I don't know about you, but my dog's ears can get purty STANKY from time to time. I used to use some "secret" concoction I paid a fortune for from their vet's office, to clean them. That is, until I started seriously changing ALL of our lives using Coconut Oil & Essential Oils.
I have done so much in the last month or two to go around the house & REALLY look at what we are putting on & IN our bodies, my dogs included!
I did a lot of research on looking into healthier, more natural, ways to keep my dogs well. And before I put ANYTHING into my furry babies ears specifically, I Googled my brains out, of that you can be sure!
I found a lot of information, some of which I didn't agree with, and some, I thought made a lot of sense.
So...Here is the recipe for their all natural ear cleaner/maintenance oil. And links to information as to how I came to my decisions to use what I did.
(just click on the ingredient itself to get more information about each one)
INGREDIENTS
1 Tbls Organic, Extra Virgin, Unrefined Coconut Oil
5 drops Lavender Essential Oil
4 drops Tea Tree Oil
(the last link for Tea Tree Oil, will take you to a page that has A LOT of information on using essential oils for pets)
Melt the Coconut Oil in a small bowl. I use a pan to heat water & put it in the pan. DO NOT microwave (click here to find out why)
Wait for melted oil to cool down to ROOM TEMPERATURE, then add your essential oils.
The reasons I used the two I did are because it was a very basic recipe I was after. I like simple & affective. I don't need bells and whistles! I thought the antibacterial, antimicrobial, antifungal, etc., properties of all three ingredients would be awesome. If you have other oils you know to work well for your pet, certainly you can add them. BUT always research & RE research your choices! Some oils are toxic to animals. They are NOT like humans. DO NOT assume if it works for you, it would be fine for them! That is NOT NOT NOT the case. Also, my Beagle/Rottie mix is extremely sensitive to EVERYTHING, so that's why I only did 4 drops of Tea Tree, as it can irritate & burn sensitive people/dogs.I can tell you too, this was the first ear cleaner I've ever used on both dogs & they didn't flip out! They seemed to enjoy its slight warmth, and when I was massaging it in, they looked like they were REALLY relaxing. The Lavender works great for that as well, relaxing an anxiety filled dog. Rub some straight from the bottle, into your hand, warming it a bit, then massage the ear flaps, or paws or right under the ears....Taking care, AGAIN, to make sure it is not irritating to your dog in full strength. Mine are SOUND asleep right now after their ear cleaning/coconut oil on the fur & belly, massage of the day. :)
I used (about 1ml) in each of my larger (50 lbs) dog's ears, and half of that in my smaller (15 lbs) dog's.
Then, just keep the leftovers in an amber bottle with a dropper top.
I only make this small of a recipe because I like to know its strength & potency.
When using the remaining oil, for their next cleaning, simply boil the water in the pan again, take off the heat, allow to cool slightly, then put the bottle in the water to warm it back up. (Coconut oil will solidify at any temperature under 76 degrees). Taking care again to make sure it is only SLIGHTLY warm when you put it in your dog's ears. Just warm enough to be liquid. Always be careful of what you put into your dog’s ear. The ear is a very tender and delicate organ that is sensitive to chemicals and temperature. Do not use anything too cold or too hot in your dog’s ears.
This is safe enough to use whenever you feel your dog's ears need a cleaning, but I am just going to do it at the first of each month. With warmer weather coming, it is wise to keep their ears as bacteria free as possible, so no mites, or other unwanted "critters" take up residence there.
***I forgot to mention!! You can also use this on a cotton ball to gently wipe the ear itself, not just dropper it down in...as always, be gentle***
And that's it. Doggies with clean, purty smellin' ears. :)
Let me know if you try this & what you think about it!
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