Pulling Hair of her Ears? What?????

FlamingoFan · 06-30-2009, 08:31 AM

Our little Stella, who we've only had for three weeks went for her first grooming last weekend. She's a Schoodle and I guess I'm a bad dog mom for not asking exactly what goes into a grooming. Our last dog was a lab and never needed a professional groomer.

Anyway...she looked so cute afterwards and they said she did great....and then they mentioned that they pulled out her ear hair??? I didn't realize that and it's my fault for not researching.

Do you all try this at home....or do you leave it to a groomer/vet? I don't know if I could bring myself to yank her ear hair out?

Xie · 06-30-2009, 08:57 AM

It is absolutely essential to pull the hair out of a dog's ears IF they have hair that goes down into the ear canal.

Hair in the ear canal is a major cause of ear infections and I go over this with every new client we see at work (vet's clinic) who has a breed with ear hair. If your pup got the poodle hair in her ears you might have to do it at home. Well, that or your are going to be at the groomer at least once a month if not more.

What you want to pull out is ONLY the hair that is going down in the actual ear canal. Don't pull the hair that's on the ear flaps (pinna), your pup will not appreciate that. If you are pulling the hair that is in the ear canal it shouldn't bother her to much and it's much healthier for the pup overall. They sell ear powder at most pet stores that will help with the removal.

Poodles that have the ear hair removed on a regular basis are not that prone to ear infections. In poodles where the ear hair is not removed they can be a regular occurence because the hair traps all sorts of stuff in there and it stops good airflow.

Tankstar · 06-30-2009, 10:03 AM

Its very common thing to do. I do it to all breeds who have hair going in to their ear canal. Not hard to do at all. You may need some ear powder to make your fingers stick to the slippery haiir. it doesnt harm them, just irratates them having it pulled.

Elana55 · 06-30-2009, 10:28 AM

Yup. Had standard Poodles and a Mix dog. Had to keep that hair outta there. Hair retains dirt and moisture you you get infections. Did it myself.. but then I bathed and clipped the dog too.. nothing fancy.. just a kennel clip.

Dog didn't seem to hurt when it was pulled.. actually acted like it sort of felt good?

FlamingoFan · 06-30-2009, 10:50 AM

Our lab was so different....put solution in her ears...wiped them out with cotton balls.

the pulling scares me that I'll hurt her. I'll have to ask the groomer to show me how or the vet. I don't want her to get infections.....

it really doesn't hurt them??? My eyes water when I pluck my own eyebrows!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tankstar

Its very common thing to do. I do it to all breeds who have hair going in to their ear canal. Not hard to do at all. You may need some ear powder to make your fingers stick to the slippery haiir. it doesnt harm them, just irratates them having it pulled.

and you just use your fingers and not the metal hair pullers that look like scissors that I'm seeing online?

Keechak · 06-30-2009, 11:37 AM

YOu'ed really have to ask the dogs if they feel pain. I've seen some dogs that screem and whimper when they get their ear hair pulled and I've seen others that simply look very bored and don't seem to care. The "screemers" might not be actually feeling pain but they might just be screeming because they hate their ears and head held.

Tankstar · 06-30-2009, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlamingoFan

Our lab was so different....put solution in her ears...wiped them out with cotton balls.

the pulling scares me that I'll hurt her. I'll have to ask the groomer to show me how or the vet. I don't want her to get infections.....

it really doesn't hurt them??? My eyes water when I pluck my own eyebrows!

and you just use your fingers and not the metal hair pullers that look like scissors that I'm seeing online?

Some dogs whine but I thinks its more due to they dont like it and are spoiled by their ownrs or dont get it done often enough to be accustomed to it.

I use my fingers and/or the "hair pullers". just depends on how much hair there is and how hard it is to pull out.

SMoore · 06-30-2009, 05:40 PM

Yep I do it to my own standard as well as any dog in the grooming shop that needs it. I've only ever had one person tell me that her vet specifically said that pulling the hair is what causes the infections in her standard poodle and im pretty sure she heard wrong or didn't want anything to hurt her precious poodle, bleh. So... i left it there. I use my fingers or hemostats.

agility collie mom · 06-30-2009, 07:52 PM

Yep I use my fingers. Some people will pull a little every week while they are holding their dog and watching tv. I use hemostats at work.

