Cavapoos are adorable designer dogs with a round face, cute eyes, and a set of floppy ears. Dog just love having their ears rubbed randomly, and often groans with pleasure. However, did you know that the ears of a Cavapoo are sensitive, and they can be a source of pain for your beautiful companion?
It is important to know clean your Cavapoos ears and that you do so on a regular basis using veterinarian approved ear cleaning solutions. A quick squeeze of the solution and a wipe inside and out with a cotton ball will ensure that your dog’s ears are clean and free from infection.
Without regular grooming and proper care, dirt, unpleasant odors, and wax build up can occur in your dog’s ear. That creates an ideal breeding ground for bacteria that makes infections develop. More potential infections might develop if the ears are not cleaned, forcing you to consult a veterinarian.
What causes ear infections?
Infections on a Cavapoo’s ears are caused by several factors such as autoimmune diseases, hormonal conditions, poor nutrition, allergies, and the build up of dirt and wax.
What do you need to clean a Cavapoo’s ears?
If you plan to clean a Cavapoo’s ears, it’s crucial to have all your supplies together.
Here is what you need (see our recommended products via Amazon links):
- A pair of tweezers
- A good ear cleaning solution: Ideally you should use commercial solutions recommended by a veterinarian although you can purchase ear cleaning solutions at any nearby pet store. A Cavapoo’s ears are sensitive, and cleansers containing hydrogen peroxide or alcohol can irritate the dog’s ears. You can use solutions that have apple cider vinegar
- Cotton balls or pads or wipes
- A towel is an essential component that helps contain the mess, especially if the dog gets uncomfortable and shakes its head while you clean its ears.
- A small dish
- Tissue
- A few treats to appreciate the dog for good behavior
- Lotion or a special rinse solution
The ear cleaning procedure
First, it is important to inspect your dog and see whether it has healthy ears. This allows you to identify any potential sign of an infection.
Check whether there is any swelling, discharge, or foul odor. Next, make sure you have all the necessary tools to hand and read the instructions on the ear cleanser thoroughly before using.
Here are our recommendations when it comes to cleaning your dog’s ears:
- Stabilize your dog and make sure that they are comfortable to ensure that they don’t make any sudden movements during the ear cleaning exercise
- After relaxing your dog, give them a treat and allow them to observe what you are doing
- Hold the ears carefully and fill the ear canal with the recommended cleaning solution
- Gently massage the base of the ear for a few seconds
- Next, use a cotton ball to wipe the outer ear and the visible part of the inner ear. Never insert cotton swabs deep into the ear canal since they can affect your dog’s hearing
- After cleaning one ear, reward your dog with more treats and cuddles before proceeding on to the other ear.
Top tip – Ensure that water does not get into the ear canal as you clean the ears. Only a slightly wet cotton swab is needed to remove and wax and dirt from the ears.
How to introduce ear cleaning to your dog?
Cavapoos are friendly dogs that are easy to groom and train. However, for them to embrace the ear cleaning exercise, training should start when dogs are still at a young age.
Make them comfortable and give them a few treats. Since they are playful dogs, pet them and play with them for a few minutes beforehand. However, while playing with its ears, don’t traumatize them, either physically or emotionally. Just keep your Cavapoo occupied and happy.
This will make it easier for everyone to enjoy getting your Cavapoos ears cleaned. Ensure that all the products needed are close at hand so your dog doesn’t get anxious or too excited.
Top tips for cleaning your Cavapoo ears
A Cavapoo’s ears require professional grooming at least once per month. Besides, it requires routine ear cleanings and brushing two times per week. Our groomer always cleans Rosies ears as part of her overall grooming schedule and we ensure that her ears remain tangle free in between appointments.
Apart from preventing tangling and matting, ear cleanings minimize the occurrence of an infection.
These tips can help you clean a Cavapoo’s ears:
- Prepare your cleaning exercise in advance. Once you notice any sign of an infection, you should ensure that all your supplies, including cotton swabs, wipes, cotton balls, and any solutions recommended by a professional vet are ready to go.
- Have support. Although Cavapoos have lovely temperaments, any dog can be aggressive or playful, especially if they are not used to ear cleanings. To prevent the dog from pulling away, have someone hold the dog for you so that they can assist to stabilize the head and clean the ears.
- Clean it outside. If not appropriately trained, your dog might demonstrate some resistance as you try to clean its ears. Without proper care, they may even end up shaking their head which can make this ear cleaning process messy. This is why we recommend doing it outside.
