'Safe' Hemostats?

[Kelly & Zoe]

After the third ear infection and my inability to successfully pull out the ear hair for my F1B GD, I was looking to buy a pair of hemostats for the job.  Any recommendations?  Are they considered safe?  Are there safe types of hemostats I can buy for this purpose?  My vet said that the ear canal is actually L shaped so I should be fine doing myself with tweezers, but I'm a bit nervous..  I of course forgot to ask if they recommended I use hemostats...

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Hemostats are what should be used, and they have curved ones. Have you tried surgical supply? 

[Kelly & Zoe]

There are a gazillion on amazon and the like, I'm just not sure what size and shape?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Most of the websites that sell dog groomer's tools just carry the straight ones. My groomer also uses the plain straight hemostats.I'd think smaller would be better. 

[Janice Sutherland]

A groomer told me that pulling the hair out of the ears is now questioned. I guess the idea is that it causes inflammation and soreness that can actually cause infections. Has anyone else heard this? I do still pull the hairs (with my fingers), but I do it every few days so that any new hairs are removed and there is never enough to disturb the skin too much. This groomer recommended just clipping the hair (what you can easily get at) with a small, snub nosed scissors.

Princess Auto sells small curved and straight hemostats at a minor cost (<10). They are not surgical steel, but they work well.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Yes, I've heard that, but I don't agree, and neither does my vet or my groomer. It can cause infections if the person doing it doesn't know how to do it properly and gouges, cuts, or otherwise irritates the ear canal. Pulling the hair properly does not cause ear infections. 

[Kelly & Zoe]

Thanks for the responses.  I bought a set of 2, one straight and one curved, 5 in in size, via amazon for 12 bucks.  It's clear in our case that *not* removing the hair likely caused the latest ear infection.  In addition to ear drops, our vet gave us an ear cleaning solution we are to use every 2-3 days.  It's nigh impossible to get our 5 1/2 month old puppy to endure that though (add the solution until it pools, stuff with cotton balls, massage for a minute, then let her shake it out and dry out with more cotton balls).  But better that than constant ear infections.  I hadn't heard that pulling the hair could cause the infections though.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Here's a tip for using the ear cleaning solution that might work better for you:

Instead of squirting the solution directly into the ear canal, saturate a large cotton ball or wad of cotton with the solution, and I mean really get it sopping wet, then put that into the ear canal, and massage all around the base of the ear. You should hear the liquid sloshing around, lol. Many dogs love this and will actually sigh contentedly. Then proceed to remove the excess with clean dry cotton. 

[Kelly & Zoe]

Great idea!  I'll try that -

[Hazel & Chester Wayte]

We also Warm up the ear solution- (till luke warm - by immersing it in a mug of hot water) Seems to go over a little better then when it is cold.

[Kelly & Zoe]

What a great idea - I know I wouldn't like cold liquids in my ear either - didn't think about that!  Thanks!

[Joyce (Casey &amp; Cody's mom)]

There are many different types of hemostats - blunt nose, long nose, straight, curved, mosquito, etc.  Probably the best for this job would be a about a 5 inch curved with a locking mechanism.  However, I also use a scissor type tweezer without a locking mechanism. Just be careful that you don't grip the ear tissue and only have the hair.

[Kelly & Zoe]

Thanks!  That's exactly what I bought  -