How to clean your cat's ears: Useful tips. Why ears get dirty quickly Why does a child have dirty ears

In the article, I will analyze the main reasons why kittens may have dirty ears, consider the important rules for the hygiene of the auditory organ, and tell you in which cases you can not do without the intervention of a veterinarian.

Causes of dirty ears in kittens

A little kitten is a big responsibility.

You should take care of the baby as if you were your own child, trying to prevent traumatic situations and diseases. For a baby, even ear dirt, which in some cases is an alarming symptom, is dangerous.

The main causes of dirt in the ears include:

Ear cleaning should be taught from childhood, so after 2 months the kitten is ready for the first procedure.

If you feel fear or self-doubt, take the baby to the veterinarian. It will provide security and demonstrate the basic steps.

Adhere to the following rules:

1. Create a positive association. Associative thinking is inherent in cats. Ear cleaning is an unpleasant procedure, so dilute it with pleasant memories. Play with the kitten before brushing and be sure to give a treat after cleaning.
2. In advance prepare everything you need. The search for the desired item in the midst of the procedure will result in dissatisfaction with the mustachioed and new combat wounds.

Basic cleaning kit includes:

- Cotton buds. Do not use homemade inventions that can damage your pet's ears. It will take about 3-4 sticks to remove dirt, and 1-2 will be enough as a preventive measure.
- ear gel. A special tool allows you to effectively clean the dirt and does not cause an allergic reaction. Do not use alcohol-containing and drying solutions. They injure the inner ear, causing the growth of ulcers and suppuration.
- Towel. The soft fabric acts as a straitjacket to avoid accidental injury.
Immobilize your pet. Use a towel to wrap the kitten around, restricting its movements and fixing its head. Do not overtighten the paws and do not make a tight bandage. An immobilized animal should be comfortable.
Conduct an external inspection. Gently bend the ears, turning them in the opposite direction. This action does not cause pain and allows you to see the inside in detail. In the absence of diseases, the auricle will be clean. Detection of bumps, scratches or abundant accumulations of dirt are signs of a possible disease.
Dip the wand in the gel and start cleaning. Place the wand in the bent ear no more than 1 cm and clean the passage with rotational movements.

The direction of movement must be outward, otherwise the accumulated sulfur will push inward and form a plug.

For safety, perform the procedure with two people. One person will be able to hold the animal, and the second - to concentrate on cleaning as much as possible.

Do not be afraid to injure the eardrum. It is located deep in the auricle, so it is possible to harm it only with intentional exposure. However, be careful and do not make sudden movements, because you can still deliver discomfort.

To keep the ears clean, it is enough to clean them 1-2 times a month. At the same time, owners of large-eared or hairless cats will have to increase the frequency.

When to See a Veterinarian

In some cases, dirty ears cannot be dealt with on their own.

The help of a veterinarian will be required in case of:

the appearance of a specific unpleasant odor;
the regular nature of pollution;
attempts to keep the head tilted to one side;
lack of reaction to extraneous sounds and own name;
the appearance of pus and blood;
lethargy and apathy, accompanied by a rejection of active games;
severe itching, forcing to comb the ears to the blood;
the occurrence of redness, swelling and local fever;
an abundance of dark-colored secretions and accumulations of sulfur;
pain when trying to touch the ears;
loss of balance and other problems with coordination.

These symptoms often indicate the presence. For kittens, the disease is especially dangerous due to a weak immune system. In the absence of timely treatment, the disease worsens and causes. A small kitten can not only lose his hearing, but also die.

It is important to seek qualified help if you notice alarming symptoms. Treatment of otodectosis causes difficulty only in an advanced state.

For an effective result, it is important to pre-cleanse the cat's ears and then apply the prescribed medicine.

Fight the disease with:

ear cleaners;
ear ointments and drops;
insecticidal sprays or drops.

A sick pet needs to clean their ears daily to free the approach to the skin.

Remember the importance of preventive cleaning. Proper hygiene will protect the health of a small pet and ensure good hearing.

Cats clean and lick themselves. It would be useful for some representatives of the human race to take an example from them. But for all their phenomenal cleanliness, there remain some places that are hard to reach for the animals themselves, where they find it difficult to carry out hygiene procedures on their own. One of these difficult places for the tongue to penetrate is the inner surface of the ears. And here only a person can clean it.

