For a quick and easy option, combine equal parts of water and apple cider vinegar, and use a dropper to apply it to your dog's ear. Another great option is to mix a few drops of lavender oil with coconut oil and apply it to your dog's ear using a cotton ball.
Use an eyedropper to apply a few drops of baby oil, mineral oil, glycerin or hydrogen peroxide in your ear canal. Use warm water. After a day or two, when the wax is softened, use a rubber-bulb syringe to gently squirt warm water into your ear canal.
Never put olive oil, vinegar, shampoo, or any other substance in a dog's ear. Also, avoid poking around with cotton buds in the ear, you will only work any wax and debris further in and potentially damage the eardrum.
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. Other popular, safe options include Zymox cleanser with bio-active enzymes and ear wipes like these.
Common Symptoms of Ear Infection in Dogs
In the meantime, there are some home remedies you can try to ease your pet's discomfort, such as a warm compress, vinegar or hydrogen peroxide ear flush, and the use of natural anti-inflammatory agents like coconut oil or aloe vera gel.
Helping with itchy ears
Add a few drops of coconut oil to your dog's ear and then massage around the area. This will help to clean out excess wax leaving your pup with clean ears.
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.
Baking soda can be an effective treatment for ear mites in dogs, but be careful not to allow your dog to ingest it. Mix one cup of warm water with one teaspoon of baking soda. Soak this in a cotton ball and use it to rub your dog's ear.
Clean the Outside Too
To do this, just use warm water and a little bit of mild dish soap to clean the fur on the shell of the ear. Do not allow water or dish soap to get into your dog's ear at all.
To clean the ears, tilt your dog's head downward with one hand and squirt a gentle cleanser recommended by your veterinarian into the ear, filling the canal. Holding the ear closed, give it a nice massage, really squishing the cleanser around in there. That softens any gunk inside.
This yeast thrives in moist environments, so these infections are most common after your dog has gone swimming. Fungal ear infections can produce very dark brown or almost black discharge that smells pungent. Fungal or yeast infections will require antifungal ear drops to clear up.
Combine a teaspoon of salt with a cup of warm water and gently flush your dog's ears with the mixture. Another option is to use coconut oil, which has antifungal properties. Apply a few drops to your pup's ear canal, and gently massage it to help it spread.
However, some home remedies such as cleaning the ears with a gentle, vet-approved solution, and using natural remedies like tea tree oil can provide relief for milder infections.
Wet a soft cloth with warm water. Use that warm and damp soft cloth to wipe down the outer part just inside your pup's ears. Drop warm liquid coconut oil into your dog's ears every two to three hours during the day and before bedtime. Coconut oil will help to kill bacteria causing an infection.
In the first instance, you can use a diluted apple cider vinegar solution to clean your dog's ears. Apple cider vinegar helps by acting as a cleanser and an anti-fungal and antibacterial agent. Dabbing this into your dog's ears sparingly can help to clean out the inside of their ears and treat the infection.
Yeast infections in a dog's ears generally cause redness, a brown discharge, head shaking or rubbing, odor, and itching. Ear mite infections are extremely itchy and can cause many of the same symptoms. The discharge from the ear is usually dark and waxy or crusty.
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.
Dogs with Malassezia infections are very itchy and they tend to smell a bit 'yeasty'. If they have Malassezia ear infections they will constantly shake their head and scratch at their ears. A thick black waxy material may be seen crusting around the ears and the opening of the ear canal.
No, it is not recommended that you use baby wipes on dogs, or any other pets. That's because the pH level on human skin is different to dogs so baby wipes are unsafe because they may cause irritation or itching.
The Use Ear Cleaner Method
Drop baby oil or mineral oil in your dog's ears and allow it to soak in for a few hours to soften crust and discharge from ear mite activities. Gently hold your dog's ear out and fold back ear flap so that the ear canal is exposed.
Common causes include skin allergies, ear infections and ear mites. Contact your vet as soon as possible if you notice your dog head shaking/scratching their ears – the sooner the problem is diagnosed, the easier it will be to treat.