To Pluck or Not to Pluck? That is the Question.

 For my first blog I want to touch on an important and controversial topic: ear plucking. You may be wondering; What is ear plucking? How do you pluck ears? Why does my dog need their ear hair plucked? Does it hurt? 

Lets start with... What is ear plucking?
Ear plucking is the removal of hair from inside your dog's ear canal. If you own a non-shedding breed like a poodle, bichon, shih tzu, or schnauzer it is likely they grow hair in their ear canals. 

So, how is the ear hair plucked?
When plucking ears we always start with ear powder. Ear powder is a drying agent and is used to help grip the ear hair. After lightly dusting the ear opening we pull as much hair as we can with our fingers then, only as far as we can see, with hemostats. As useful as ear powder can be it can also be harmful if not used properly. It is important that all ear powder is wiped out with ear cleaner after the ears are plucked. Using more ear powder than is needed can create ear infections deep inside the ear canal.

Why does your dog need their ear hair plucked?
Well, pulling hair from the ear canal is done to allow air flow into the ear and promote health. Hair that is left in the ear canal collects wax and dirt, harboring a place for moisture to linger and fungus and bacteria to grow potentially causing a full-blown ear infection.

Does it hurt my dog when their ear-hair is plucked?
By gently pulling out only the hair inside the ear canal (not the firmly rooted hair growing outside it) the ear hair can be plucked virtually pain free.

Why is it so controversial to pluck a dogs ear hair?
The controversy recently associated with ear plucking seems to be that plucking a dogs ear hair can cause micro-inflammation which then weakens the immune system of the ear canal leading to ear infections.  
In my experience dogs who get their ear hair plucked and their ears cleaned regularly, frequently, and properly get ear infections far less than dogs who rarely get their ears plucked and cleaned. Plucking hair from ears allows a deep and thorough cleaning of any built-up wax or debris, and allows the ear canal to breathe, thus keeping the ear canal drier. When a dog's hair is plucked for the first two or three times there may be a little micro-inflammation. However, the follicle rapidly adapts to the plucking and soon the hair plucks out easily with little to no inflammation. So starting "hairy-eared" puppies early (8-12 weeks old) with routine grooming that includes a thorough plucking of hair in the canal may keep the ears healthy. Ear hair should be plucked at least every 4-6 weeks.

As always it is important to talk to your vet to find out what is best for your dog. I always try to stay on top of the latest research and keep in touch with my personal veterinarian for whom I used to work. So far, to me, ear plucking is the best way to allow air flow in the ear and keep your beloved pets healthy and happy. If you have any questions not answered in my blog post feel free to shoot me an email at auntbpetgrooming@gmail.com and I'd be happy to answer any questions.