Cavaliers Need Ear Care Inside and Out #BayerExpertCare

Anyone with a floppy eared dog knows that they require regular ear cleaning to ensure their ears stay clean and infection free. Top those floppy ears with long wavy fur and you have a recipe for disaster. That is unless you stay on top of things. For Cavalier owners that means brushing those long beautiful ears on the outside and flipping them over for brushing on the side closer to their little bodies. I know exactly when Indiana is over due for ear cleaning when I flip those long ears over and find the inner side not so shiny and a little tangled. Believe it or not it isn’t the hot humid summer months that do us in. It it the non humid need the heat on winter months that do us in.

The only ear infection Indiana has ever had was when she was a year and a half old it was winter and we lived in a apartment in NYC. No ear infections for her when we lived in hot extremely humid Hong Kong or Miami or even here in Georgia. Nope. The winter is the time of ear we have to worry. Davinia is the same way her ears get dirty but her fur is less full so there is more breathing room there her ears also flip over more often on their own so many they get some air that way. Either way W-I-N-T-E-R is when we need to make sure to have a good ear cleaner on hand and keep up with ear brushing.

That is why I was so excited about working with the Bayer® ExpertCareTM line and getting to pick 3 products to share with our readers that really make sense to us and our readership. With winter ready to settle in any day now I thought that the ExpertCare Ear Care for Dogs Ear Cleansing Rinse product should be the first thing we shared with you. Each of our three items are things that cross breed lines but are things that every Cavalier owner deals with at some point in their Cavalier’s lifetime.

Before cleaning their inner ear I always start with brushing their ears with a good pin brush to get out any leaves, dirt, or other junk they have accumulated that day and ensure their ears are tangle free. That might or might not require a moisturizer depending on when their last bath was ad what they rolled in that day. Cavalier owners will be happy to know that the ExpertCare line also has a water-less shampoo you can use to keep those beautiful ears looking beautiful on the outside too!

The instructions on the container say to squeeze the ear cleaner directly into their ears. While I did for for Indiana on one side I honestly prefer to wet the cotton pad with the cleaner and do it that way. It leaves behind less liquid in their ear and it is the moisture in their ears that causes the infection so I prefer to err on the side of dry ears and a clean smell which is exactly what Bayer ExpertCare gave me. Plus it is fresh and lightly scented and doesn’t turn their ear red after use (that is probably the aloe vera they use in the formulation doing its job!) they look clean and healthy ready to go back to playing. Ok maybe not playing because I find I have a more captive audience if I brush and clean their ears in bed while we watch tv instead of putting them up on the grooming table every time.

After using the Ear Cleaning Rinse their ears smell almost baby powder fresh. Davinia rested the entire time and I had to move her head off the pillow to get the other ear. That is how unphased she was with this ear cleaner. Indiana allowed me to clean one ear completely but I need to wait for her to get up from under the bed to wipe out the other one more time with a dry cotton pad. She is not a big fan of brushing her ears so her jumping off the bed is not a big deal in fact I hear her getting ready to come out now. I can tell that the fresh scent and clean happy look of Davinia’s ears will remain that way for several days or until she decides to roll in something gross. Oh before you try and use the ear cleaner be sure to unscrew the top and take off the seal. It is kind of hard to clean ears when nothing comes out 😉

Bayer ExpertCare products are available exclusively at PetSmart Stores and PetSmart.com. I ordered the 4oz bottle as that was the only bottle size available on PetSmart.com which is fine because I honestly feel that when it comes to ear cleaning less is more as long as things stay clean and healthy looking. They do have a larger sized bottle available at the store if you have a dog prone to ear infections or a larger dog or dogs in general. A little prevention goes a very long way in my book. Which means a great ear care product used on a schedule that works for your dog is worth every penny to not have a dog with an ear infection later.

Cavalier Ear Care in 3 simple steps:
1. Find a calm time and place to brush their ears.
2. Squirt the Bayer ExpertCare Ear Cleaner on a cotton pad. Massage the inside of the ear with the cotton pad the gunk will come off on the pad!
3. Take a dry cotton pad and gently massage the inside of the ear to ensure that you do not leave any moisture behind. The only thing you want to leave behind is the clean fresh smell and a healthy looking ear.