Course 10 · Ears · Lesson 1 of 12

What does healthy ear care at home involve?

Published 29 October 2026 · Updated 29 October 2026 · About 5 minutes · General information only. This lesson does not diagnose or treat any condition.

Healthy ear care at home involves regular, gentle checks of the outer ear, cleaning only the visible outer ear with a suitable cleaner and cotton wool or gauze, keeping ears dry after bathing or swimming, and watching for signs that need veterinary assessment. It does not involve putting anything deep into the ear canal, removing hair from the canal, or treating smell, discharge, redness or pain at home. Ears are sensitive, and the canal is easily damaged, so home care is deliberately limited: look, clean the outside gently, dry carefully, and refer promptly when something looks, smells or behaves differently from normal for that dog.

What does a healthy ear look and smell like?

A healthy ear is usually clean, with a small amount of light coloured wax, no strong smell, no redness or swelling, and skin that looks calm and comfortable. The ear flap should be free from sores, lumps, parasites and matted hair at the base, and the dog should not shake its head constantly, scratch at the ear, or show pain when the ear is touched gently. Healthy ears vary by breed and by ear shape: floppy ears hold more warmth and moisture, hairy ears collect more wax and debris, and upright ears are more exposed to dirt. Learn what is normal for your dog, by checking regularly when the dog is well, so a change stands out early. A change from normal, rather than a textbook picture, is the most useful warning sign.

What does a regular ear check involve?

A regular ear check involves lifting the ear flap gently, looking at the outer ear and the entrance to the canal in good light, smelling the ear from a normal distance, and feeling the flap and base for heat, swelling, lumps or tenderness. Check both ears, compare them, and check behind and under the ear, where mats and sores hide. Handle the ear gently, without pulling, twisting or pressing into the canal, and reward the dog for settling. Note anything unusual, such as more wax than usual, a change in colour or smell, redness, discharge, a sore, or a dog that objects to handling one ear. A check should be brief, calm and routine, so the dog learns that ear handling is normal and not painful, and so problems are found early, when they are easier to assess.

What does gentle outer ear cleaning involve?

Gentle outer ear cleaning, explained in full in Lesson 3, involves wiping the visible outer ear with cotton wool or gauze dampened with a suitable ear cleaner, or dry if the ear is only dusty, and never inserting anything into the canal. Use a separate piece of cotton wool or gauze for each ear, work from the outer part inwards only as far as you can see, and stop if the dog shows pain or the ear looks sore. Do not use water alone in the canal, do not use household products, oils or home remedies unless a vet has advised them for that dog, and do not use cotton buds, which can push debris deeper and damage the canal. Cleaning should remove visible dirt and wax from the outer ear, not strip the ear or leave it wet. If an ear needs more than a gentle outer wipe, it needs assessment, not more cleaning.

How do ear shape and coat affect home care?

Floppy ears, hairy ears, narrow canals and heavy ear feathering all affect how ears are checked and cleaned, and they are covered in Lessons 5 and 6. Floppy ears need the flap lifted gently for air and inspection, and they need drying carefully after bathing. Hairy ears need the outer hair brushed and checked for mats, but hair in the canal should not be pulled at home. Dogs that swim, or are bathed often, need drying after water exposure, as Lesson 9 explains. Dogs with allergies, skin conditions or a history of ear problems need more frequent checks and closer veterinary involvement, and their ear care plan should be agreed with a vet, not improvised at home. Coat and shape change the routine, but they do not change the boundary: outer ear only, gentle cleaning, prompt referral.

Use this home ear care checklist for a routine check:

1. Lift the flap gently, look at the outer ear and canal entrance in good light.
2. Smell from a normal distance, and feel for heat, swelling or tenderness.
3. Check behind and under the ear for mats, sores or lumps.
4. Wipe the visible outer ear gently if dirty, with a separate pad per ear.
5. Dry the ear carefully after bathing or swimming.
6. Note any change, and seek veterinary advice if a warning sign is present.

Stop and get help: when is ear care not a home job?

Ear care is not a home job when there is smell, discharge, redness, swelling, pain, head shaking, scratching, a sore, a lump, a foreign object, or a dog that will not let an ear be touched. It is also not a home job when an ear has been injured, when a dog has had ear surgery, or when a vet has advised a specific treatment plan that differs from general home care. In those cases, do not clean, do not insert anything, do not apply a product, and seek veterinary advice promptly, telling the vet what you saw, smelled and felt, and when the change started. Healthy ear care at home is valuable precisely because it is limited and observant: it keeps clean ears clean, and it sends unwell ears to the right professional quickly, without delay or damage from well meant home treatment.

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