What is important to your beloved Shih Tzu is not merely his long and beautiful coat which people can come and pet and admire. There are other parts of their bodies which also need to be taken care of equally. Dogs are particularly prone get ear mites. And their ear is indeed one such area that needs to be cleaned on a regular basis so as to protect them from contracting allergies. 

You do not need anything special that is out of the way for you to acquire to clean your Shih Tzu’s ear. All you need are ordinary implements for cleaning like cotton balls, cotton swabs, damp cloth, etc. you can get the ear cleaning solution very easily from the local pet shop or simply use a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and water as an alternative for cleaning solution. 

 

Use the following simple procedure to clean the ear of your Shih Tzu: 

• start from the outside clearing the outer region first using cotton balls and the cleaning solution
• gradually make your way to the inner region
• fill the ear canal with the cleaning mixture
• now for about twenty seconds massage the dog’s ear
• this will soften the tough ear wax and dirt that has got collected inside the ear
• wash it properly
• use cotton balls to dry the ear of excess water

 

In case the ears of the Shih Tzu are not cleaned well at regular intervals some very fatal diseases may be contracted. Some of them are listed as follows: 

• Otitis Media: this infection concerns the middle layer and comes from the infection of the external ear canal. A rupture in the ear drums can lead to the infection spreading to the middle year. The infection can be marked by ulcers, foreign bodies and debris. They must be regularly checked for. Symptoms are tilt of the head, ear discharge, odor and scratching.
• Otitis Externa: the accumulation of bacteria, fungi, ear wax, cleaning solution and water left over from the last wash, etc lead to an infection. It basically starts form the outside and makes it way to the inner ear canal causing inflammation.
• Hematoma of the Ear Flap: if your dog is shaking his head too much or scratching his ears, he must have debris between the cartilage and ear flap causing Hematoma
• Ear Mite Infestation: shaking and scratching might also be because of small. White and contagious creatures called ear mites

Click here to read Part 3 of this course.