# Homemade Ear Cleaner. Safe?



## LusciousLeah (Feb 23, 2012)

Do you make your own homemade ear cleaner for your furkids? When I raise this issue with the vet, he gave me a glare and reprimanded me for trying to be a 'vet':uhoh:. But since my fur kid has no ear infection or whatsoever why can't I used homemade ear cleaner to clean him every other week after his swim? Going to the vet just to clean his ear every week is going to put a hole in my pocket. BTW vet visitation in my country is really expensive.

So what are you guys take on homemade ear solution?

Thanks for all the input.


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## goldhaven (Sep 3, 2009)

I have been making my dogs ear cleaner for quite some time. When I told my vet she gave me a better recipe. I was using 1/2 vinegar and 1/2 water. She suggested only using a solution made up of 1/4 vinegar. I have been using it for years. No problems.


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## Vhuynh2 (Feb 13, 2012)

My breeder gave me her "recipe" for homemade ear care and I trust her.


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## cubbysan (Mar 13, 2007)

My vet told me to not even waste my money on the ear cleaners. She too told me to use 1/2 white vinegar and 1/2 water.


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

I'm also use the vinegar and water on a cotton ball to clean my dog's ears, but only if they need cleaning, which is rare for him.


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## Karen2 (Jan 5, 2009)

Yup, me too, I clean their ears with Raw Apple Cider Vinegar in warm water, using a cotton cloth.
Wrung out and wipe, rinse, wipe, rinse, wipe and done for Lance.
Sierra has to lick the cloth in between each time, she loves vinegar.


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## Deber (Aug 23, 2011)

Karen2 - That is exactly what we use. Warm apple vinegar and cotton ball, but usually only every few weeks, unless ears get wet, then just a quick rinse out and wipe to make sure ears aren't retaining water.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

> When I raise this issue with the vet, he gave me a glare and reprimanded me for trying to be a 'vet':uhoh:. But since my fur kid has no ear infection or whatsoever why can't I used homemade ear cleaner to clean him every other week after his swim? Going to the vet just to clean his ear every week is going to put a hole in my pocket. BTW vet visitation in my country is really expensive


I would remind your vet that you do not have to have a veterinary degree to be able to clean dog's ears. And most vets prefer that people do that themselves to limit the development of ear infections. 

I either use a plain dry airstrip bandage type cloth (it won't shred inside the ear if the ear is moist from a bath), alcohol wipes, or baby wipes (generally only on the outer portions of the ear though). 

I do have a homemade blend of stuff (from a recipe here on GRF) that I use when my dog is working on an ear infection. But even there I haven't had to use it since I made it over a year ago. And it did work back then, using the tiniest dab in each ear.


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## Deb_Bayne (Mar 18, 2011)

Great tips, I'm so leary on those products that are full of chemicals in the stores.


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## mrmooseman (Aug 12, 2011)

Well I wasted money on ear cleaner when Moose and everytime he sees the bottle its a huge chase around the house! I'm going to try this!


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## Laurie Falter (Sep 26, 2011)

I have been using a solution of equal parts white vinegar, rubbing alcohol, and water for at least 10 years. No problems here, and nary an ear infection on 5 different drop-ear dogs, including 3 Rotties, a Beagle, and a Golden.


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## MikaTallulah (Jul 19, 2006)

I use homemade on mine- Vet recommended. My previous golden Lucky was very allergic to commercial ear cleansers. He also developed allergies to most prescription ear drops too.

I wonder about a vet that wants you to come to them only for ear cleaning if the dog has no actual ear problems just for maintenance care.


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## LusciousLeah (Feb 23, 2012)

Thanks all for the wonderful input.

Reason why the vets over here frowned on us owners using anything homemade is because the pets population here is extremely small and they will discourage us on using homemade stuffs in the hope we will bring in our furkids for even the tiniest problem so they will have business.:uhoh: The pet population here is roughly around 50,000 only yet people still abandon their furkids after their fascination with them wears off!


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## Karen2 (Jan 5, 2009)

mrmooseman said:


> Well I wasted money on ear cleaner when Moose and *everytime he sees the bottle its a huge chase around the house! *I'm going to try this!


Sierra did the same thing, even if it was vinegar and warm water in it, so we just do it at the sink. My 2 don't like anything poured into their ears at all. So wiping is what we do.
Sierra hasn't had an infection since we switch dog food and used the vinegar to clean out her ears.
Lance has a lot of stuff in his left ear all the time when we clean.


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