how to clean pugs ears

Everything you need to know about Pug ears.

• Common issues that can cause deafness but are easily avoidable with a cleaning routine!
• Pugs’ ears are prone to infection. If you don’t pay attention to them, they will most certainly cause trouble.
• Pug’s ears are more sensitive than average dog ears

Keep your Pug free of any type of infection or irritation by following these easy-to-follow tips and cleaning routine.

Pug Ear Types

There are several different Pug ear types, but only two are accepted by most breed standards:

• Button Pug Dog Ears (AKC Accepted): These types of ears are the most preferred by dog show judges. The ear falls folding forward, and the point is aligned in height with the eye. Also, the ear canal entrance is covered entirely by the pinna (flap) of the ear. This is not always practical, as a covered ear canal can lead to a moist environment, which makes them susceptible to infections.
• Rose Pug Dog Ears (AKC Accepted): Not preferred at shows. This type of ear is very similar to Button Pug ears. The difference is that the fold is not tight, but instead, it’s overlapped over the face without touching it. That leaves the ear canal lightly uncovered, which shows part of the inner ear cartilage, called the rose.
• Flying Pug Dog Ears (AKC Not accepted): These are rose or button Pug dog ears that have developed a more open fold. This leaves the ear canal partially to fully uncovered. It’s among the so-called “genetic fault”. A rather cute one, though.
• Pug Dog Ears at Different Heights (AKC Not Accepted):  Pug’s ears that are set too tall, too low, too open, or are too big, are often neglected and also deemed to be genetic faults.

Pug’s ears vary in shape greatly while they’re growing. One day they have button ears but later turn into rose ears or flying ears. Unless you intend to show or breed your Pug, you shouldn’t worry about what type of ears your Pug has, as even if they are different, it will give him personality!

Common Pug Ears Problems & Treatment

Even though dogs, in general, are susceptible to ear health issues, Pug’s ears are above average for susceptibility. These are some of the issues Pug dog ears may present:

• Otitis Externa: Otitis means inflammation of the ear, and externa means the outer-most part of the ear canal. So, this condition essentially just means inflamed ears, which can happen for several reasons. Firstly, skin allergies, otherwise known as Atopic Dermatitis, can cause an inflamed lining of the ear canal, as it is linked to the skin. This may lead to a poor barrier to infectious organisms such as bacteria or yeast, and secondary infection can form, although the inflammation can also be completely sterile. Another cause of Otitis Externa is a primary ear infection. Again, this is usually bacteria or yeast, but ear mites can also cause Otitis Externa. Pugs are particularly susceptible to ear infections when they have button ears, as the environment remains warm and moist from a lack of airflow.
• Chronic Ear Infections: Bacterial ear infections have the potential to become chronic. These are types of ear infections that last for months or even years. The reason for this is antibiotic resistance. The bacteria responsible for ear infections are becoming increasingly more resistant to antibiotics, and therefore they do not respond to many medicated drops. Resistance is building due to non-compliance by owners; either stopping the course of the drops before the infection is completely healed, or because the dog is difficult to handle due to sore ears, and getting the full dose in is impossible.

All of them are recognizable by a bad smell coming out of their ears, swelling, irritation, or if you see you Pug rubbing or scratching their ears with their pug paws or against the carpet or other surfaces.

 

How to avoid ear issues?

Both issues, since chronic infection being caused by otitis, can be avoided by proper ear hygiene, anti-allergy medications for dogs when appropriate, and adequate diet. Since the pinna part of Pug ears are floppy, they retain a lot of moisture, which is the main enemy of the dog’s ears in general. If you make sure your Pug’s inner ear is dry through using drying ear cleansers, you can rule out this as a cause.

How Often To Clean Pug Ears

If your Pug’s ears are healthy, you must not clean them every day. Once every two to four weeks is fine. It is ok to wipe the underside of the pinna of your Pug’s ears with ear wipes once every few days though, as this will keep it fresh and clean. The exception to this is if his ears have become wet from swimming or bathing. In these instances, the use of an ear cleanser, which helps dry out the environment of his ear canal, is warranted. If he’s got an infection, your vet will prescribe an appropriate ear cleaner and medicated drops. These may require daily administration.

How To Clean Pugs Ears

Cleaning your Pug’s ears can be a difficult task , if you don’t know how to clean pug ears, since most of them hate their ears being messed with. But following these steps will make it much easier!

1. Gather Supplies: Get your ear cleaning solution for Pugs, some cotton balls, and ear wipes for Pugs. You can also use soft tissues if you don’t have access to wipes.
2. Create a safe space! You want to avoid your Pug escaping. A table works great for some (it must be tall enough for his ears to be accessible), but if your Pug is cooperative, you can clean his ears on your lap or on the floor.
3. Use cleaning solution: Every ear cleaner is different, so you should read the instructions before use. Place the nozzle of the solution in the opening of your Pug’s ear and give a squeeze. Flap over the pinna to cover the hole and massage the ear for 10-15 seconds. This helps the solution to work its way down the whole ear canal. Next, stand back and let your Pug shake his head to remove as much as possible. Gently wipe away all the wax is has brought out with some clean cotton balls or ear wipes.
4. Dry ears! Make sure the area stays as dry as possible by patting away excess moisture with cotton balls.
5. Always Reward! Give your Pug some love so he learns to associate ear cleaning as a positive experience. You can use treats for Pugs or just some cuddling. He’ll probably never love the experience though!

If you start a routine when you first get your puppy you can create a routine and that will make it easier later on.  These are the steps we started using when we needed to learn how to clean a pugs ears.

FAQ – Pug Ear Infections