The purpose of this research is to explain “What should I use to clean my French Bulldog’s ears?“.
Some people do not pay much attention to the health of their dogs. Its often too busy at work or with their social life for them to notice small changes in their dogs behavior. These small signs can indicate a doggies condition and if noticed early on you can prevent a minor issue from becoming a serious issue.
Due to the design of the French Bulldogs ears they often collect dirt and irritants more than most other dogs. Maintaining the health of your Frenchie starts with keeping their ears clean. It is not uncommon for French Bulldogs to suffer from anxiety breathing problems heat sensitivity and joint disease among other ailments. You should monitor the condition of your Frenchies ears as part of the regular health care you should provide.
Check your Frenchie’s ears regularly
Try shining a torch into your dogs ears to see if you can spot anything out of the ordinary. You should be on the lookout for excess fluid redness swelling or a bad smell. Theres a good chance that your pet has severe dirt buildup or even an ear infection if you have found any of these problems.
Make sure your dog is checked out by a veterinarian as soon as possible. A monthly inspection of your dogs ears is recommended. Please do not try to clean your Frenchies ears with an earbud (cotton bud). You might irritate their ears even further and cause more damage. In most cases your vet will prescribe some ear cleaning solutions that you can use to properly and safely clean out your dogs ears. It is best to avoid ear cleaning solutions that are based on alcohol or hydrogen peroxide since they can also worsen your dogs condition.
Cleaning the outer part of the ears
You can use mineral oil to clean the outside of their ears but you do not want it to go too deeply into the ear canal. You can imagine that your pooch will not appreciate being cornered and having its ears touched so it might be difficult for you to go through with the cleaning. It may be helpful to ask someone to help you keep your Frenchie calm and still while you clean.
You can dampen a clean paper towel or fine cloth and use it to wipe the outer areas of your dogs ears. Ear cleaning solutions can also be used for this task. A towel or cloth should not be too wet. When they drink too much water their ears soften and swell making them more prone to infections.
You should apply a cotton ball to the ears if a veterinarian has prescribed an appropriate cleaning solution. You should use a cotton ball for each ear. If your Frenchie gets some solution in their ears simply let them shake it out by themselves after you have finished cleaning. Please only wipe around the outside of your dogs ear canal so as not to push dirt further into their ear or damage their eardrum. To clean their ears wipe them down with a dry cloth after shaking the solution out. Keeping their ears dry will help prevent infections.
Cleaning the ear canals
As the ear canal is much more sensitive it is more challenging to clean deeper within the ear. Lift the earflap so that you can apply the cleansing solution deeper into the ear once your Frenchie is calm and still. You should take your dog to the veterinarian as soon as possible if your dog cries out when you put the solution into their ear canals.
Squirt a sufficient amount of solution into the canal if they do not seem to be in pain or if they seem okay with it. If the solution overflows its okay but do not touch your ear with the bottle as this could lead to contamination. You need to sterilize it with alcohol and then wipe it down so that the alcohol does not irritate your dogs ear the next time you clean it.
For approximately half a minute massaging your Frenchies ears will allow the cleaning solution to loosen any dirt stuck in the canal. Using a cotton ball dry the dogs ears after they have shaken out as much solution as possible but do not force the cotton ball too far into the ear.
Dealing with ear mites
You may have ear mites if your dog does not have an infection and isnot abnormally dirty but still seems to have ear problems. A common problem for dogs ear mites or Otodectes cynotis are highly contagious and can cause considerable irritation.
You may experience a lot of ear scratching head shaking frustration redness and swelling as well as a nasty smell and brown discharge from the ears. Once your Frenchies vet confirms that he has ear mites he should provide you with some medicine you can use in his ear as well as some antibiotics.
Conclusion
Be aware of your Frenchies habits so that you can easily spot if anything needs your attention. You should always consult a veterinarian before beginning any treatment for your dog. If you’re having fun and playing silly games with your pup be sure not to blow into their ears and never put your fingers in their ears since your fingers carry bacteria and can cause irritation and infection. When it comes to bath time make sure not to get water in your dogs ears.
If you want to read more about dog health tips read here: Dog Health Tips and Tricks.
