Expert: Dr. Louis N. Gotthelf - 11/11/2005

Question
We have a young malti-poo, and two different people have told us that we need to pluck out the hair that is in our dog's ears.   This seems cruel.  Is there merit to these statements?

Answer
Plucking hairs in dogs with normal ears is not necessary.  If there is an infection or a clump of hair, it can be pulled out by a groomer or a vet.  That should be followed with a topical steroid drop or ointment to prevent inflammation and infection from the trauma of plucking.