4 effective home remedies for dog ear infections

The surge of people getting pets during the pandemic, estimated at 3.2 million households in the UK, has been quite amazing. The most popular new additions to the family home were cats and dogs and although people have taken on ownership of a pet because they felt it was a convenient time and/or it would be good company and good for their mental health, when you get a dog, your biggest responsibility is to keep it safe and healthy. Some breeds of dogs need more looking after than others which is why we will look at home remedies for dog ear infections as long-eared dogs such as Cocker Spaniels, Bloodhound and Basset Hounds are quite commonly affected by this problem.

Of course, you also must keep your dog happy, and I am sure that your serotonin levels will also increase because you will certainly do a lot of cuddling and playing with this animal. Keeping pets is also extremely good for kids.

Dogs are extremely affectionate and loyal creatures so lots of cuddles, playtime, and walks are essential for happiness and bonding. But these actions alone will not keep your pet fit and healthy, particularly if they are predisposed to certain conditions.

Like humans, dogs and puppies need vaccinations to prevent dangerous diseases and illnesses. And like humans, there is also a chance they have other health issues and/or accidents, which is why many people consider pet health insurance as a sensible option.

But whilst having a vet you know you can turn to for help and support is essential, there is a great deal you can do yourself to help your dog and, in this article, we are going to focus on home remedies for dog ear infections.

You need to be observant when it comes to your dog’s behaviour so that you can notice any changes that might indicate that the poor animal is having certain health issues. For example, if you notice your dog scratching its ears a lot, shaking its head, and whining, then you can be quite sure that you are dealing with a dog ear infection which, as we have already mentioned, is very common in certain breeds. Of course, you should have your vet confirm that, but those are some common signs that you need to look out for.

While we would never advise you to skip your vet appointments, the truth is that there are some natural remedies that you can use for ear infections without having to take your dog to the vet and without worrying about side effects such as those that could be caused by certain medicines.

In case you have not done any research on this topic before, it is perfectly normal for you to be at least a little bit confused about which types of remedies I am talking about. Well, it’s time to change that and clear up any confusion. In other words, it’s time for you to learn about some home remedies that you can use to treat your dogs’ ear infections. So, without further ado, let us have a look at those.

Water and Vinegar

Let us start with probably the most common remedy that you have probably heard about already. I’m talking about mixing water and vinegar together and using it to help your pet get some relief from the constant itching. Now, keep in mind that you shouldn’t just pour this into your canine’s ears. The treatment process is a tiny bit different.

First of all, you should mix these ingredients together in a bowl. Then, you should soak a cotton ball in the mixture and use it to clean the visible parts of your pet’s ears. Keep in mind that this might be a tiny bit unpleasant for the animal, meaning that you will need to be patient in order to do this the right way. After doing that, you will have to squirt or spray this liquid into your canine’s ear canal and gently massage below the ear.

Olive Oil

Apart from water and vinegar, you could also use olive oil the same way. You should, however, warm the oil to a comfortable temperature, but don’t take it too far with that. Basically, the temperature should be the same as the temperature of your canine’s skin. Put a few drops in its ear and massage it for a couple of minutes before you proceed to the second ear.

Grapefruit Seed Extract

Now, here is something that you might not have thought of, but it seems to be one of highly effective treatment methods when pet ear infections are in question. You will need some grapefruit seed extract and, once again, a cotton ball. Grapefruit is known for being a powerful anti-oxidant. It also has antifungal, antibacterial and antiviral properties, meaning that it can help treat almost any type of infection.

The best thing to do is mix this extract with aloe vera juice and then use it to clean your pup’s ears. Once again, you will have to be rather gentle and patient in this process, especially if you have a stubborn dog that won’t quite stay still while you are trying to treat it. Of course, you can always ask someone to help you if you don’t think you can handle this alone. In any case, trying grapefruit seed extract is a great idea that can definitely help you treat those ear infections. Go here to learn more methods of treating these infections.

CBD Oil

Since I am mentioning oils and extracts, I cannot fail to mention CBD oil, made using an extract from the hemp plant, known as Cannabidiol. Now, this might not exactly be a home remedy in the sense that you might not have it at home when you need it. Plus, you cannot make it alone and you have to buy it instead, but the truth is that every single household should actually have this oil at hand when raising a pet, because it can be useful for so many things.

The process of treating ear infections with CBD oil is a bit different and, the best part is, it can also serve to prevent new infections. Basically, all you have to do is mix CBD oil into your dog’s food and have it consume this product regularly. Thanks to its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, this product will certainly help get rid of those irritations as well as prevent any future ones.

Image by Mirko Sajkov from Pixabay