GroovyGroomer777 · 06-30-2009, 08:26 PM

It is a controversial subject of the grooming world. Some are pro, some are not.
I do it because I was taught that way and the vet I work for wants me to do it.
However if it has been neglected for months and there is a forest in there, it is very difficult on the dog. If the dog becomes too stressed, it then becomes the vet's job to remove the hair.

Like the post above said, do a little at a time and keep it maintained.

Love's_Sophie · 06-30-2009, 09:27 PM

Well you don't exactly 'yank' it out! Lol! You only pull a few hairs at a time. And in some breeds it is important to check the amount of ear hair in the ears routinely, otherwise they could get too much in there, and it get's painful to pull a bunch out at one sitting. So, yes, and no...you could leave it to the groomer, but you "may" have to keep up with it at home too, if she seems prone to alot of hair in her ears; I would ask the groomers if she had alot in there, and if she didn't, you should be fine to have them do it every time she goes in for a groom. If she had a lot of buildup, then you may want to have them show you how to do it at home, so you can stay on top of it every few weeks.

Like groovy said, it is one of those things that some people think that a vet should only do, but I was taught to do it, and unless it is so severely impacted that i can't possibly get a handle on it, I will gladly do this small maintainance thing that keeps the dog a bit more happy and healthy.

poodleholic · 07-01-2009, 01:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SMoore

Yep I do it to my own standard as well as any dog in the grooming shop that needs it. I've only ever had one person tell me that her vet specifically said that pulling the hair is what causes the infections in her standard poodle and im pretty sure she heard wrong or didn't want anything to hurt her precious poodle, bleh. So... i left it there. I use my fingers or hemostats.

I agree that plucking ears clean can, and does create ear infections.

I have 3 Standard Poodles; one is 8 yrs. old, one 7 yrs. old, and a 10-mon. old puppy. The older two haven't had ear infections since I stopped allowing a professional groomer to pluck their ears (more than 6 years now). I trim the hair, and once in a blue moon I may use my fingers to pluck a little on my 8-yr. old, but not much. I never use a hemostat. The puppy (cross fingers and paws) has healthy ears, and I do not pluck - but use the Wahl trimmer to shave, and keep all of their ears clean by cleansing 2x/mo. (once a week in summer) using 50/50 vinegar and Witch Hazel.

HersheyBear · 07-04-2009, 10:44 PM

There is also something called ear powder, which i imagine most pet stores sell. It makes it easier to gently pluck out the ear hair.

Binkalette · 07-05-2009, 01:04 AM

This is one of those things that I make my husband do

FlamingoFan · 07-05-2009, 05:23 AM

I'll take a peek in there this a.m.....it didn't occur to me to ask the groomer if there was alot in there. Guessing that she had never had it done before. She loves to have her ears rubbed....maybe I'll try sticking my fingers in the ear...not to pull anything til someone shows me, but to get her used to my fingers in her little ears!

Pai · 07-07-2009, 09:23 PM

Here is a video of it being done. It really helps reduce the chance of bacteria or infections festering in the ear, and if it's done properly it doesn't hurt them. Think of it like getting your eyebrows plucked.

FlamingoFan · 07-08-2009, 07:50 AM

Thank you so much for the video!!!!!!! And great advice!! I want my Stella to be healthy and happy!!

spugs · 07-08-2009, 12:40 PM

My puppy hated having it done and screamed, they used the tongs and pulled out big clumps and it was his first time at the groomers. I dont want to have it done if he doesnt have to so im using a baby wipe once a week to clean his ears and hopefully that will keep he muck levels down.

Pai · 07-09-2009, 02:14 AM

o_O Horrible! Sounds like they didn't know how to do it properly.

luvntzus · 07-20-2009, 06:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by poodleholic

I agree that plucking ears clean can, and does create ear infections.

I'm curious about how ear plucking could cause infections.