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THE ONLY EAR CLEANER WE RECOMMEND!!
PEAK PET CARE- EAR CLEANER. Buy 1 small bottle with nozzle, and 1 large bottle to refill. Buy packs of cotton wool from any chemist like Boots or Superdrug, Tesco, Sainsbury's etc. |
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EAR CLEANING
Firstly let me say that over the years I have tried every product on the market, from veterinary products to off the shelf, and home made. A big thank you however went to Sandra Dodd who bought a Bracco Italiano from us. Her dog had a reoccurring black waxy ear after vaccines. She did stop giving him Lepto vaccines and his skin got better. But she also found that Peake care ear solution helped him. So we went ahead and bought some on her recommendation. Now we recommend this product to everyone.
Bracco Italiano ears, Spaniel ears are long, damp environments for yeast, muck and bacteria. After swimming, or just general day to day living their ears can be mucky. We honestly found that if we did not vaccinate the dogs ears were perfect. If we did vaccinate they went black with in two weeks from vaccine. I tried every which way, but in the end decided that removing unnecessary vaccine and only Titre testing was the way forward with the breed. I do have to Lepto however. But you may be in a different position to me.
The above cleaner sorted out not just black ears, but also infections due to bacterias.
Here is a piece I have written on Ears for you all.
Ear Cleaning in Dogs: How to Do It Safely (and When Not To)
Ear cleaning is one of those routines that many dog owners feel they “should” do regularly—but it’s also one area where it’s very easy to accidentally make things worse. Dogs’ ears are sensitive, and if there’s infection, irritation, or a foreign body, cleaning at home can sometimes push the problem deeper. The general rule is if your dogs ear is clean - leave it alone. Do not alter the ear flora. But if it is dirty, then use Peake Pet Cleaner.
1) Know when ear cleaning is helpful
Home cleaning is generally appropriate when the ear looks mildly dirty and your dog seems comfortable, with no signs of infection.
You may do gentle cleaning if:
• you notice a small amount of waxy build-up
• there’s mild odour but no severe symptoms
• your dog is otherwise acting normal
2) Signs you should NOT clean at home (get checked)
If you notice any of the below, it’s best to contact your vet rather than trying to clean thoroughly yourself:
• strong, unpleasant smell
• redness/swelling of the ear canal
• discharge (yellow/green/black) or wetness
• a lot of head shaking or scratching
• pain when you touch the ear
• your dog becomes distressed when you handle the ear
• you suspect mites, a trapped grass seed/foreign body, or significant wax build-up
Tip: if your dog’s ears are repeatedly affected, it’s often a sign of an underlying cause (allergies, ear infection, moisture build-up, yeast, etc.) that needs treatment—not just cleaning.
3) How often should you clean?
There isn’t one perfect schedule for every dog. Many owners clean only when needed, such as:
• weekly for breeds or dogs that get build-up easily, or
• every couple of weeks, depending on how quickly dirt returns
If you’re not sure, start by checking the ears once a week and clean only when you can see mild build-up.
I even advise taking a photo of the ear, so you can see if there is improvement after cleaning.
4) What you should use (and what to avoid)
Use. Peake pet care ear cleaner. Buy a small bottle with nozzle to squirt into ear, and a larger one to refill.
Generally do not poke deep in the ear. Get a small glass of hand hot water, and pop the small bottle into the water to warm up. This activates it. Follow their directions to the letter. Which is squirt into the ear and massage ear. Leave it in. Then on the outer part of ear you can clean the black wax build up.
If the ear is bad, you can clean out the worst with cotton wool.
Or you can use a vet - approved clear cleaning solution designed for dogs. Follow the directions on the boxes to the letter.
Avoid:
• cotton buds/cotton swabs (they push debris deeper and can damage the ear canal), unless your dog has a small ear canal and this is the only way of cleaning.