Features of the problem

If a cat has constantly dirty ears, this should give the owner the idea that something is wrong with his pet's health. The presence of dirt inside the auricle is often the result of some disease. In healthy cats, the inner surface of the ear has a pleasant light pink color. And even if a small amount of sulfur and dust has accumulated in them, they look quite healthy and well-groomed. In this case, the animal does not bother anything, it behaves calmly and adequately. However, a large accumulation of dirt inside the ear and the appearance of an unpleasant odor definitely indicate the presence of an infection in the animal's body. Ear mites are the most common source of ear contamination. You should be very attentive to your pets, notice any deviations from the norm of behavior, because the constantly dirty ears of a cat in the near future can provoke hearing problems in it.

Show your pet an increased interest at least once a week by carefully examining his ears and cleaning them of dirt. In order to avoid the accumulation of dirt, it is necessary to regularly carry out preventive measures. If, nevertheless, your kitten could not avoid this fate, do not try to heal it yourself - be sure to show it to a specialist and strictly follow his recommendations. Remember that self-medication can aggravate the disease and seriously harm the health of your pet.

Causes of pollution in the ears

Why do cats get dirty ears? In some cases, excessively large auricles can be the cause of contamination. They accumulate much more dirt inside themselves than normal-sized hearing organs. In any case, the conduct of medical procedures must be preceded by a qualified consultation with a veterinarian. Hairless cats may also have more dust in their ears. For their auricles are completely not protected by wool from various external influences. It is necessary to examine the ears of a kitten already starting from two months of life. The first session of inspection and cleaning of contaminants should be carried out by a veterinarian. It is also worth consulting with a doctor about how to clean a kitten's ear correctly and painlessly. This will allow you to save your baby from serious problems in the future.

What is ear mites in cats? Symptoms and treatment

When adopting a pet, first of all, consult a veterinarian about how to clean the kitten's ear when it gets dirty. There is a certain sequence of actions, following which you can easily carry out a hygiene procedure. To clean the ears of a kitten, you must perform the following steps:

lay it on the table and press it down a little to the countertop;
pull the ear with your thumb over the edge to inspect the inside;
pay attention to the condition of the auditory canal - is there any redness or discharge; if internal contamination is detected, carefully remove the dirt with a cotton swab treated with hydrogen peroxide;
gently pull the edge of the auricle to open the ear canal;
after that, you should pour in the right amount of drops of the drug prescribed by the veterinarian for treatment;
without releasing the kitten, gently massage the base of the ear so that the healing liquid is distributed evenly;
gently clean the ear canal with a cotton swab;
thoroughly blot the inside of the ear with a cotton pad;
at the end of the procedure, reward the kitten for patience with some of his favorite treats.

Conclusion

As we can see, a cat’s dirty ears are not a sentence at all, but simply a signal for a more attentive attitude towards it. It is necessary to take measures to prevent the disease. Be vigilant, protect your pet from unpleasant diseases, and he will thank you with his boundless love and devotion!

Constantly dirty ears in a kitten can provoke serious hearing problems in the future. Therefore, it is necessary to periodically, about once a week, inspect the ears and clean them as they become dirty. How to safely and properly clean dirty ears in a cat, read this article.

Why does dirt collect in my pet's ears?

The formation of sulfur, dusty contaminants in the auricles is characteristic of every living organism. This is especially true for those cats and cats that constantly visit the street. These pets need especially close supervision.

Excessive accumulation of sulfur can serve as a condition for the formation of traffic jams, which adversely affect the quality of hearing, and sometimes can even cause complete deafness. In some cases, such animals have complete or partial apathy, impaired coordination due to pressure on the eardrums.

The larger the cat's ears, the more likely they are to be permanently polluted due to dust, dirt and sulfur production. Risk groups include Maine Coons, Devon Rex, Savannah, Abyssinian and Oriental breeds. Cats that do not have hairline also need close attention from the owner - they have an increased production of earwax.

The number of ear cleaning procedures for different breeds is determined individually. For example, Scottish Fold cats are reliably protected from dirt and dust getting into the ear canal. Therefore, the procedure can be carried out once a month. In a cat, dirty ears of medium size need to be cleaned about once every 2 weeks.

The number of procedures is usually selected on an individual basis, depending on the nature and temperament of a particular animal, its age and lifestyle, as well as on the basis of a tendency to various diseases.

