What’s worse than seeing your child suffer through an ear infection? Most pet owners would answer “watching my dog suffer through one.” A common health problem in dogs, the pain associated with an ear infection will create extreme discomfort for your dog, making symptoms such as constant shaking of his head, scratching at his ears, and uncharacteristic aggressive behavior apparent.

Fortunately, there are ways to prevent an ear infection:

1. A Clean Dog is a Happy Dog
Regular grooming prevents various health issues, including ear infections. However, be careful during bath time; make sure excessive water doesn’t get into the ear canal, as this often causes infections.

2. The Floppy Ear Fight
Dogs with pendulant ears (floppy ears) and dogs with hair growing in the ear are much more susceptible to ear infections than other dogs. Floppy-eared dogs do not have much air circulation within the ear, making it ideal for bacteria growth. As for dogs with hairy ears, routinely plucking the hair growing inside the ear will help to prevent infection. Ask your groomer to pluck the hair every so often, or if plucking on your own, apply a dog powder to the ears, and then begin plucking with tweezers.

3. Daily Dose vs. Weekly Work
Daily cleaning of your dog’s ears may do more harm than good. A weekly inspection is sufficient, and should include checking for a strong odor, redness, excessive wax buildup, a dark discharge (often a sign of mites), or fleas.

If during your weekly inspection, you find dirt, leaves, or anything else active dogs can get into, over-the-counter wipes and washes are great for a quick clean up. Ask your groomer or vet what they recommended for your dog’s breed.