# Ear Plucking?!?!



## twoleeighs (Nov 1, 2008)

Being the bad mommy that I am, I didn't know that I'm supposed to pluck the hair out of Vivi's ears, so I've never done it. Of course, her ears were just getting too dirty, and stinky, even with cleaning each week, so I took her to the vet and they pulled all of the hair out of her ears, and then told me that she has a small ear infection.

So, now I know. But, I still don't know how I'm supposed to do it or how often?

What do you guys do? I feel so dumb for asking this almost a full year after Vivi came home!

Thanks,

April


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## makettle29 (Nov 12, 2005)

My Herk has hairy ears that are often dirty, my Athena has almost no ear hair and no problems. After you bath and use the ear cleaning solution to dry and clean the canal you can sprinkle a little ear powder inside the ear to make the hairs easier to grip and just quickly pull them out. It takes a few yanks to get most of them out. I have read that the hairs inside the canal are not sensitive. Be sure to leave the outer ear hairs alone. My groomer has cut them in the past and it doesn't do as good a job as pulling. I tried plucking with tweezers but it was not as efficient as using my fingers.

good luck

mary anna herk and theena


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## myfairlacy (Dec 28, 2007)

You're not a bad mommy. Ear plucking is not something that should be routine unless your dog has issues with dirty ears and reoccuring ear infections. A lot of groomers and some vets recommend doing it regularly because they think it prevents infections..but other groomers and vets feel that if it's not broken, don't mess with it. Plucking the hair can irritate the ear canal and could lead to problems too...the hair can protect the ear canal. You just have to find out what your individual dog needs. I never pluck the hair on my two dogs...Lacy doesn't have much hair in her ear canal but Rylie does...they never have had any ear infections. I just clean out their ears maybe once a month or once every two months. But then for some dogs, plucking the ear hair helps to stop their ear infections. So my opinion is do not pluck the ear hair unless you have a dog with ear problems...and then only routinely pluck if plucking the ear hair helps your dog's ear problems.


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

Keep in mind plucking does not mean plucking the ear clean. Just a small amount so the ear can breath is all you need to do.


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## misti9er (Mar 24, 2009)

some vets actually recommend to keep the hair in the ears, unless its more then the usual hair amount, we have the groomer pluck jaspers ears but he still has hair in his ears its just not a jungle lol


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## mrs10 (Feb 21, 2007)

I pluck and clean ears on a regular basis. I powder and then use ear cleaner after. I like clean ears. If you don't mind hairy ears and you don't have any ear infections you might prefer not too. It comes out easier in some breeds rather than other. If it doesn't come out easy I won't do it. Schnauzers seem to be a breed that has a lot of hair and it doesn't want to come out so easy.


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## Harley & Dakotas Mum (Jun 11, 2005)

QUOTE (JMM @ Nov 6 2009, 10:04 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=847776


> Keep in mind plucking does not mean plucking the ear clean. Just a small amount so the ear can breath is all you need to do.[/B]


Thanks Jackie, I have never tried to pluck them entirely clear, but this is good to know!! I normally only pluck once a month or sometimes every 2 months .. and I only ever have 2 or 3 little plucks each time/each ear.


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## dex'smom (Jan 11, 2009)

what ear powder do you recommend?


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## almitra (Apr 24, 2009)

My personal choice is cornstarch--cheap, natural, and HIGHLY absorbant.


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## camfan (Oct 30, 2006)

I never, ever pluck. Or have them plucked when they go to the groomer a few times per year (I do routine grooming myself and bring them to the groomer when they need a good overhaul, lol, or if I've been exceptionally busy). At home I just trim the hair short with safety scissors.


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## cleooscar (May 28, 2008)

Last month Raine and Pasha came back from the groomer where they got their ear hair pulled. They both ended up with ear infection right away. We go to the groomer every 3 months and it never happened before so I don't know what happened. Napoleon never had his ear hair plugged and his ears seem okay. I always check them every time after bath but so far so good (he's 11 months now).


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## silverhaven (Sep 6, 2009)

Hmmm just another think to wonder about. Sounds like the gland thing, some say leave well enough alone other say express.  I had a cat and my Bichon both get infections for leaving the glands alone though. So maybe also it is better to pluck.  seems a no win.


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

R7 ear powder. Remember with any powder around the ears - only sprinkle a little on the HAIR. You do not want powder getting down the ear canal. It can get packed in down there and cause problems.


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