It is sometimes wise and better to go for a well-known natural remedy to treat an issue before injecting antibiotics into a body, and the scenario is similar when treating a dog’s ears.One can use a vinegar solution not only to clean a dog’s ears but also to treat certain ear infections and allergies that your dog can develop. If the issue at hand is pretty serious and you see no improvement after using the vinegar solution, consult with a veterinary doctor.Some dogs naturally have dirty ears, whereas, some do not require any cleaning as their ears are always in good condition. However, one must check their dog’s ears at regular intervals to ensure that there is no extra wax that has been created or some food allergy that might have caused some ear infection. Ear mites also trouble dogs a lot, and they tend to scratch their ears a lot which results in ears turning red. Make sure that your dog isn’t experiencing any such condition before applying vinegar, as applying vinegar in an area that has been excessively scratched might cause a stinging sensation. The dog ear cleaners available on the market have a number of chemicals and other substances which can certainly harm your dog’s ears. It is better to use homemade natural remedies such as apple cider vinegar, and apart from that, you can ask your vet to prescribe a dog ear cleaning solution.If you enjoy this article, why not also read about how to cut tomatoes? Knife cutting skills for budding chief and how to clean a dog wound here on Kidadl?Is it safe to clean a dog’s ears with vinegar?Using vinegar to clean a dog’s ears is an effective and efficient method as it minimizes the use of market products that might be harmful to dogs. On the other hand, apple cider vinegar when mixed with water becomes a perfect solution to clean a dog’s ears; it reduces the acidity of the vinegar and stops bacteria and yeast from infecting the ears.Oftentimes, skin allergies can affect ears too, which leads to ear infections or itchy ears. Under these circumstances, vinegar can be used to reduce the growth of yeast. Many dog owners are perplexed about using vinegar for their dog’s ears. Well, if you mix apple cider vinegar with water in a 50:50 ratio, the solution is perfect for cleaning your dog’s ears. Soak a small cotton ball in the solution and gently clean the inside of the ear with it. You do not need to carry out this practice daily as overdoing might have harmful consequences. You can check your dog’s ears for a foul smell or notice it scratching its ears a lot under these conditions. This is a hint that your pet is experiencing some issue with its ear. Additionally, if your dog has recently taken a swim, you can clean its ears.However, there are certain conditions when using vinegar might not be the best solution to your dog’s issue. One such condition is a swollen ear canal along with itchiness, and this usually takes place when your pet is experiencing an allergic reaction to some food it is consuming. The best option here is to consult with a vet at the soonest moment possible. Similar to apple cider vinegar, you can also use other types of vinegar such as white vinegar to treat an ear infection in dogs. This solution is not made with water. In this case, the water is replaced with alcohol. A solution of white vinegar and alcohol is can be used to clean the ear of dogs or to treat an infection. Soak a piece of cotton in it and wipe the insides of the ear with the solution, to treat the excess wax inside or any ear infection. Although, it is better if you consult a veterinarian before carrying out any such process.What precautions should be taken while cleaning a dog’s ear with vinegar?Apple cider vinegar is acidic in nature and can prove to be harmful to your pet if not used with the proper precautions. You must first of all be well aware that the vinegar you are using is in a healthy condition and the issue your dog is suffering from is adequate for treating it with a vinegar solution. Make sure to check for excessive redness in your dog’s ears before applying vinegar. Before applying the vinegar-water solution, the dog owner must wipe the outside area of the ear with a cotton ball or towel to remove excess wax.While using vinegar to clean your dog’s ears, make sure that you do not use it without diluting, as vinegar is an acid that can prove to be fatal. The ideal scenario is to mix it with water in a 50:50 ratio and use all the solution that is made at any one moment. Do not store it for future use; dilute the vinegar and use it instantly. Additionally, always use a cotton ball to apply the vinegar solution as directly applying it might cause irritation in your dog’s ears. Also, it is your responsibility to ensure that your pet doesn’t keep poking its ear with its pawns and nails as it might have the urge to do so owing to the irritation it feels temporarily. However, if you let your dog do so, the process of applying vinegar might not turn out to be as effective as imagined and the ear infections might persist. Once the process is complete, the dog owner must wipe off the excess solution which falls out of the ear of the dog with a piece of cotton or towel. Allow your dog to shake its head, as this drops off the extra amount of solution which might be there. You must not use this solution in your dog’s ear if it is very young; it must be at least 3-4 months old in order to use the vinegar and water solution in its ear. Some dogs experience excessive wax in their ear or the presence of debris such as dust or small pebbles at times. In such situations, it might experience a considerable amount of pain and you might have to use the liquid solution more than once. Moreover, before carrying out any kind of treatment on your own, consult with a veterinarian. The issue at hand might be bigger than a regular cleaning process can deal with.Why Vinegar Is Used To Clean A Dog’s EarApple cider vinegar works like a miracle when it is used for cleaning a dog’s ear. Vinegar is in fact useful not only for cleaning a dog’s ear but in various other ways too. One such benefit of using vinegar is that you can use a vinegar and water solution while bathing your dog to treat certain skin issues or fight any dandruff issues your dog might be experiencing. It does not hurt the dog as long as it is used the way it is meant to be used, but it could cause some irritation.The main reason behind using vinegar to treat a dog’s ear infection or for ear cleaning is, unlike various other chemicals and acids, it doesn’t have any side effects and doesn’t disturb the pH balance of the skin. When this pH level is restored to a healthy level, it can result in your dog digesting food in a better manner. At the same time, apart from acting as a cleaning solution, it also has the ability to tackle bacteria and yeast infections. For ear cleaning purposes, you can pour a couple of drops of the solution on either side to clean your dog’s ears. You must do this for at least two weeks to see the amount of debris reduce. There are several other benefits of introducing apple cider vinegar to dogs as well. These include treating the issue of itchy skin and reducing any sorts of urinary tract infections that a dog might have been suffering from. Sometimes a vet recommends that people must observe the way their dog reacts after being treated with vinegar for the first time. This process of cleaning and grooming to fight bacteria and remove excess wax from the ear of a dog might not suit all the dogs. If your dog shows any adverse reactions after any cleaning process, contact a veterinarian immediately.When Not To Use Vinegar To Clean Your Dog’s EarAfter learning about the various benefits of vinegar, this might come to you as a shocker but there are perhaps situations where you must not use the vinegar-water solution to clean your dog’s ears. If you use vinegar in your dog’s ear canal for treating its ear infection or for ear cleaning purposes, it might somehow increase the infection and cause your dog a lot of pain.First of all, you must always check the pH level of your dog before you use vinegar to clean your dog’s ears. If the pH level of your dog is below six, you must not use apple cider vinegar in any way as it may have adverse effects and lead to issues such as vomiting or diarrhea. You must avoid using the vinegar-water solution for ear cleaning if dogs have a cut, wound or sores near the ear infection or near the ear canal as it can cause a burning sensation.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for how to clean dog ears with vinegar? Learn how to care for your pet dog, then why not take a look at amazing reptiles facts for kids: how fast can an alligator run? Or how to cut tomatoes? Knife cutting skills for budding chefs?
It is sometimes wise and better to go for a well-known natural remedy to treat an issue before injecting antibiotics into a body, and the scenario is similar when treating a dog’s ears.
