09/18/2024
Sharing an informative post.
Do you realize that one of the most controversial things in the pet grooming industry is ear plucking? When I first started grooming in the late 1990’s it was standard to pluck every ear, every time no matter what, but in the last ten years or so that recommendation has changed to do what is best for the pet in front of you.
Now I approach plucking ears on a case by case basis. The things I consider when deciding if I’m going to remove that ear hair are:
*Does the ear appear healthy even with hair in it? If the answer is yes I just clean them and leave the hair where it is. If it’s not broke, don’t fix it.
*Is the hair in the canal matted to where it can’t be cleaned properly and is blocking appropriate airflow but otherwise the ear appears healthy? If the answer here is yes I remove the hair. It is causing more harm than good. If I find that the ear looks painful or there is abnormal discharge I will stop and refer to the vet.
*Is the ear obviously infected and need veterinary attention? If the answer is yes then I leave it and recommend a vet visit as soon as possible.
*Is the pet already resistant or uncomfortable with having their ears handled? If yes then I leave it, I will not cause a pet to be even more uncomfortable with having its ears handled by plucking them.
*Is it recommended by the pets vet to have the ears plucked due to previous ear issues? If yes then I will pluck as long as the ear appears healthy and the pet is comfortable with it.
No matter how gentle and careful we are, ear plucking is not a pleasant experience for the dogs as we are literally pulling the hair from their ear canal out by the root. Ear powders and cleaners do not mask or limit that discomfort.
Furthermore plucking ears does cause microscopic injuries in the ears where the hair is plucked out and they can weep, and that moisture combined with a dark environment and natural bacteria in the ear can actually cause ear infections to develop, which is why if there is no actual reason to pluck the hair I personally elect not to.
Plucking can also cause the dogs to shake their heads a lot afterwards and lead to other issues such as hematomas or busted blood vessels along the edges of the ears and this can be exacerbated by a dog having to have their ears shaved due to extreme matting. In those situations I will usually elect not to pluck the ears in an effort to keep the head shaking to a minimum.
This particular dog is a senior poodle who loves to get dirty, swim, and leads a very active lifestyle. When we saw her for her last visit her ear hair was very matted and caked with dirt and wax but the ears themselves were pink and healthy looking so we went ahead and plucked her ears and flushed them thoroughly. I made this decision with the pets comfort and wellbeing in mind. If she had been in pain or her ears were red or inflamed I would have sent her to the vet instead.