• water flushing unless your vet specifically advises it (moisture can worsen issues)
• household products (vinegar, alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, etc.)—these can irritate and worsen infections
5) Safe step-by-step method
1. Check first. Look for redness, discharge, swelling, or pain. If anything looks “off,” stop and seek vet advice.
2. Use the right product. Apply a small amount of dog ear cleaner into the ear canal (follow the bottle instructions).
3. Massage gently at the base of the ear for about 20–30 seconds. Your dog may shake their head—this is normal.
4. Wipe what comes out. Use a clean cotton pad or gauze to wipe the outer ear. Do not go deeper with swabs.
5. Reward calmly. Keep it positive—if it’s stressful, the routine becomes harder and riskier.
6) After baths, swimming, and rainy weather
For dogs that get wet often (especially those with floppy ears), moisture can contribute to problems.
• Dry the outer ear gently after bathing/swimming.
• If your dog is prone to ear issues, you can ask your vet about a drying solution designed for dogs.
7) When you’re seeing build-up repeatedly
If you’re cleaning regularly and the debris returns quickly, it’s worth asking your vet about:
• yeast overgrowth
• bacterial infection
• allergies
• ear mites
• ear canal irritation
Cleaning helps debris, but it doesn’t treat infection.
Some breeds with long ears you will be checking ears all the time. The Vizsla rarely gets dirty ears unless it has allergies and then it will get either swollen ears and black debris. Or grass seed in ear and its shaking head and you need VET ASP. Or it may have an ear infection. Dogs that swim have more ear issues than dogs that do not.
WOOL COATS - Did you know that Wool coated breeds like Miniature Poodles, Standard and toy poodles have hair which does not moult. This means they do not loose coat. This is why they are groomed every 6 weeks. But these breeds have one annoying coat issue which is ear hair. Their hair grows inside the ears. As annoying as this is this should be plucked from the ear canal to allow air to circulate. Dogs which do not have this done are more prone to ear infections.
As a qualified groomer NVQ 2 & 3 I was taught how to safely remove hair from the dogs ear. Find a groomer who will do this for you. As it will make your life a lot easier to clean the dogs ears. But also the dog will benefit in the long run. It does not need doing every 6 weeks. You will find its more like every 12- 18 weeks. But removing the hair circulates ear.
Groomers can also trim ears to leave passages for air to circulate inside the ear.
SPANIELS - SILK COATS - Although the ears do not have hair inside, the thick hair on the outside can again cause ear infections. Groomers can either clip top of ears to allow air to circulate or hand strip. Or in some cases do a complete clip off the whole ear. But most owners like to see long silky ears as its part of the appeal. But if your dog has recurrent ear infections it may be kinder in the long run to do a total clip off.
Bracco Italiano ears, Spaniel ears are long, damp environments for yeast, muck and bacteria. After swimming, or just general day to day living their ears can be mucky. We honestly found that if we did not vaccinate the dogs ears were perfect. If we did vaccinate they went black with in two weeks from vaccine. I tried every which way, but in the end decided that removing unnecessary vaccine and only Titre testing was the way forward with the breed. I do have to Lepto however. But you may be in a different position to me.
The above cleaner sorted out not just black ears, but also infections due to bacterias.
Here is a piece I have written on Ears for you all.
Ear Cleaning in Dogs: How to Do It Safely (and When Not To)
Ear cleaning is one of those routines that many dog owners feel they “should” do regularly—but it’s also one area where it’s very easy to accidentally make things worse. Dogs’ ears are sensitive, and if there’s infection, irritation, or a foreign body, cleaning at home can sometimes push the problem deeper. The general rule is if your dogs ear is clean - leave it alone. Do not alter the ear flora. But if it is dirty, then use Peake Pet Cleaner.
1) Know when ear cleaning is helpful
Home cleaning is generally appropriate when the ear looks mildly dirty and your dog seems comfortable, with no signs of infection.
You may do gentle cleaning if:
• you notice a small amount of waxy build-up
• there’s mild odour but no severe symptoms
• your dog is otherwise acting normal
2) Signs you should NOT clean at home (get checked)
If you notice any of the below, it’s best to contact your vet rather than trying to clean thoroughly yourself:
• strong, unpleasant smell
• redness/swelling of the ear canal
• discharge (yellow/green/black) or wetness
• a lot of head shaking or scratching
• pain when you touch the ear
• your dog becomes distressed when you handle the ear
• you suspect mites, a trapped grass seed/foreign body, or significant wax build-up
Tip: if your dog’s ears are repeatedly affected, it’s often a sign of an underlying cause (allergies, ear infection, moisture build-up, yeast, etc.) that needs treatment—not just cleaning.
3) How often should you clean?
There isn’t one perfect schedule for every dog. Many owners clean only when needed, such as:
• weekly for breeds or dogs that get build-up easily, or
• every couple of weeks, depending on how quickly dirt returns
If you’re not sure, start by checking the ears once a week and clean only when you can see mild build-up.
I even advise taking a photo of the ear, so you can see if there is improvement after cleaning.
4) What you should use (and what to avoid)
Use. Peake pet care ear cleaner. Buy a small bottle with nozzle to squirt into ear, and a larger one to refill.
Generally do not poke deep in the ear. Get a small glass of hand hot water, and pop the small bottle into the water to warm up. This activates it. Follow their directions to the letter. Which is squirt into the ear and massage ear. Leave it in. Then on the outer part of ear you can clean the black wax build up.
If the ear is bad, you can clean out the worst with cotton wool.
Or you can use a vet - approved clear cleaning solution designed for dogs. Follow the directions on the boxes to the letter.
Avoid:
• cotton buds/cotton swabs (they push debris deeper and can damage the ear canal), unless your dog has a small ear canal and this is the only way of cleaning.
• water flushing unless your vet specifically advises it (moisture can worsen issues)
• household products (vinegar, alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, etc.)—these can irritate and worsen infections
5) Safe step-by-step method
1. Check first. Look for redness, discharge, swelling, or pain. If anything looks “off,” stop and seek vet advice.
2. Use the right product. Apply a small amount of dog ear cleaner into the ear canal (follow the bottle instructions).
3. Massage gently at the base of the ear for about 20–30 seconds. Your dog may shake their head—this is normal.
4. Wipe what comes out. Use a clean cotton pad or gauze to wipe the outer ear. Do not go deeper with swabs.
5. Reward calmly. Keep it positive—if it’s stressful, the routine becomes harder and riskier.
6) After baths, swimming, and rainy weather
For dogs that get wet often (especially those with floppy ears), moisture can contribute to problems.
• Dry the outer ear gently after bathing/swimming.
• If your dog is prone to ear issues, you can ask your vet about a drying solution designed for dogs.
7) When you’re seeing build-up repeatedly
If you’re cleaning regularly and the debris returns quickly, it’s worth asking your vet about:
• yeast overgrowth
• bacterial infection
• allergies
• ear mites
• ear canal irritation
Cleaning helps debris, but it doesn’t treat infection.
Some breeds with long ears you will be checking ears all the time. The Vizsla rarely gets dirty ears unless it has allergies and then it will get either swollen ears and black debris. Or grass seed in ear and its shaking head and you need VET ASP. Or it may have an ear infection. Dogs that swim have more ear issues than dogs that do not.
WOOL COATS - Did you know that Wool coated breeds like Miniature Poodles, Standard and toy poodles have hair which does not moult. This means they do not loose coat. This is why they are groomed every 6 weeks. But these breeds have one annoying coat issue which is ear hair. Their hair grows inside the ears. As annoying as this is this should be plucked from the ear canal to allow air to circulate. Dogs which do not have this done are more prone to ear infections.
As a qualified groomer NVQ 2 & 3 I was taught how to safely remove hair from the dogs ear. Find a groomer who will do this for you. As it will make your life a lot easier to clean the dogs ears. But also the dog will benefit in the long run. It does not need doing every 6 weeks. You will find its more like every 12- 18 weeks. But removing the hair circulates ear.
Groomers can also trim ears to leave passages for air to circulate inside the ear.
SPANIELS - SILK COATS - Although the ears do not have hair inside, the thick hair on the outside can again cause ear infections. Groomers can either clip top of ears to allow air to circulate or hand strip. Or in some cases do a complete clip off the whole ear. But most owners like to see long silky ears as its part of the appeal. But if your dog has recurrent ear infections it may be kinder in the long run to do a total clip off.