Dogs produce earwax just like humans.

When you're interacting with your dog and happen to peek inside their ear and see a buildup of black earwax, it can be a little worrying.

In this article, I'd like to talk about dog earwax, including whether earwax is bad and what to do if there's a lot of it.

Is earwax bad in the first place?

Earwax is often associated with plaque, so it's easy to assume it's dirty. However, earwax also plays an important role.

Just like humans, earwax is believed to keep the inside of the ears moist, prevent dust and bacteria from entering, and prevent the growth of bacteria.

In addition, dogs' ears have a self-cleaning function that pushes earwax out toward the ear opening.

Frequent ear cleaning, even when there's nothing wrong, can have the opposite effect and may even damage the inside of the ears, preventing the self-cleaning process.

It's not recommended to overuse ear picks, even if there's nothing wrong with your ears, just because you think they're dirty.

Normal and Abnormal Earwax

So, what kind of earwax is bad? First, let's take a look at your dog's ears.

If the amount is small and there's no redness or itching, it's probably normal earwax and there's no problem.

So, what about black earwax, the subject of this article? Even healthy dogs can develop black earwax as a physiological process, so simply having black earwax isn't a problem.

However, changes in environment or diet can increase the production of sebum and sweat, which can lead to increased earwax production, so you should observe your dog's condition and keep an eye on it.

【Black Earwax】Canine Ear Mites

Earwax can turn black due to reasons other than menstrual symptoms. This is a sign of a parasitic (mite) infection.

Mites are a common external parasite found in dogs. However, there is a disease called Canine Ear Mites that occurs when mites infest the ear.

This condition causes earwax to turn black and emit a foul odor. Furthermore, intense itching can cause head shaking and scratching, eventually worsening into otitis media.

【Black Earwax】How to Treat and Prevent It

The solution is simple: go to the vet.

If your dog shows symptoms similar to those of ear mites, take him to the vet.
If mites are present, they will clean the ears and prescribe medication to kill and eradicate the mites.

It's difficult to treat it on your own once it's established, so it's best to go straight to the vet.

For this reason, it's important to take preventative measures to prevent your dog from getting sick. I'd like to introduce some preventative measures.

・Keeping your dog's ears clean

The most effective way to prevent mite infestation is to keep your dog's ears clean. However, as mentioned earlier, healthy dogs do not need to be cleaned frequently.

Once or twice a month is sufficient. Here are two methods for cleaning your dog's ears.

① Use ear lotion

The inside of a human ear is straight, so you can use a cotton swab, but a dog's ear is L-shaped, so you can't remove dirt from deep inside the ear with a cotton swab.

To clean your dog's ears, simply apply a few drops of ear lotion to the ear and then pinch the base of the ear with your fingers and rub it several times.

Dogs shake their heads vigorously, expelling dirt and moisture from their ears. This method is relatively simple and very effective for cleaning dog ears, as it allows for deep cleaning.

② Wipe with ear cleaning wipes

Although we mentioned that dogs' ears have a self-cleaning function, dirt and grime can still accumulate near the ear opening.

In such cases, wipe the area around the ear opening with a commercially available ear cleaning wipe.
Dogs' ears are very delicate, so wipe gently rather than scrubbing.

Also, using rubbing alcohol for cleaning or wet wipes such as baby wipes as a substitute can destroy the protective properties of your dog's ears.

Be sure to use ear cleaning wipes specifically designed for dogs, as they can inhibit the self-cleaning process.

・Clean your home thoroughly

There's a good chance that tick eggs, larvae, and adult ticks are present in areas where dogs live.

Especially if you have several dogs, if one dog becomes infected, the others will be infected with mites one after the other.

To prevent such mite infection, keep the area around your dog as clean as possible.

・Disinfect items your dog uses

This overlaps with the house cleaning tips mentioned earlier, but you should also wash and disinfect towels, blankets, and mats that your dog regularly uses.

An effective disinfection method is washing clothes in hot water (around 80°C) for 10 minutes.

There's a good chance that mites live on objects you touch regularly, so be sure to disinfect and disinfect them as much as possible.

・Trim ear hair depending on the breed

Toy poodles and Shih Tzus tend to grow a lot of hair around their ears.

It can be difficult to observe the inside of your pet's ears, and hair can prevent ventilation, creating an environment conducive to ear mites.

By regularly trimming your pet's ears, you can make regular observations easier and prevent mites from breeding.

Summary

This time, I wrote about dog earwax and black earwax.

I think few people pay much attention to their dog's earwax.

However, if you suddenly notice a large amount of earwax or black earwax, it can be quite surprising. However, it's good to have some knowledge so you can properly determine whether it's normal or indicates an abnormality.

Also, if you suspect something is wrong, the best thing to do is to immediately take your dog to the vet for an examination. While I've introduced various treatments and prevention methods, they don't completely prevent or cure the condition.

If your dog's health is your top priority, it's important to keep it clean on a regular basis, but it's also important to have it checked regularly at the vet.