College of Veterinary Medicine  Pet Health Topics  Examining and
Medicating the Ears of a Dog    basset hound  In the photographs
below, unless otherwise noted, the dog is facing with her nose
pointing to your right.  Variations on these instructions exist.
Ear cleaning and medicating can be messy so cover good clothes
and work on a surface that is easy to clean.  Most dogs do not
like having their ears cleaned.  Some dogs will happily sit in
your lap or on a table while you clean or medicate their ears
but many require some form of restraint.   restraining the dog
while medicating its ear  One method to restrain the dog is to
place her/him on a table. Stand on the side of the table
opposite to the ear you are medicating; in the photograph the
right ear is being medicated.  Drape your right arm over the
dog's shoulders. Wrap your left arm around the head and neck and
use the finger tips of the left hand to push the ear flap back
and up to expose the inner surface of the ear.   If the dog
tries to stand, lean