Getting the hair out my Shihpoo's ears

[jasannas]

Hi, I have a seven month old Shihpoo and she used to let me pull the hair out of her ears, but now she puts up a fight and doesn't let me do it anymore. I have got some pills the vet gave me to help relax her, but all they do is make her run around and she wants to play, so much for getting sleepy. If anyone has any ideas how I can get her to settle down to let me clean her ears, I'd be happy to hear. Thank You, Jackie

[Shineillusion]

First of all, are you sure she needs to have the hair plucked from the inside of her ear? It used to be considered necessary to pluck the ear hairs, but a lot of vets are now saying don't pluck. Plucking is painfull (that's why she's fussing about it) and causes irritation, and that can lead to infection. As a groomer, I only pluck what I can easily get with my fingers, and only if the dog is trying to grow a carpet inside its ears. I get only enough to provide better air circulation. I don't completely clean the hair out of the ear canal. However, I do clip the inside of the ear leather.

So, you might be better off to clip the hair, rather than plucking. Go to a beauty supply shop, like Sally's, and get a small electric trimmer. The Wahl Tidbit or Stylique trimmers are really good for clipping inside the ear. Oster and Andis also make small trimmers.

If you clip, alway work from the center of the ear out, never from the outer edge in. There is a little flap of skin near the base of the ear that can catch in the clipper and get cut if you go in the wrong direction. If by chance you do nick the ear leather, just apply direct pressure until is stops bleeding and then use a dab of antibiotic ointment. It's not a serious injury, even though you feel really badly when it happens. If you put a cut that size on yourself, you wouldn't think anything of it.

[jasannas]

Thank You, I'll try that. It was my Vet. that wanted me to keep the hair out of her ears, otherwise he said she would be prone to getting infections if I didn't.