Ear Plucking

[shells]

How far am I meant to pluck my 2 poodles ears? ATM I am just plucking what I can see but the vet made a comment on Saturday (when my male dog was having his ear rechecked after a yeast infection) that when he looked deep inside it was quite hairy - am I meant to be removing this? How do I do it - obviously my fingers wont fit.

Thanks

[Guest Willow]

I'm surprised if the vet commented on it, that he didn't just do it himself there & then...we used to use an old pair of small surgical forceps to do ear plucking. Perhaps if you want to do it yourself & feel confident, you could ask the clinic to order a pair in for you to purchase?

Obviously you would need to be very careful not to poke in too deep (as with any ear).....maybe pop him in every now & then and ask the nurses to do it for you, otherwise.

ETA: have re-read your post....you only need to pluck if the vet feels hair is trapping a lot of gunk & contributing to the infection.....other than that, I would leave well alone.

Edited March 1, 2010 by Willow

[frufru]

If the ear is blocked with gunk give it a really good pluck using hemeostats (surgical forceps) but be very careful. Your dog needs to be quiet and cooperative. My standard lies on his side and lets me pluck when needed. I have been known to use a small torch to have a really good look. Some dogs have very open ear canals and some very narrow - narrow ones need more plucking IMO. If the ear is not gunky then I would just use a cleaner and give it a good wipe out.

[giraffez]

If the ear is blocked with gunk give it a really good pluck using hemeostats (surgical forceps) but be very careful. Your dog needs to be quiet and cooperative. My standard lies on his side and lets me pluck when needed. I have been known to use a small torch to have a really good look. Some dogs have very open ear canals and some very narrow - narrow ones need more plucking IMO. If the ear is not gunky then I would just use a cleaner and give it a good wipe out.

Can you see that far into the ear canal to determine there is gunk? I flip his ears inside out and i can't see that far inside.

[becks]

Never pluck any deeper then you can see and always take care if the dog is likely to jump and the wrong moment.

Did the vet say it was a problem or was he just making a passing comment?

[shells]

Did the vet say it was a problem or was he just making a passing comment?

He mentioned it twice and the vet I saw at the initial appointment mentioned it. Both said the ear drum was looking good and it was only the presence of yeast in the ear when swabbed that means I still have to use the dermotic. TBH the way this vet clinic is I am suprised they just didnt take him away, sedate him and pluck but maybe they are hoping it doesnt go away so I can continually bring him in for "check ups" (they charge for review appointments and swabbed his ear both times and charged me $35 for it without even asking - that was ontop of the review charge)

I am going to continue the drops for 10 more days (like the vet suggested) We had already given 10 days dermotic before the review. Then give them a clean out with Malacetic and watch him for head shaking, gunky ear ect.

I am worried about 20 days of antibiotics and the effect it will have on the good bacteria in his ear.

[frufru]

Obviously I can't see to the bottom of the ear canal but you can see a good part of the ear canal if the opening is large and you pull the ear flap back. All my poodles through the years (standards and minis) have been taught to lie still and have their ears inspected and plucked if required (I did say quiet an cooperative in my previous post). I find a lot of people pluck the ear from the outer part of the canal and then look on in amazement as you pull a great hunk of hair congealed with debri from the dogs ear with hemeostats - often just sitting at the entrance to the ear canal - the dog is ever so pleased that someone has finally decided to have a good look.

I have gone away from plucking all the hair from the ear canal on regular basis - this has been discussed in previous threads with some interesting comments.

[shells]

Thanks everyone.

Both my guys are good at letting me look and examine their ears so I might have a better look in a couple of days once everything has settled down.