Dirt in the ears of a cat is of the following types:

Accumulations of earwax.
A dark substance that resembles coffee grounds.
Black spots of any size.
Purulent or bloody discharge.

If the contamination appears constantly, regardless of the frequency of cleaning, it is necessary to consult a veterinarian. This phenomenon may signal an infection of the animal with microscopic mites.

Pollution in the ears sooner or later appears in all animals. All that is required of the owner in this situation is to remove them in time and monitor the normal condition of the outer and middle ear of the pet. There are a number of symptoms for which you should pay close attention to the health of your furry pet's ears.

The cat or cat constantly scratches the ears, sometimes tears them to the blood.
A specific unpleasant odor began to emanate from the animal.
The ear is red, hot and inflamed.
The cat has dirty ears inside regularly.
There is a lot of sulphur, or dark discharge in the sink.
The pet stopped responding to the nickname, extraneous noises.
The cat rubs its ears with its paws; it is noticeable that any touch to the shells causes him pain.
Dirt falls out of the ears, dry crusts; in some cases, pus or blood may be released.
The pet often tilts its head to the right or left side.
The cat became lethargic, lethargic, she lost interest in outdoor games.
The animal sometimes loses its balance on level ground, it has impaired coordination of movements.

These symptoms require an immediate trip to the veterinarian. Cats are carnivorous animals that need perfect hearing. Dirty ears in a kitten can cause injury to the organs of perception. This fact can negatively affect the character of your pet, and in some cases lead to the death of a pet.

VETERINARY CONSULTATION REQUIRED. INFORMATION FOR INFORMATION ONLY. Administration

In the ears of a child, just like any adult, sulfur accumulates. It is often said that the deeper we clean our ears, the better. But this is far from true. It is necessary to take care of the ears of a newborn very carefully and strictly according to the rules, since they are easy to damage. It must be remembered that the eardrum at this age is not yet protected, and the length of the ear canal is very small. A baby's ears should be cleaned at least once every 10 days.

Of course, you need to clean the baby’s ears, but you still shouldn’t be too zealous. Such procedures must be carried out in a timely manner. Cleaning sulfur very often is not only not recommended, but also prohibited.

She, of course, looks terrible, but performs useful functions:

Sulfur helps the eardrum stay dry and moisturizes the ear canal.
Protects the ear canal from various microbes.

That is why, if you are trying to clean out all the wax several times a day, you should know that a lack of earwax can lead to various infections. The second disadvantage of frequent cleaning of the ears is that sulfur begins to stand out twice as fast.

How can I clean my baby's ears

A newborn can clean his ears with a cotton swab or a cotton pad folded into a flagellum. For these purposes, sticks for adults are not suitable; you need to buy special ones for the baby's ears. These sticks are distinguished by the presence of a special limiter that prevents penetration deep.

Cotton swabs should be moistened in a weak solution of hydrogen peroxide or simply in warm boiled water.
What Not to Do
The ears of a child are so delicate that they can be easily damaged, which is why this procedure should be carried out by a person whose nails are cut short.
You can not clean the baby's ears with a toothpick on which cotton wool is wound - you can damage the ear.

When is the best time to clean your ears?
Pediatricians advise cleaning the baby's ears after an evening bath or morning feeding. Moms will ask: “Why is it so?”. After the morning feeding, sulfur begins to be pushed out of the child, which is why it will be very easy to remove it. After an evening bath, water droplets get into the ears, the sulfur softens, and then it can be removed without damaging anything. It should also be remembered that children's ears do not like water inside, because of this, after each bath, you need to remove it from the child's ears. If you do not do this, inflammation or otitis media may occur, and you will need to see a doctor.
Specialist visit
An otolaryngologist should be contacted not only during routine checks, but also in the following cases:
Sulfur does not come out of the ear canal. You should not clean it at home, as it can push even deeper, and it will be more difficult to get rid of it. The doctor will help remove sulfur quickly and painlessly.
You should also contact a specialist if an unpleasant smell is felt from the ears of the baby.
If there is discharge from the ears of the crumbs, you should immediately consult a doctor.
Sulfur has changed color and texture. The shade of sulfur can be from yellow to dark brown. In the event that the color and consistency have changed dramatically, then it is urgent to contact an otolaryngologist for help.
Redness or inflammation of the ear.
Foreign body in the ear canal.

