Your pug's floppy little ears might fit his face perfectly, but their folded-down position causes them to hold bacteria, moisture and dirt -- enough to cause an ear infection. Clean your pug's ears regularly to prevent such an infection.
Step 1
Place your pug on a table or covered counter so you have easy access to his ears and can prevent him from running away. Hold your pug's ear open with your fingers and squeeze a few drops of cleansing solution on a cotton ball. If your pug has especially waxy ears, squeeze a few drops of the solution directly inside his ear canal. Next, fold the ear flap over and massage the base, where the ear and his head meet, between your fingers for 15 seconds.
Step 2
Wipe the damp cotton ball over the underside of your pug's ear flap and around the easily accessible ridges of his outer ear. The flimsiness of a pugs' silky ears make the underside hard to clean, so fold it against the back of your opposite hand while wiping. Discard the cotton ball when it becomes dirty, and moisten a clean cotton ball before continuing the cleaning process.
Step 3
Pat your pug's outer ears dry with a clean, dry cotton ball before flipping them back to their natural position. Unlike breeds with stiff or pointed ears, your pug's ear are too small and soft to stay folded open by themselves while drying. Remove your pug from the table and give him a treat for his patience. Treating him after you clean his ears will help your pug become less resistant to having his ears cleaned in the future.
References
Tips
- Pinch the damp cotton ball with your finger to give it a pointed shape if you have trouble reaching all the curvy ridges inside your dog's outer ear.
Warnings
- Never insert a cotton swab or any other implement inside your pug's ear canal. Doing so could damage his hearing as well as push debris further inside his ear.
- Take your pug to the vet immediately if he yelps when you touch his ears, if the outer ear appears red and swollen, if his ears smell terrible or if they contain dark brown wax. All of these signs indicate an ear infection, which requires antibiotics to resolve.
Writer Bio
Christina Bednarz Schnell began writing full-time in 2010. Her areas of expertise include child development and behavior, medical conditions and pet health. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in international relations.