Grooming leads to ear infection

[Rowena Fry]

Hi,
Not sure if this is the place to put this post, but here goes! As some of you know, I have a poodle, and that means regular visits to the groomer. This involves removing the hair that grows inside my pup's ears because it can lead to ear infections.

The trouble is, the last two times my pup has gone to the groomer, the ear hair removal has lead to severe irritation in my pup's ears and an infection! She had to go to the vet (twice may I add, including the check up afterwards) last time to get special ear drops and antibiotics, and now it's happened again!

The groomers are aware it happened the first time, and I would have thought they'd be VERY careful this time, but my usual groomer was ill and so her mum did it this time around. I don't know if it's that they are not gentle enough when removing the hair or whether my pup's ears are just very sensitive. The vet said that it most likely happened because the inside of the ear got scratched...but I can't see any scratches at all, just a LOT of redness and some brown earwax. Poor lil baby, she keeps shaking her head and scratching at her ears and whimpering. :(

Has anyone else experienced something similar with their dog?

[Sherri]

My mom's cocker spaniel would have the same thing when she got groomed. The vet told my mom to warn the groomers to be careful around her ears, stuff then with cotton.. it still happened.. Finally my mom started doing the grooming at home and it seemed to stop? Not sure exactly what happened/didn't happen, but it seemed to work.

Good Luck with at the groomers.

[Rowena Fry]

Thanks Sherri! I'm starting to think I might have to do the same thing myself! I have removed some of Gum Gum's hair at home before and that's never happened. I never remove ALL of it though, and I think that might be the problem.