- Be gentle. Hold the exterior part of the ears carefully to gain clear access to the ear canal but try not to pull as your Cavapoos ears are incredibly sensitive.
- Wipe up. Clean the ear canal using a clean cotton ball. Do not shove the cotton ball deep into the ear canal as this can cause injury.
How often should you clean your Cavapoos ears?
Since Cavapoos have long ears, debris and wax can build up in the ears. Over time, an infection can develop if the ears are not cleaned. To maintain the health of the ears, a Cavapoo should be cleaned once or twice per week.
However, with an epistatic cleanser for dogs, you can clean your dog twice per month, after every two weeks. We recommend using the Dechra EpiKlean Ear Cleanser but please liaise with a veterinarian before purchasing a cleaning solution either online from the pet store.
What can I use to clean my dog’s ears at home?
Just like other pets, it’s easy to clean your dog’s ear at home. Ensure that you have all the cleaning products recommended by the vet. These include a clean cotton ball, approved ear cleansers, tissue, scissors, and a special rinse solution.
During the ear cleaning procedure, avoid products that contain essential oils.
Is a Cavapoo prone to ear infections?
A Cavapoo’s long ears cover the ear openings and create an ideal breeding environment for bacteria. This means that they are highly susceptible to infections. You can keep problems at bay and maintain the health of the ears with consistent routine ear cleanings.
To find out more about the diseases that your Cavapoo may be predisposed to check out our guides on Cavapoo and Doodle health issues.
What are the signs of ear infections in Cavapoos?
Like cats, humans, and other animals, Cavapoos find ear problems painful and uncomfortable. Various signs indicate that there might be an ear infection in a Cavapoo.
These include a foul odor, discharge, swelling and redness of the ear, and behavior changes. When too much wax builds up in the ear canal, or it becomes inflamed, and your Cavapoo may resort to vigorous scratching and becomes restless. In most cases, they may end up hurting their skin.
Besides, dogs tend to become aggressive and show unusual eye movements and body issues. To soothe the inflammation and dry the discharge, apply a few drops of witch hazel using a clean cotton ball.
With clean ears, your dog will remain happy, friendly, affectionate, and comfortable. It helps in maintaining the health of the ears and preventing infection too.
When to see a vet?
It is crucial to consult a veterinarian when you notice pain, discomfort, or long-term damage to your Cavapoos ears.
An inflamed ear, bloody discharge, or balance issues indicate that urgent treatment is required.
A Cavapoo’s ear problems are easy and easy to treat with the correct medication. A vet will provide an effective treatment plan and educate you on the best ear cleaning methods that you should use. This way, it will be easier to clean independently without consulting a vet in the future.
How to keep your Cavapoos ears clean and healthy
Keeping your dog’s ears clean can help keep it in good health.
To achieve this, you should:
- Fill the canal with a suitable cleaning product and gently massage the outer ear canal. This makes it easy to remove debris
- Next, use an absorbent gauze or a towel to wipe out the ear canal. When using cotton balls, you should be careful since they can scratch the soft skin or leave irritating fibers behind. Besides, if you use a cotton ball deep inside the ear canal, you can push debris deeper
- Create consistent routine care and seek grooming services when necessary
- It might be challenging to clean your pet at times, especially if debris build-up at the bottom of the ear canal. Seek consultation from a professional vet when you notice any changes in the dog’s behavior as a veterinarian can use advanced tools to remove dirt and prevent ear issues
FAQs
Should you pluck the hair in your dog’s ears?
Hair follicles in some Cavapoos grow deep into the ear canals, and they can be itchy and uncomfortable.
If your dog is prone to ear problems, it should be plucked to enable air circulation and keep moisture at bay. However, if there is no potential ear infection, it can be brushed or trimmed by a professional groomer. Always liaise with a vet and keep it short to prevent tangling in any ear wax and maximize air circulation.
Do I need to clean my puppy’s ears?
Yes. The ears of a Cavapoo puppy are prone to ear issues and should be cleaned on a regular basis. Keeping the ears clean helps in maintaining the overall health of the puppy. Since they are sensitive, the dog’s ears should be rinsed using apple cider vinegar.
Alcohol and hydrogen peroxide products should not be used to clean a pup. Ensure that you rinse the ears properly to remove any yeast or bacteria.
Conclusion
Your Cavapoo uses it ears not only to hear but to communicate with you in order to express their emotions. If they are blocked or infected, then it will not only be painful for your pooch, but could put them off balance, make it difficult for them to hear the world around them and generally put them in a grumpy mood.
Therefore it is important that you clean your dog’s ears on a regular basis using the methods stated above.