World's Best Home-Made Dog Ear Cleaner and Infection Treatment

Ear infections are a common problem for dogs, especially long eared dogs! Because of the way a long eared dog's ears hang down there isn't much ventilation into the ear canal, which then gets warm and moist, which are ideal conditions for infections!

If you lift up your dog's ear and look inside if the skin has a red tint to it, or if there is a cheesy smell, or if there is black gunk or discharge... your dog probably has an ear infection, some of which can be caused by ear mites.

Ear infections can be difficult and sometimes expensive to treat especially if vet care is involved! Veterinarians typically prescribe drops or ointments. I've achieved very good results using a home-made ear treatment solution on my Golden Retriever. The recipe for this solution was given to me by a neighbor, and is one that's been known and used for a long time in the Cocker Spaniel show world! When I first tried it, I applied it daily and my dog's infection showed improvement within a few days , and was cleared up in less than 2 weeks! Since then, I use it about once a month and my dog's ears are fresh and clean!

The ingredients for the solution are:

White vinegar

Powdered Boric Acid

Isopropyl Alcohol (rubbing alcohol)

Betadine Antiseptic Solution

(There is a generic versions of Betadine called Povidone-Iodine, which is less expensive and works just as well. Just be sure not to use "Betadine Scrub", which is Betadine with a detergent added. What you want is "Betadine Solution" or generic "Povidone-Iodine Solution")

You'll also need an empty bottle to mix and store the solution. I use a plastic bottle with fluid level markings in ounces on the side. This makes it easy to measure the ingredients.

Please note: If you have trouble finding Betadine, Boric Acid or a suitable bottle you can purchase them all from Amazon!


AMAZON LINK FOR Providone-Iodine

THE RECIPE

HERE IS THE RECIPE:

Pour six ounces of Isopropyl Alcohol into your bottle.

Next, add one and a half teaspoons of Boric Acid Powder. (Be careful not to get the boric acid on your skin or clothing. It can burn and stain a bit! If you do,wash it off quickly). Shake the solution up really well, until the Boric Acid Powder is fully dissolved.

Next, add two ounces of white vinegar. Shake it up some more.

Finally, add one teaspoon of the Betadine antiseptic, and shake it some more. The solution should take on coloring similar to ice tea. (Be careful with the Betadine because it stains! If you get it on your skin or clothing wash it off quickly!)

That's it! One thing to keep in mind, since this solution contains Betadine, which is orange colored and will stain carpet, furniture, etc. So you may want to apply the ear cleaner to your dog outdoors or in your garage or in your bathtub... somewhere where nothing important can get stained if your dog shakes his head and the solution flies out of the ear!

I found the best way to use the cleaner is as follows: I put it in a small spray bottle and spray one or two squirts into the ear. Then I fold the ear back down and massage the ear so the solution gets worked around in the ear. Then I wipe the inside of the ear and soak up as much of the solution as possible using toilet tissue. This limits the amount of solution that will be released when my dog shakes or rubs his head. Some may still released, so I always apply on in my garage.

Apply the solution daily until you start to see some improvement. Once things get better, cut back to once a week, and when you're fully satisfied that the infection is clearing up go to two weeks between treatments until the infection is totally gone. The ear cleaning solution can be stored at room temperature and, as far as I know, does not go bad with time.

Here's a tip: Your dog won't object to you squirting this stuff into the ears so much if you make sure the solution is warm but not hot when used. Most dogs don't like don't like cold liquid squirted in their ears.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS!

Here are some frequently asked questions about this solution:

*Is it safe to use on my dog? Yes - as long as the ear drum is intact and there are no open sores, scratches, punctures, or wounds in the dog's ear. For example, if your dog has scratched his ears and the skin is broken, it would not be a good idea to use this solution until that wound has healed. The alcohol will sting and the boric acid could have a path to the bloodstream. Also, please be careful not to accidentally get any of the solution in your dog's eyes.

If your dog's ear drum has ruptured or been punctured, the solution should not be used. Therefore, if you suspect an ear drum problem, which are uncommon, it's best to have your vet do an examination before using this solution.

*Boric acid is used in some roach killing products. Can it poison my dog? As long as there are no sores, wounds, etc. in the ear the boric acid will not get in to the dog's system and is safe to use. Also, you don't want your dog licking or drinking, but it's safe to use in the ear. If he shakes his head and some solution gets on his coat, wipe it off so he doesn't lick it.

*In the store I've seen isopropyl alcohol that is 70% alcohol, and I've also seen some that is 90% alcohol. Which should I get? The lower the concentration of alcohol, the more diluted with water it is. Water is bad inside dog ears... so you want to get the highest alcohol concentration you can find. I've heard of 99% isopropyl alcohol, although I've never seen it in my local stores. I buy 90% isopropyl alcohol from Walmart..

*The products all say "not for internal use" yet you are asking me to insert these in my dogs ear! Are you nuts? It's like the difference between putting soap in your mouth and in your belly button. As long as the ear drum is intact, the ear canal is a sealed cavity. The ear cleaning solution goes in, it gets squished around, and then the dog shakes his head and all the ear cleaning solution comes out.

*Should I use a cotton ball, q-tip, Kleenex, etc. to clean out my dog's ear? If there is a lot of "gunk" inside the ear... yes, feel free to use something to help clean all that stuff out of there. Once you've done this for a few days in a row, you'll get all the big stuff out of there and the flushing action of the ear cleaning solution will do the rest.


*Is this only for dogs with an ear infection in progress, or can I use it to prevent an ear infection? you can use it weekly or bi-weekly to help prevent your dog from getting an ear infection. On dogs that are currently experiencing an ear infection, use it daily.

*I've been using the ear cleaning solution for several weeks, but my dog still has an ear infection. Now what? This solution has been used successfully on many dogs, but if the infection appears severe, please take your dog to a vet for treatment.

PLEASE NOTE: The boric acid is an important ingredient, so use the recipe as written. Because boric acid can be used in the manufacture of certain illegal drugs, most drug stores do not leave it just sitting out on the shelf with their other products. No prescription is required, but it is usually kept behind the counter, so you may have to ask for it. Another option, of course, is to purchase it from Amazon.
AMAZON LINK
Thanks!