Tools Of The Trade — Ear Care
Hemostats or Hair Pullers

Hemostats (sometimes referred to as hair pullers) come in a variety of sizes and styles. They may be 4.5 to 6.5 inches long, curved or straight, ratcheted or not. These tools are different from typical tweezers because they have finger-hole handles which provide a better grip and pulling power. Technique: It is helpful to clip away thick or heavy coat from the ear opening before using the hemostats, this allows you better access to the inside of the ear. Hold the ear leather back so that the ear opening is fully exposed. Use your fingers to gently pull the hair in the ear canal towards the opening so that you can see the skin. Lightly dust the ear canal with depilatory ear powder. Carefully insert the hemostats into the ear opening and firmly grasp a small amount of hair at the base. Gently pull the hair out of the ear. This is done by a combination of sight and feel. Be careful not to pinch the skin.

Ear Scissors

These are small, rounded tip scissors that facilitate the removal of hair from the ear opening and canal. They are particularly useful for gently trimming away thick hair from the ears of puppies that is just not ready to be plucked by fingers or hemostats. Dogs with very sensitive ears and geriatric dogs may be less likely to reject this procedure than plucking. Technique: It is helpful to clip away thick or heavy coat from the ear opening before using ear scissors for better access to the inside of the ear. Hold the ear leather back so that the ear opening is fully exposed. Use your fingers to gently pull the hair in the ear canal towards the opening so that you can see the skin. Carefully insert the ear scissors into the ear opening and snip away the hair. This is done gently and by a combination of sight and feel. Be careful not to nick the skin.

*SPECIAL NOTE: Hair deeper in the ear opening is generally easier to remove by plucking than the hair around the ear opening. You may need to use a combination of ear scissors and plucking to remove most or all of the hair from the ear canal. If at any time the ear begins to look red or irritated, stop, and apply a soothing lotion to the affected area. At what point in the grooming process is it best to clean ears? In preparation for bathing, the dog's ears should be packed with cotton to prevent water from entering the ear canal. This allows you to thoroughly wash the ear leather and opening without getting water in the dog's ears. It is extremely important to remove the cotton from the dog's ears after bathing. Routinely cleaning ears after bathing will serve as a reminder to remove the cotton from the ears before sending the dog home.