So the short answer is no, you should not use baby wipes or other human wipes on your dog. Luckily, there are many dog safe alternatives for baby wipes you can use. Plus, dog wipes are available with specific blends for specific use cases, like dog ear wipes.
Cleaning your dog's ears at home doesn't require a lot of tools. Cotton balls, tissues, and baby wipes are some of the things humans use as grooming tools. You can consult your veterinarian about the best way to clean your dog's ears.
Use wet wipes or a wet washcloth to wipe down the part of your dog's ear you can see. To start wiping, begin with the outer ear first. Wipe off any dirt or debris you see in your dog's fur.
Ear-Cleaning Supplies
You only need a few supplies to successfully clean your dog's ears: a cotton ball or gauze, dog ear-cleaning solution, and a towel. Avoid using cotton-tipped swabs (Q-tips) or anything with a pointed tip.
If they look and smell good, leave them alone. As long as your pooch's ears are healthy, they don't need to be cleaned. In fact, cleaning a healthy ear can damage its self-cleaning abilities. Clean the ears if they have a mild odor, and you see an occasional head shake.
Dark brown or black—This type of earwax is commonly associated with yeast and/or bacterial ear infections. It's a good idea to consult with a veterinarian if earwax is this color. Brown—Light brown earwax is normal and expected. If the wax is accompanied by odor or inflammation, it can be a sign of infection.
Professional groomers never use alcohol or Q-Tips (cotton swabs) and often begin by lifting the dog's ear and exposing the inside flap so that it faces him. Any hair that is in the way is removed around the opening of the external ear canal and a small amount of medicated ear powder is placed in each ear.
Don't use water to clean your dog's ears. This can actually cause more debris to get trapped and doesn't break down wax like a good ear cleaning product does.
Choose Liquid Cleaners, Rather Than Wipes
Liquid dog ear cleaning solutions tend to be far more effective than wipes, as a dog's ear canals are quite narrow and long, which makes reaching the debris and bacteria with a wipe rather difficult.
While it is a good idea to keep on top of monitoring your dog's ears weekly, healthy ears typically do not need to be cleaned any more than once a month.
Using a Q-tip can injure your dog's eardrum and push wax and buildup deeper into the ear canal. Never use a Q-tip when cleaning your dog's ears.
Helpful Dog Ear Care Tips
Wondering how often your dog's ears need to be cleaned? In general, once per month is a good rule of thumb. Breeds with long, floppy ears or dogs who swim frequently may need to have their ears cleaned every other week, or even weekly.
Healthy earwax should be a pale, yellowish color. If your dog appears to have dark brown or black earwax or if the earwax looks dirty gray instead of golden, this isn't normal. A noticeable increase in wax build-up can be a sign of a problem as well. A healthy dog's ears should have no smell.
They look like tiny white dots, but can barely be seen with the naked eye. Ear mites live on the skin of the ear canal and feed off ear wax and skin oils. An adult normally lives for around two months, but they can multiply quickly.
When some dogs eat ingredients such as chicken, wheat, corn or other individual items, ingestion will trigger an allergic reaction that can alter the natural flora and allow an unnatural growth of yeast. If your pet suffers from yeasty ears, attempt altering their diet to eliminate common triggers.
Never try to clean a dog's ears if they're stressed or struggling: this could upset your dog and you could also become hurt. Instead take them to the vet and they'll be able to clean them for you.
Healthy dog earwax tends to range from pale yellow to light brown, whereas darker colours tend to be associated with infections and should be observed by a veterinarian.
Use multipurpose dog wipes to freshen up your pup on the go. Just pull out a wipe whenever your canine companion gets a little dirty. Dog cleaning wipes help to gently lift away dirt, drool, mud and other grime. We recommend using them on your pet's paws and undercoat between baths and after outdoor playtime.
Best Overall: Pogi's Fragrance-Free Grooming Wipes
Pogi's Grooming Wipes use a combination of aloe vera, vitamin E, and Hawaiian awapuhi—a close relative of ginger that acts as an antimicrobial. 1 The wipes are free from parabens, alcohol, and chlorine, so they won't irritate dogs with skin sensitivities.
Wash their paws thoroughly after walking your dog in areas that may have been gritted with rock salt," explain the RSPCA. To avoid this, it's important to thoroughly brush down their fur and paws, paying special attention to their legs and tummies too, as salt could flick up.
Unless otherwise directed by your veterinarian, most ears will be sufficiently maintained with monthly or bi-monthly cleanings. I would recommend cleaning additionally whenever you bathe your dog or after they have been swimming.
Normal saline can be used and is very safe. This includes products like Virbac's Epi-Otic Ear Cleaner. Epi-Otic has a low pH of 2.2 and contains no chlorhexidine or alcohol.