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Editors note: Siennabrickroad welcomes the following post by R. Hudon of For Healthy Dogs. com

Routine ear care for basset hounds is necessary as their long, droopy ears make them more prone to bacterial and fungal infections than other breeds. Even if you are unable to clean your basset hound’s ears on a regular basis, it’s good to at least do a good home cleaning every once in awhile.

What You Need for a Basic Cleaning

1. A Basset Hound

2. The biggest cotton balls you can find

3. Ear Cleaning Solution for Dogs

Extra Items for a Better Cleaning

4. Ear Powder for Dogs

5. Hemostats or Hair Pullers for Dogs

6. Ear Cleansing Pads

If you are just doing a basic cleaning of your basset’s ears the first thing you should do is read the directions on the ear cleanser you are using and make sure you follow accordingly. Usually the method is to fill your dog’s ear canal with the cleanser and massage the base of the ear gently for a few minutes. When you are done, use the cotton balls to soak up the liquid and clean out the ears. (Never use Q-Tips on your dog’s ears.) Then you can grab those extra large cotton balls and use some cleanser to clean the inside surface of your basset hounds ears as well. Make sure to give your basset a lot of reassurance and praise. Keep telling her how big and beautiful her ears are and when you are done, reward her with a favourite treat.

Ear Powder

If your basset hound has a lot of hair in his ear canal, you might want to try using ear powder to aid in removal of the hairs and cleansing of the internal ear. Ear powder works by soaking up the moisture that builds up in your dog’s inner ear which is especially a problem in basset hounds due to the lack of ventilation to the ear canal. The moisture can eventually lead to fungus and bacterial infections. Ear powder also makes the hairs easier to grip, and more comfortable for your dog when pulling. You can use your fingers to gently pull individual hairs or small groups of hairs or you can use hemostats or hair pullers especially made for removal of ear hair in dogs. Again, give your basset a lot of praise and reassurance. Try to make it as pleasant an experience as possible.

Ear Cleansing Wipes/Pads

Ear Wipes or Pads are great when you don’t have the time to go through a thorough cleaning process with your basset hound. They come in the form of pre-moistened pads usually containing a variety of natural cleansers and ingredients. Ear wipes are a very handy product for keeping the inside of your basset hounds ear’s clean because you can just wipe them down instead of going through the whole cotton-ball/cleanser process. Wipes can also be used to clean the internal ear canal using a wipe wrapped around your finger.

Your basset hound is sure to appreciate a good ear cleaning and routine ear maintenance as his ears are his biggest and best feature and deserve to be well-taken care of.

View our recommended Ear Cleansing Solutions and Ear Wipes for Dogs as well as other best-selling ear care products at http://www.forhealthydogs.com