Ear Care for your Cocker Spaniel

Article Written By: CamilleGoldin

One of the things cocker spaniel owners like about the breed is their long, silky ears. Unfortunately, cocker spaniel ears are covered with fur not only on the outside but in the ear canal as well, and the warm, dark, moist canal provides the perfect environment for microorganisms to grow and cause infection.

Infections not only cause discomfort for your cocker spaniel, but can result in ear damage if they become chronic. Chronic ear infections can result in pain and deafness, so good ear care is a must. Some owners have their dogs groomers trim all around the ear canals and shave the underside of the earlobes, to provide less surface area for bacteria and fungus to grow and to allow air to circulate and help keep the ear canals dry. You can also pull hairs out of your dogs ear canals if you pull the hairs one at a time so that it is not painful.

When you are watching television or the sunset with your cocker spaniel on your lap, pull a little hair out of his or her ear canals now and then on a regular basis to keep the ear canals clean and dry with plenty of circulation. Older children can also be taught gently to remove hairs from their best friends ears. The ears should be checked for burrs, grass or twigs every day or when the dog has been playing outside. Any debris should be removed promptly.

Many think of cocker spaniels as lap dogs, and your puppy or adult dog can be an affectionate companion, but he or she will also want to run through the grass according to the breed s heritage as a sporting dog.

Commercial preparations are available for cleaning your dog s ears. They come with a long applicator for reaching into the ear canals and squirting in the solution. You can also use a cotton ball soaked in alcohol to dry out your dog s ears. Check with your veterinarian to find the best solution and be sure there are no open sores or ruptured tympanic membranes, or eardrums, before putting anything into the ears.

When dogs have ear infections they will often shake their heads from side to side. This is true for adult dogs as well as puppies. To check for infection lift the earlobes and check for color and odor. The skin should be a healthy light pink. If it is red or if there is a foul odor, there is likely to be an infection.

See your veterinarian if he or she has any of the above signs or symptoms. He can prescribe eardrops or ointment for killing bacteria, fungus, or other parasites after examining a specimen from your cocker spaniel s ears under the microscope.

Ear examinations are part of regular checkups. Having a veterinarian check on a regular schedule and continuing routine exams throughout his or her life is one way to protect against ear infections.

About the Author

Camille Goldin, talks about how to do ear care in a Cocker Spaniel. TrainPetDog.com provides tips on selecting a healthy puppy from a good breeder.

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