HEALTH

Promote a healthy havanese

Ear infections are a very common issue if you have a floppy-eared dog like the Havanese.

There is nothing more distressing than seeing your doggie in discomfort trying to scratch and soothe an irritated ear. There so many things that can throw off the balance and cause the wax to get infected or grow yeast. It stays naturally moist when they have floppy ears so it takes some attention to detail to keep the ears healthy.

I am a big proponent of monthly ear washes. I start the day before with several drops of coconut oil in the ear which I massage deeply into the ear being sure to rub into the cartilage that is right by the scull where the ear connects. This loosens up any gunk that is in there. It works best if you let that sit overnight or for a day before rinsing. It is soothing and the dog won’t be annoyed by the oil.

The next day use a store bought ear rinse or you can make your own. There are many recipes. My favorite mixture is 1/4c water with 1/4 c apple cider vinegar and 1/4c witch hazel (that helps it dry out and not sit wet in the ear but is much gentler than alcohol). If I have pure liquid aloe vera around, I add a tablespoon of that. I heat it to a comfortable temperature -about like a shower temperature. Don’t overheat as it will kill all the good stuff in the apple cider vinegar.

I fold a towel and lay it under my dog’s ear to catch the wash as it comes out. I use a big ear cleaning bulb I get in the baby isle at the grocery to rinse out the ear. After several rinses let him shake the excess liquid out of the ear. I have cotton balls that I use to dry and wipe any residue in the ear. You can comfortably get in the folds with that and it will leave the ear nice and clean. Qtips are dangerous and can cause damage to the sensitive ears so cotton balls are better and are actually more efficient at grabbing and removing dirt than q tips. After they and it has a chance to air dry, I put about 2 drops of coconut oil in there again. Coconut oil is a antifungal and I have had great success in helping prevent the yeast infections from returning by leaving a couple of drops in there. If they already have an infection, you can do this weekly until it clears up. Obviously, if the infection is severe, take your dog to the vet. This advice does not replace the need for your vet, I am simply my procedure for keeping my doggies ears healthy from ear infections. It works as a great preventative!

Remember sometimes its not just moisture that causes ear issues, it can be an allergen to their food. If the infections recur often, this is worth investigating.

I found this great article that has some different cleaning options and information and a natural product to help treat ear issues. Again, I am not a vet, I’m just sharing some information that has been useful to me. https://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/5-home-remedies-for-dog-ear-infections/?utm_campaign=Ear+Remedies+Post+-+Aug.+11th