Cautions When Cleaning Your Dog's Ears
Cleaning your dog's ears is a very important part of your dog's overall health, and gentleness is the key:
- Do not massage firmly and do not rub the ear firmly
- Do not let your pet scratch or rub their ear firmly either
Why not?
The 7th (Facial) and 8th (Vestibulocochlear) cranial nerves travel together and are easily damaged. When these nerves are stretched, or irritated by rubbing, your pet can lose hearing and equilibrium. Some pets, especially cats, develop Horner's syndrome: the pupil of the eye constricts, the 3rd eyelid elevates, the upper lid drops. Other pets lose their balance, become ataxic (uncoordinated), circle, and fall over. Fortunately, these symptoms are preventable if you dont't rub or massage too firmly.
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