If my dog is itching in his ears, can I use expired ear drops on my dog? Let us answer this question in detail and tell you why this may not be such a great idea.
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Does your dog feel irritation in its ears, and you are unsure if it is an infection? You might wonder if it is a good idea to use your expired ear drop on the dog to relieve him of the irritation. Read on as we discuss it in detail.
If you plan to use expired ear drops for your dog, it might not be a great idea. If your dog is showing symptoms of an ear infection, you must take it to the vet first before taking any action by yourself.
Here’s why It’s Not a Great Idea
- Animals do not respond to ear drops made for humans in the same way humans do. Some chemicals show different reactions in animals and humans.
- If the ear drops are expired already, it is better that you do not use them on anyone. It can be harmful to you or your dog, whoever uses it.
- The efficacy gets affected for some such medicated products as well after expiry.
- It is not wise to use any medicated product before being sure what the disease is. It is better to take your dog to a vet before giving them the medication.
You might like to read: My Dog Moans When I Scratch His Ears
Points to note about veterinary ear drops
- Sometimes when only the month is mentioned in the ear drop packaging, it is safe to use the drop till the last day of the month.
- If no dates are mentioned on the packaging, you can consider using the eardrop no later than six months from the day you had bought it from the store.
- To ensure that the drug is not contaminated before the expiry date, you must abide by the storage instructions, such as temperature, humidity, and light exposure.
- It is advised that you discard any ear drop within 3 weeks of opening it. It is to ensure that you do not use any contaminated product and increase the effect of the infection.
- If you find a change in the consistency or the color or odor of the eardrop, discard it immediately.
Dog ear hygiene
Dogs often have ear infections caused due to various reasons. You must take care of each product you use to clean your dog’s ears. A dog’s medical requirements are different from humans, and so are the hygiene needs. Do not use hydrogen peroxide for dog ears. What works well for human ears might be harmful to dog ears. Talk to your vet and use only the vet-approved dog ear-wax remover solution.
Tips for dog ear hygiene and cleaning
- Make sure that water does not enter your dog’s ears while bathing. Water accumulation might lead to ear infections.
- Don’t clean dog ears too often as it might cause further irritation and dry up.
- If you see symptoms of ear infections, immediately contact your veterinarian.
- To clean the dog’s ears, apply the vet-approved solution in the dog’s ear. Let it rest for 30 seconds till all the wax dissolves.
- Ensure that you do not touch the tip of the applicator inside the ear, as it may lead to contamination.
- Use a soft Q-tip to clean the ears for any extra wax.
- Further, use a cotton ball to clean the surface of the ear and around the ear canal for any extra wax or cleaning solution.
- If you see your dog is behaving weirdly during the cleaning process or is in pain, talk to your vet and see what they have to say about it.
You might like to read: What Happens If A Dog Eats Wax?
When is the best time to clean a dog’s ears?
You might be wondering when is the best time to clean your dog’s ears. Cleaning too often is not a great idea, but neither is it good to let the wax accumulate for months. So, how do you know when to clean the dog’s ears? Watch out for the following signs:
- There is a mild odor from the ears.
- Your dog is shaking its head too much,
- The ears seem to be itchy.
- The dog is in pain.
However, if you see that the ears have redness and show inflammation, we suggest you discuss the condition with your vet if you cannot take your dog to them right away. These could be the signs of bacterial infection, fleas, ticks, allergies, or mites.
Frequently Asked Questions
After the expiration date, how long can you use ear drops?
Though doctors advise against using ear drops after the expiration date, you can use these ear drops for 3 to 4 months after they have expired.
The potency of ear drops often lasts up to one year after expiry. After that, the efficacy of the drugs gets reduced. They might even become infectious or get contaminated over time.
Can you put human ear drops in dog ears?
Doctors advise against using human ear drops in dog ears. The reasons are:
It might not be effective
It might be harmful to the dog
You might like to read: How To Get Wax Out Of Dog Fur?
A Few Final Words
Taking care of your dog’s ears is as important as the rest of their good health. We suggest that you not use your expired ear drops on your dog or even expired dog ear drops.
Even though ear drops can work effectively at times for about six months post the expiry date, they might also be harmful to your dog in some cases. We insist that you take your dog to a vet if it feels unwell. Consider the vet’s recommendation for safety.
Thank you for reading the article, we hope you got the answer to the question you were searching for. You can always drop us a comment to get answers to more queries. You might also like to read: Dog Tries To Bite When Cleaning Ears?
