Doggie ear care is very important to the health of your dog. Checking your dog's ears only takes a few minutes, so make it a part of your dog grooming routine. Regular cleanings can prevent many common ear problems and infections. Since dogs' ears are so sensitive, routinely cleaning them will keep them pain free and happy. Here are some helpful tips on checking your dog's ears:

Use your eyes and your nose:

If you need help seeing inside your dog's ears, you may want to invest in a pet scope. It's a tool very similar to the kind your doctor uses to check your ears. If you see a dark waxy discharge, this may be a sign of ear mites. Your dog's ear canal can be the perfect breeding ground for mites, yeast or bacterial infection. Dogs with floppy ears, like spaniels and bloodhounds, are very prone to ear infections because very little air flows into their ear canals.

Sniffing your dog's ears is another way to detect problems early. Normally, a dog's ears shouldn't smell foul in any way. If you see puss-like discharge along with a foul smell this may be a sign of a bacterial infection. Allergies are also known to cause some dogs to have smelly ears. If you're new to this and are unsure, have your vet check your dog's ears. An infection, if left untreated, can be very painful for your dog and could even damage your dog's hearing.

Some signs that your dog might have an ear problem: