are exceptions to the rules most dogs and cats need assistance from time to time. If you are noticing a discharge and odor from their ears or eyes they should be cleaned.

The best time for you to wash your dog’s eyes and ears is during bath time however, it should also be noted that you shouldn’t clean your dog too often.

In our previous article 5 best ways to control your dog from shedding we talked about how bathing should be done every 4-6 weeks to avoid causing irritation and shedding.

If your dog frequents the beach, pool, mud puddles you can give your dog baths at most every other week. If you feel that you need to give them a bath more frequently than that we recommend talking to a vet.

Every time you bathe your dog and cat you should make it a priority to clean their face. This is the most neglected area when washing your pets for fear of getting soap in their eyes.

This is where dog and cat eye wipes are handy.

If you are afraid to wash your dogs face in the bath or their face gets dirty before their next bath, using eye wipes will clean the tear stains, secretions, and discharge from their faces.

When it comes to cleaning your pets ears there are wipes and drops which we recommend a combination of both especially if ear care has been neglected for quite some time.

Once your dog or cat has finished with their bath and they are dry is the best time to clean your pets ears. This will prevent you from getting wet while applying the drops and gently holding your dog when wiping their ear.

How Do I Clean My Pets Eyes?

According to Vetericyn a manufacturer in animal health and wellness has a lovely guide on how to safely clean your dog’s eyes.

First you need to identify what the problem with your pets eyes are.  Irritation, tear stains, eye boogers, & difficulty seeing are the most common symptoms.

If your dog runs into objects around the house or is fearful of the dark you should talk with your vet. While most pets lose their sight overtime sudden loss of eyesight can create anxiety.

Irritated Eyes: If your dog or cat keeps scratching their eyes you will need to flush them out with a formulated eye wash for each different type of pet you own. This should be done several times to clean our any irritants and debris. Regular flushing is a good practice and if you are a visual learner you can see the video on how to apply eyewash for your dog.

Cleaning Tear Stains: You can use a damp cloth with an eye rinse to clean tearstains with your pet. You can also use the eye wash wipes which are made specifically to clean tear stains and remove any bacteria from under your dog or cats eyes. Instructions for using the wipes are straight forward. Remove one from the container and wipe from near the tear duct downward cleaning the darkened areas. If you are using drops refer to the video in the irritated eyes section. We also started to offer Angel Eyes Plus Soft Chews which will keep your dogs eyes stain free without using wipes and drops.

Eye Boogers: This is a common sign before infection happens. This excess mucus is a breeding ground for bacteria which can lead to irritation and an eye infection. While you can wipe them away with a tissue or a towel that isn’t taking care of the underlying issue of the possible infection. Rinsing your pets eyes with a formulated eye wash is the best way to prevent eye boogers and future eye infections.

How Do I Clean My Pets Ears?

Before cleaning your pets ears you should know what a healthy clean ear looks like. A clean ear doesn’t have any wax buildup, smell, and will look a pale pink on the inside.

When cleaning your pets ears using both an ear wash and wipes to remove any buildup. If you are using an ear rinse avoid putting the tip inside your pets ear to avoid harming them and to avoid any bacteria from touching the nozzle.

Use the wipes to clean the outside of the ear canal and use the ear drops to clean the inside and that’s it. While cleaning your pets ears sounds straightforward there are a couple of tips and tricks when doing so.

Tips And Tricks

1. Don’t skimp on the cleaning solution. You want to clean your pets entire ear canal and using too little of the solution will not help. Any excess solution will be shaken out by your dog. If their ears still appear to be dirty repeat the process. Stop if there is any irritation, bleeding, or discomfort.
2. Place them in a confined area. Putting your pet in a confined area will make it easier to apply any medicine. A bathtub, laundry room, and bathroom are great areas to apply any medicine since cleaning those areas are easier.
3. Floppy Ears Need More Attention. Short eared dogs with less hair inside their ears needs less attention than a floppy eared dog. Floppy eared dogs need to have their ears checked more frequently at least every other week in comparison the short-eared dogs which is on occasion around once a month or even longer.

If you have done all of these tips and trick and still haven't found success a trip to your vet might be needed or finding a wider assortment of dog health products that can tackle the issue should be done.