Plucking ear hair?

[Laura & Chewie]

I was talking to a local groomer recommended by a neighbor and she said Chewie would need all the hair plucked out of his ears as it is an infection waiting to happen...he's 4 months. She said obviously it is uncomfortable...like the first time you pluck your eyebrows, but over time it gets easier.

I really want to hear info/opinions/other options on this as it sounds kind of cruel to me, but I really know nothing about it.

Thanks!

[Adina P]

Some do it, some don't. I don't pluck and no ear infections here in my furriest doodle.

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

I do pluck and keep ears as free of hair as possible and am ALWAYS fighting an ear infection at some phase or another. So go figure. But we have been in Florida and its so muggy and he swam a lot. Anyway, it really is easy to do and I use treats and work fast, do short sessions at a time and have used hemostats, tweezers or even just pulled with my fingers. Murphy lets me know when he's had enough. Guess depends on what your vet thinks and if he even gets infections.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Jack doesn't have a wooly or poodley coat and doesn't need it done, but I always had the ear hair plucked on my poodles. You have to get it out of the ear canal or you will end up with ear infections, as the hair traps moisture, dirt & oils deep in the ear canal, and is a wonderful breeding ground for bacteria & yeasts.
I always had this done by a very skilled groomer, and if it is done properly, there is no pain. If done incorrectly, or roughly, the irritation can actually lead to an ear infection, so it's important to have it done by somebody who is experienced in grooming dogs with poodle-type hair and knows what they're doing.

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

It really is surprising how much hair is in there and what comes out with it. Our vet works with me on getting the deeper ones when we go for follow-ups. It doesn;t seem as tho it's painful to him. He just doesn;t like being held down for the vet to do it, but it must be done. Maybe Murphy has extra hairy ears? I don't know.

[HANNAH 8/2/07 & HONEY 7/2/08]

I do hair removeal on my dogs ears every 6 to 8 weeks and do not have a problem with ear infections. Once or twice a week I clean their ears and this helps to keep them from infections, the hair removal does not seem to bother mine.
First I sprinkle ear powder in the dog's ear canal. The powder absorbs the moisture in the ears and makes the hair easier to remove. I use a little ear powder at a time, as a small amount on the ear hair is sufficient.
Grasp a small amount of ear hair at a time and pull it out. Plucking a few hairs at a time will prevent discomfort and help to keep the ears from getting irritated. Repeat, until both ears are free of hair. Clean both ears with a dog ear cleaner to remove any waxy buildup.
If you let your dogs ears go unattended you could wind up needing surgery on a dogs ear or them becoming deaf. Best to talk with your Vet and your Vet can also help you on what products are good to use for your dogs ears.

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

I am not going to do this until someone tells me I have to. For now, I wipe Peri's ears clean about 1x per week with baby wipes. She has had no issues (knock on wood). She is 5 1/2 months old.

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

Hannah, which powder are you using? I have Thornit. Haven;t used for awhile since we have been between medications and swimming so much. But off meds now and no more pool or ocean nearby.

[HANNAH 8/2/07 & HONEY 7/2/08]

We use R7 products, or you can also use Drs. Foster and Smiths...or PetCo's brand...I really like the R7 products ...

[HANNAH 8/2/07 & HONEY 7/2/08]

Oh and the R7 ear cleaning solution is one of the best...it is very fast drying and does not leave it set in your dogs ears to cause infection or create one.

[Carol Bordwell]

Before I google R7, where do you buy it? Will it mean a trip to the vet?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Carol, this discussion is 4 years old and the member who posted the information has not been active here for years. I personally have never heard of this product. There are dozens of more recent discussions here on this topic. 

[Tammy & Gracie]

I have the groomer do it to Gracie (per vet's instructions). She also, is usually on the verge of an infection.