Cleaning you Border Collie puppy’s ears is a vital part of their grooming routine. Wax and dirt build up in their ears more than ours.
If left unchecked, it will completely block the Border Collie’s ear canal or cause all sorts of nasty infections and possible permanent damage to the eardrum.
Regular cleaning of your puppy’s ears can prevent a lot of problems throughout your Border Collie’s life.
Ear infections are nasty and preventable a lot of the time....
Middle ear infection is usually caused by an infection that starts in the outer ear canal. Lots of things can cause infection such as debris and ulcers.
Improper cleaning can cause the ear canal to rupture and bacteria can get into the inner ear.
Signs of a middle ear infection include constant scratching of the ears or shaking the head, your Border Collie carrying its head on a tilt and a strong odour.
An outer ear infection occurs in the canal of the outer ear and is caused by things like debris, wax, and matted hair in the ear canal, ear mites, poor ear drainage, fungi and bacteria.
The funnel shape of the Border Collie’s ear makes it an ideal trap for debris.
In severe cases, surgery may be the only way to thoroughly clean out the ear canal.
The sooner you get ear problems treated the better.
Signs of an outer ear canal infection include constantly pawing, scratching or rubbing of the ears, and an odour.
Ear mites are tiny pests that live in a Border Collie’s ear canal and are highly contagious.
If you have more than one animal in the house and one catches ear mites, then make sure you check all your animals.
Signs of an ear mite infestation are a crust found in the ear canal, constant head shaking and scratching.
In severe cases your Border Collie puppy may need anaesthesia to allow a thorough cleaning of the ear canals.
If you have any concerns about your Border Collie’s ears get your vet’s advice.
Do not try to treat your Border Collie’s ears yourself, unless you are an experienced Border Collie handler.
Without your vet’s advice you may make it worse.
It is a simple process but if you are not sure what to do ask your vet to show you.
Get pieces of gauze with a few drops of ear cleaning fluid on it.
Wrap it around your finger and gently clean your Border Collie’s ears.
Fill your Border Collie’s ear with a cleaning solution and gently massage the bottom the ears to loosen up any wax or debris.
When you finish, your puppy will shake its head to clear the fluid and debris from its ears.
Add one drop of lavender, tea tree, and chamomile oil to one teaspoon of warm olive oil.
All you need of this formula is just a couple of drops on some gauze to clean the ear.
Add a couple of drops to the ear canals and massage gently.
Make sure you test a little of this on the tip of your Border Collie’s ear for an allergic reaction before using it inside the ears.