Dog Ear Infection Home Remedies

Dog ear infection home remedies can be used to treat minor ear infections in dogs. This page looks at some simple but effective dog ear wash and dog ear infection treatment at home. Remember, however, if an ear infection causes a lot of pain to your dog, and it lasts for over a couple of days, you should take your dog to the vet.

As mentioned in our page on Canine Ear Infection, ear infections in dogs are very common. The dog ears have three things that provide excellent conditions for bacteria and yeast to strive: moisture, heat, and oil.

Canine ear infections usually cause the inside of your dog's ear to become red, hot, swollen, and painful. An infected ear will also give out a strong foul smell. The smell from bacterial infections is strong and sour, whereas yeast infections smell like a wet tennis shoe.

Ear infections that cause a lot of pain and last for over a few days should be treated by a veterinarian. However, mild cases of ear infections can be treated with home remedies.

Fido Says:

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Dog Ear Infection Home Remedies - Cleaning Out the Ears

The first step to treating an ear infection in dogs is to remove all the debris in the ears. Use a bit of gauze to scoop away as much gunk as you can. Do not use a cotton swab as it can push the gunk further down into your dog's ears, worsening the infection.

Then, flush the ears twice a day with a dog ear wash (see below). Use a cotton ball to squeeze the wash into the ear opening and use your other hand to massage the base of your dog's ear to distribute the ear wash.

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Dog Ear Infection Home Remedies - Dog Ear Wash

Use the following dog ear wash as dog ear infection home remedies:

Vinegar and Alcohol
Mix equal parts of vinegar, rubbing alcohol, and water and use the mixture to flush the ears twice a day when your dog has an ear infection. The vinegar changes the pH level in the ear, making it impossible for bacteria or yeast to survive. The alcohol helps to dry the ears. If there are open sores in the ears, the alcohol will sting in which case leave out the alcohol.
Use this ear wash once or twice a month to flush the ears to prevent ear infections.

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Dog Ear Infection Home Remedies - Herbal Ear Cleaners

Either one of the following herbal ear cleaners can be used after washing and flushing out the ears with the vinegar and alcohol ear wash. Be sure to dry the ears thoroughly with gauze or a soft washcloth before you put in the herbal ear cleaner.

Mullein and Garlic Oils
This ear cleaner is made using the oils of mullein and garlic. The herb mullein has antiviral properties, whereas garlic has antibiotic properties. These two herbal oils make an excellent home remedy for treating dog ear infections.
Combine equal parts of mullein oil and garlic oil and add about ten to 20 drops of olive oil or vitamin E to every one oz. of the mullein/garlic oil mixture. Use a dropper to apply this remedy to the ear canal of your dog and gently massage the base of your dog's ear to distribute the oil mixture.

Neem Oil Ear Cleaner
This ear cleaner is made using neem oil, and the essential oils of tea tree and eucalyptus. Neem oil is extracted from the seeds of the neem tree and is safe to use on dogs. It is good for skin inflammation and infections. Tea tree oil and eucalyptus oil are antibacterial and antiviral, and are effective in treating dog ear infections.
To make this neem oil ear cleaner, you need:
Use a dropper to put ten to 20 drops of neem oil ear cleaner in each ear and gently massage the base of the ear to distribute the oil mixture.

Ear Dr.
If you don't want to make your own ear infection home remedy, consider using Ear Dr. for Pet Ear Infections and Mites.
Ear Dr. contains tea tree oil and herbal ingredients such as mullein, calendula, and rosemary in a soothing olive oil base. It can be used at the very first signs of an ear infection. In the case of chronic ear problems, it can be applied once or twice weekly as a preventative.

Fido Says: Most dog ear infections will clear up within one week using home remedies. If your doggie's ears still smell awful after one week of home treatment, chances are he has a serious case of ear infection and needs veterinary attention.