🦴 Updated on July 11th, 2023
You see all the signs: your beloved Frenchie is scratching his ears more than usual. They’re turning red and look inflamed. Maybe they’re even expressing a yucky goo. You know what needs doing, of course. Your dog needs his ears cleaned! The problem is you don’t know how.
Fear not, because that’s where we come in! This article will walk you through everything you need to know about Frenchie ear care and French Bulldog crusty ear.
When you finish reading, you’ll know it all: how often to clean your dog’s ears, what grooming tools to use, and when to take a step back and defer to your vet.
Help! My French Bulldog Has a Crusty Ear!
To prevent a French Bulldog ear infection, it’s essential to clean your dog’s ears regularly with a French Bulldog ear cleaner.
Zymox Otic with Hydrocortisone and patented LP3 enzyme system is the best ear solution for your furry friend. The non-toxic exclusive formula helps prevent ear infections.
How Often Should I Clean My French Bulldog’s Ears?
Need to know how often to clean French Bulldog ears? French bulldogs benefit from an ear cleaning between 2 and 4 times a month. If you don’t clean your dog’s ears regularly, he will be at greater risk of developing an ear infection. A crusty ear is one of the most common symptoms of an ear infection.
Does Your French Bulldog Have an Ear Infection?
Your french bulldog may have an ear infection if he’s presenting the following symptoms:
- Frequent head-shaking
- Frequent ear-scratching
- Crusty ears
- Redness or swelling in the ear canal
- Dark discharge seeping from the ear
- A septic odor coming from the ear
- Scabs forming in or around the ear
What Should I Do?
If your dog is presenting symptoms of an ear infection, the best thing to do is to take him to the vet for expert medical advice! They will likely prescribe an antibiotic and advise you on a good
ear cleaning regiment.
What Can I Use to Clean My French Bulldog’s Ears?
Cleaning a French bulldog’s ears is a relatively simple process, but it’s essential to use the right grooming tools. If you don’t, you may do an inadequate job at cleaning or even injure your dog, and you don’t want that!
Fortunately for you, the best grooming tools for cleaning out a dog’s ears are easy to come by.
When you clean your french bulldog’s ears, here are some tools you will want to have on standby:
- Cotton balls or gauze
- Sodium chloride 0.9% solution
- French bulldog ear cleaner solution
- A wet cloth or alcohol-free baby wet wipes
- Treats
How to Clean French Bulldog Ears: A Step by Step Guide
Let’s take a look at five steps to clean your French bulldog’s ears:
Step 1: Make Sure Your Pup Is Calm
To make sure your dog is calm before having his ears cleaned, it might be a good idea to do this procedure in the evening or around a time when your dog typically naps, like after getting some exercise, for example. If your dog seems hyper or stressed, wait a little while before getting started.
Step 2: Open Your Dog’s Ear Canal
Soak a cotton ball in the sodium chloride solution. Use this (or an alcohol-free baby wet wipe) to gently open your dog’s ear canal by swabbing it out.
Step 3: Apply Ear Cleaning Solution
Follow the directions on the bottle of ear cleaning solution. You will probably be instructed to apply the solution to a cotton swab or directly to your dog’s ear.
Repeat steps 2 and 3 on your dog’s other ear.
Step 4: Clean Out Your Dog’s Skin Folds
Once your dog’s ears are clean, use a warm, damp cloth or an alcohol-free baby wet wipe to clean the skin folds in your dog’s face. French bulldogs’ skin folds are notorious for picking up dirt and even getting infections, so don’t skip this step!
Step 5: Reward Your Dog for Being a Good Patient!
Once you’re all done, reward your dog for being brave by giving him a dog treat. This will help him calm down. It will also make the ear cleaning process easier later down the line because he’ll be expecting treats at the end.
FAQ
Let’s take a look at some of the most common questions regarding how to clean French bulldog ears.
How Can I Get My Dog Accustomed to Regular Ear Grooming?
Getting a pet accustomed to any invasive grooming procedure is difficult. It’s often stressful for all participants, so when you are introducing a new grooming practice like ear cleaning, it’s best to try and ease your dog into the routine slowly.
An excellent place to start is by gently touching your dog’s ears to see how he reacts. You could also start by presenting him with a cotton ball (or whatever tools you plan to use), so he’s familiar with it.
What Are Other Great Tips?
Another great trick is to offer your dog a treat and some affection after you’ve finished cleaning his ears. This will distract him from any negative feelings he may be experiencing after having his ears cleaned.
It will also teach him to associate his treats with being groomed, which will make him more amenable to the process in the future.
What Is the Best French Bulldog Ear Cleaner?
So, you know you need a special ear cleaning solution for your Frenchie, but you’re not sure which brand to buy. Instead of plugging for some fancy brand, we’re going to relay The American Kennel Club’s advice: consult your veterinarian!
Most vets carry ear cleaning solutions in their offices. More importantly, your vet knows your dog, so they’ll also know which product will suit your dog’s needs best.
Conclusion
Congratulations, you are now an expert at cleaning out french bulldog ears! It’s not a glamorous job, but somebody has to do it. Remember: a clean Frenchie is a healthy Frenchie, and a healthy Frenchie is a happy Frenchie.
