When it comes to Labrador Retrievers, there can be nothing as problematic as their ears.  The floppy ear is perfect for trapping dirt and moisture, which can lead to a host of ear problems.  It is important to take care of your labs ears and preventative care is one of the best measures.

What this means is, whenever your dog is in water, you should take the time to dry the inside of his ear when you are finished in the water.  This means after baths, a good run in the rain or a great swim.  Keep a small towel handy and dry the underside (inside) of his ears.  This will cut down on a lot of the ear problems that can plague dogs and labs more specifically.

 If you find that you need to clean your dog’s ears, then the best thing to use are cotton balls or the corner of a soft cloth.  It is recommended to avoid cleaning their ears with a cotton swab (Q-tip) since you cannot control the depth very easily and may accidentally rupture the ear drum.  Try to remove all the excess dirt and wax, which is usually a dark brown paste and use a slightly damp cotton ball if you need to but make sure that you dry the ear thoroughly after using a damp cotton ball..

 After the ears are clean, you can apply ear drops such as Otodexor any that your veterinarian has prescribed.  These work in keeping the ear dry and alleviating any inflammation that may be present in the ear canal.  To apply, simply put the squeeze bottle into the ear and drip a few drops of fluid into the ear.  Fold the ear back down to its normal position, grasp the base of the ear in your palm and massage the ear.  Petey loves this treatment and will groan in approval as you rub the drop in. 

And that is pretty much all it takes to keep your dogs ears clean.  Clean them only when necessary and make quick checks a few times each week when you are rubbing your dogs head. 

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