Vinegar and Water to Prevent Chronic Dog Ear Infection

by Don
(Yuma, AZ)

My Black Lab swims a lot and continually gets ear infections.I have been told that putting a mixture of vinegar and water at 50/50 mixture after swimming will help prevent her ear infections.

Do you think this will work?




Vet Common on Using Vinegar and Water to Prevent Dog Ear Infections


Hello Don,

A vinegar and water solution applied to the ears after swimming can help prevent ear infections. Another option is to dampen cotten balls with some mineral oil and use them as ear plugs while your dog is swimming. Roll them into “cones”,insert them firmly but gently into your dog’s ear canals so they fully block the passageways, and remove them as soon as the swimming session is over.

If your dog’s ear infections continue despite your attempts at preventing them, it is possible that your dog’s swimming is not entirely to blame. Oftentimes dogs with allergies or other undelrying conditions develop recurrent ear infections until the primary problem is adequately controlled.



Best of luck,

Jennifer Coates, DVM