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Why an ear treatment?
Ear medications are prescribed for an infection, inflammation, or another problem in the canal. The whole point is to get the product deep enough to act where it is needed. With a little practice, it is simple and doable at home.
An infection
Bacteria or yeast in the canal, treated right where they are.
Inflammation
A red, irritated canal, sometimes linked to allergies.
A canal problem
Any other condition of the ear canal that needs targeted treatment.
What to expect
The treated ear should start to improve within the first few days: less head-shaking and scratching, a less red ear, less discharge, and a fading odor. In more severe cases, it can take a little longer. If things get worse instead, that is the time to call us.
What you need
Two things are enough. Use exactly the medication your veterinarian prescribed, and only that.
Exam gloves
Latex or equivalent. They protect you from contact with any bacteria or yeast, and with the medication itself. Wash your hands right after.
The prescribed medication
The topical treatment your veterinarian recommended for your pet's ear.
Never open an old bottle
Use only the medication prescribed for this ear. Never use leftover treatment from a past ear infection, another animal's drops, or something from the family medicine cabinet. An ear that has not been examined this time may have a ruptured eardrum, and some ear medications can then harm hearing or balance, sometimes permanently. That is why your veterinarian examines the ear and checks the eardrum before choosing a treatment. When in doubt, call us rather than opening an old bottle.
Think comfort
The product comes out of the bottle colder than body temperature, which can startle your pet, especially if the ear is raw. Warm the bottle or tube for a few minutes in your hand or under your arm: it is far more pleasant. Do not use a microwave or hot water, which could burn an already irritated canal: body warmth is enough. You can also start with a small amount while your pet gets used to it. The comfort the medication eventually brings is well worth it.
When to stop and call us
The ear should improve within the first few days. Some changes, though, mean you should act, the most urgent first.
Signs that mean stop right away
Some signs point to the balance system or the nerves of the face. They can mean the middle or inner ear is involved, or that the ear is reacting badly to the medication. Stop the treatment and call us without delay (or an emergency clinic outside our hours) if you notice:
- A head that stays tilted to one side (beyond the brief, normal shake right after instilling).
- Loss of balance: your pet staggers, circles, or falls over.
- Eyes that flick on their own, from side to side.
- One side of the face drooping: a lid, a lip, or an ear.
- Hearing that drops suddenly: your pet no longer responds to sounds.
Also keep an eye out, and let us know promptly, for:
- Increasing discharge.
- An ear that is redder, warmer, or more swollen.
- Pain that is getting worse.
- More marked head-shaking or scratching.
- A condition that seems to be spreading.
- Being unable to instill the medication properly.
Is your pet resisting? Take a break.
At the first signs of tension, freezing, or distress, take a short break, let your pet settle, then try again gently. If your pet struggles, tenses up, or the ear seems too painful, stop and call us. Resistance is often a sign of a worsening infection that deserves a prompt reassessment. Do not put yourself or your pet at risk of a bite or a nip, and do not force it: forcing a painful ear makes every later treatment harder. There are other options (sedation, oral or injectable treatment, or a longer-acting medication applied in-clinic), and we can show you the technique. Stopping is not a failure.
The procedure, step by step
Allow under five minutes. With a calm pet, one person is enough; otherwise get help. If the treatment stays too difficult, talk to us: there are alternatives.
Get set up, with help if needed
With a calm pet, you can manage alone. With a young or excitable animal, or one not used to having its ears handled, have a second person hold and distract it (a treat, a toy, or just the sight of a ball works wonders).
Clean first, if prescribed
If your veterinarian prescribed a cleaning solution, clean the ear before instilling the medication, using the product and method they gave you. Never flood the ear with any solution that was not prescribed. Cleaning loosens the debris; if you medicate first, the cleaning solution would then carry the medication away.
Position the ear
With one hand, gently lift the ear flap (the visible outer ear) straight up. A practical method: fold it into your palm, furry side against your hand, thumb on the smooth inner side; you can then see the opening of the canal. For a breed with naturally upright ears, simply cup your hand behind the ear.
Instill without touching the canal
The cupped flap forms a funnel. Do not insert the tip into the canal: place it at the entrance and apply the number of drops (or amount of ointment) your veterinarian prescribed, aiming as deep as possible. Do not let the tip touch the ear, so you do not contaminate the bottle or tube.
Massage the canal
Lower the flap and massage the canal for about twenty to thirty seconds, gently rolling the tissue between thumb and finger; you can feel a small soft tube under the skin, at the base of the ear. A soft squishing sound is normal: it is the medication spreading through the canal.
Let it shake, then wipe
Most pets shake their head right after instilling: that is how they push wax (cerumen) and debris outward, away from the eardrum. This brief shake is normal; head-shaking that increases or persists over the following days, however, is a reason to call us. Then wipe the inner surface of the flap with gauze. Never a cotton swab in the canal: it pushes debris back inward.
Limit scratching if needed
If your pet scratches a lot, an Elizabethan collar may be needed while the medication works. Scratching can cause self-injury and should be avoided.
In pictures
After the treatment
A few simple steps to finish cleanly, safely, and on a positive note.
- Reward your pet: a treat or praise makes the next treatment much easier.
- Throw away the used gauze and gloves.
- Wash your hands.
- Close the bottle or tube and store it as the label directs (some products are refrigerated), out of reach of children and pets.
- Do not use a product that is expired, has changed color or appearance, or has been open a long time: throw it out and ask us.
Your questions, our answers
What owners ask us most about ear treatments.
How often should I clean and apply the medication?
Should I stop as soon as the ear looks better?
Are there any restrictions during treatment?
My pet shakes it all out, or I missed a dose. What should I do?
Is it normal for my pet to be a little bothered right after instilling?
Can head-shaking or scratching make things worse?
See also
The right move, in the right place
Given well, on a prepared ear and without ever forcing it, an ear treatment acts where it should and brings your pet quick relief. At the first doubt, the first sign of pain, or unusual resistance, set the treatment aside and call us.
An ear that is not responding to treatment?
Trouble instilling, pain, or shaking that persists? Our team can re-examine your pet's ear and show you the right technique.