It is necessary to clean the ears of the baby, but this should be done very carefully, in a special way, not like adults. How to clean your ears correctly?
You need to clean only the part of the ear that is clearly visible. That is, the auricle. Penetrating deep into the ear, you can harm the child.
It is necessary to clean only with specially designed sticks or folded cotton pads.
In order to clean the ears of a child, you should lay it on a flat surface and turn your head to the side.
If you find a sulfur plug, then you should not try to remove it yourself, you need to contact a specialist.

Rules for cleaning children's ears
First you need to put the baby on a flat surface and turn his head to the side.
Then soak a cotton swab or swab in hydrogen peroxide or warm water. In no case should the cotton wool be wetted very strongly.
Next, you need to wipe the crumbs of the auricle, while not penetrating deeply.
It should be remembered that if you notice accumulations in the auditory canal in a baby, then you should not clean it yourself, it is better to contact an otolaryngologist.
Also, a cotton pad slightly moistened in a weak solution of hydrogen peroxide should be wiped behind the ear.

Babies who are less than a year old should have their ears cleaned with care. In order for everything to be fine, it is necessary to strictly adhere to the above recommendations and rules.

Can a cat's ears be cleaned? Is it done in certain cases, or should it be cleaned regularly?

Such questions often come to the mind of people who are not familiar with cat anatomy.

The ears of a cat are an almost perfect organ for perceiving sounds and adjusting balance.

The vestibular apparatus located in them allows these animals to always land on all fours.

Timely cleaning is the best way to avoid ear problems

If a cat's ears are dirty, it has a negative effect on hearing, as the sulfur accumulated in them forms plugs that prevent the normal passage of sound waves.

In addition, sulfur plugs put pressure on the eardrums and can cause deafness of the animal, vomiting and nausea.

In addition, the animal may develop dizziness and various chronic diseases of the hearing organs.

That is why it is not only possible, but necessary, to clean these important organs.

In addition, it is necessary to regularly monitor the health of the cat's ears.

Before deciding how best to clean them, you need to establish the cause of contamination.

Important! If the animal has large ears, they will "collect" much more dust and dirt from the environment with which the pet usually interacts. But even in cats with small ears, dirt particles get into the ears, which then settle on the inner surface of the auricles.

Breeds with large ears include , , , , , .

When the amount of dirt and dust in the ears reaches a large amount, special glands are activated in the animal, which produce earwax in large quantities.

Sulfur closes dirt access to the cat's middle ear.

This reaction of the body is absolutely normal and does not require increased attention.

Savannah cats have very large ears that can collect a lot of dust.

Interesting! Sometimes there are cases when the sulfur glands produce a large amount of protective sulfur all the time. This is most often found in cats, the coat of which is either extremely small or completely absent.

This trend is observed due to the fact that the hairs, which, in fact, are the protection of the ears from dirt, are absent.

Since there is much more wax in the ears of cats of these breeds, animals need to pay more attention and regularly clean the ear passages.

Breeds with minimal coats include: , and elf.

If a cat has no hair, it produces more earwax

Sometimes cleaning does not give the effect that the owner expects - the ears get dirty very quickly, despite regular care.

This may indicate infection of the cat, or the presence of chronic otitis media.

In this case, it is necessary to show the animal to the veterinarian.

To properly check the cleanliness of the cat's ears, they need to be folded back.

Some are afraid to “turn inside out” the ears of their pets, but this does not cause any discomfort to the animal.

The inner wall of the ear must be perfectly clean.

The owner should pay attention to the following signs that may indicate a cat's illness:

Dark deposits;
Accumulations of dirt;
Black spots;
brown bumps;
Combs.

Frequent examination helps to identify problems with the ears and treat them in a timely manner.

For the convenience of checking the ears, you can buy a small flashlight that will help you look deep into the auricle.

How to clean the ears of cats at home

How often should you clean? It depends on the breed of the animal, its state of health, its age and temperament.

The activity of the sulfur glands depends on.

Therefore, breeds that have small ears need an ear check and cleaning once every two weeks.

For example, cats can have their ears cleaned once a month.

Early accustomed to ear cleaning, cats tolerate this procedure much more calmly.

Veterinarians advise to accustom a cat to ear cleaning from a young age, as this process is unpleasant.

A trained animal endures the procedure, while an untrained animal constantly twitches and tries to escape.

To minimize the risk of injury, it is best to have two people cleaning the ears of an unprepared animal, with one person cleaning and the other holding.

Before cleaning, the cat must be fixed with a towel, and the claws must be trimmed first.

For proper care of the cat, you need to prepare equipment for cleaning the ears in advance.

Usually, it consists of the following things:

Cotton buds. They will need one or two on each side if they are clean, or three or four if the animal's ears are dirty. Veterinarians prohibit the use of homemade cotton swabs for cleaning, such as sticks or matches with wound cotton wool, which can easily scratch the inside of the ear. It is best to use children's cotton buds with a limiter.
Ear cleaning gel. Many breeders use improvised means for cleaning, such as vegetable oil and water. But it is much better to buy a special tool - gel for cleaning cat ears. You can also use sterile saline. In no case should you use liquids containing alcohol for cleaning, clean with hydrogen peroxide and ordinary soap, as this will lead to drying of the skin, sores, increased production of sulfur and itching.
Towel. They need to fix the cat, which can twitch or shake its head at the wrong moment. Often, sudden movements during ear cleaning lead to injury.

Ears are very sensitive organs that require careful handling.

Whether it's regular preventive or therapeutic cleaning, all actions should be performed very carefully and slowly, because the cat's ears are very sensitive.

To begin with, you need to twist the ear as much as possible, bending it to the limit. This will facilitate access to the entire surface of the organ and thus speed up the cleaning procedure.
Dip a cotton swab in the gel and wipe the animal's ear with it. Under no circumstances should the gel be squeezed directly inward.
A cotton swab should be immersed in the ear to a depth of about a centimeter. Some owners are afraid to reach the eardrum and pierce it. But this is anatomically impossible due to its location.
You need to brush outward rather than inward to clean out rather than push dirt in.

Otitis and ear mites in a cat

Otitis media is a very common disease in cats, and its symptoms are often confused with normal ear contamination.

Contrary to popular belief, this disease is very dangerous and can lead to hearing loss, meningitis and death of the animal.

In fact, this is a bacterial inflammatory process in the animal's auditory canal.

There are such types of otitis media:

Otitis externa;
Otitis media;
Otitis media.

Chronic otitis is manifested in periodic pain in the animal, which makes it nervous and aggressive during exacerbations.

Otitis media can be progressive, requiring surgery.

There are several causes of otitis media:

Most often, otitis externa occurs due to the presence of otodectosis, or ear mites, in a cat.

This is a very common disease in cats.

The result of an ear mite is a characteristic “dirt” mixed with sulfur

Usually, ear mites appear in young cats.

At the same time, purulent masses accumulate in the auricles of a sick animal, it becomes covered with a dark crust.

Since the ears are covered with dark spots from mites, otodectosis can be determined visually with regular checks of the ears.

This disease is caused by the mites Ototdectes cynotus.

The tick feeds on skin particles, which causes severe itching in the pet.

Otodectosis is transmitted only by contact of one animal with another. Therefore, pets are not at risk.

Also, ear mites are safe for humans.

The symptoms of the disease are quite obvious.

During otodectosis, the cat constantly and forcefully combs his ears, worries and shakes his head.

Sulfur is profusely secreted in the ears.

Due to itching and discomfort, the cat combs the ears themselves and the skin near them until bloody scratches.

If the disease is not treated, other bacteria develop in the ear canal, aggravating the disease.

Before treatment, the cat must be shown to the veterinarian

Otodectosis is treated quite easily, especially if the disease was detected in a timely manner.

Although this disease is simply diagnosed, it is still better to consult a veterinarian who will give comprehensive information about the disease itself, its stage and degree of damage.

For the most accurate diagnosis, you need to examine the cat's ear secretions under a microscope.

Only after that the doctor prescribes treatment.

As a treatment, the veterinarian usually prescribes anti-mite (for example,), antifungal and antibacterial drugs.

For example, cat ears are washed with various antiseptics, including chlorhexidine.

Before using these drugs at home, you should thoroughly clean out all the dirt and sulfur from the ears of the animal so that the drug can effectively act on the inner wall of the auricles.

Usually the treatment lasts no more than a month, after which the cat should be re-examined by a veterinarian.

Many are interested in how to clean the ears of a cat. After all G Dirty ears in a cat can cause hearing loss and other problems. This procedure should be performed regularly, periodically checking these areas of the body for abnormal spots and scratches.