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Does your Morkie have an ear infection? Common symptoms are shaking the head, or rubbing his head along the ground obsessively; bad smell from the ears; outer ear is inflamed and red; whimpering and crying.

Ear problems can make your Morkie absolutely miserable – burning pain, itching and even loss of balance. Identifying the cause is the first step.

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Canine ear infections are most commonly caused by bacteria or yeast

There are lots of causes of ear problems in dogs, but the most common problems by far, are caused by bacteria or yeast. Ear mites are uncommon in dogs (mostly found in kittens) and allergies can make your Morkie’s ears red and inflamed, but mostly ear infections happen because the ear isn’t cleaned.

Flop ears, left and prick ears, right. Which type dos your Morkie have?

CLICK CHART TO ENLARGE …

If your Morkie has drop ears like a Maltese, instead of prick ears like a Yorkie, the problem can be worse. Oxygen and sunlight, nature’s best cleaners, don’t reach the ear canal and bacteria and yeast can build up in the joist atmosphere.

Monitoring and Cleaning your Morkie’s ears

Dogs tend to get a  lot of ear infections and problems and one reason why is that their ear canal is almost horizontal. So it doesn’t drain well, like ours.

Watch for any buildup of waxy stuff in your Morkie’s ears, including common dirt or debris he may have picked up outside. A wet ear canal is a recipe for disaster – so when your Morkie is getting a bath, be sure to put a cotton ball in each year to prevent dirty water getting in.

There are a number of good, over-the- counter ear cleaners available – these solutions do two things: help fight bacteria plus dry the ear out. You can also try white vinegar & water, half and half. Some owners use hydrogen peroxide mixed 1 part to 3 parts distilled water. Or get a good quality cleaner from your Vet.
To use these cleaners, hold your Morkie on your lap and tilt his head. Pour a generous amount of cleaner in; his ear and then massage the base of the ear to get the cleaner into all the folds of the ear. Repeat for the other ear.

Once the solution has softened the waxy debris in your Morkie’s ear, you can wipe the outer ear down with a makeup remover pad. Or, the dog’s natural movements and a couple of shakes of the head, will get rid of it all.

No matter what, DO NOT USE COTTON SWABS (Q-TIPS) OR ANYTHING ELSE IN YOUR MORKIE’S EARS!

There’s an old expression to remember: “never put anything in your ear smaller than your elbow!”

Even with your best intentions, you’ll simply be packing down the dirt, waxy build up, infection and more INTO your Morkie’s narrow ear canal.

And you can even puncture or rupture the eardrum, causing irreparable damage!

Time to see the Vet

If your Morkie is suffering with brown, smelly discharge coming from one or both ears, try cleaning first — if the problem isn’t better in a one or two days, see the Vet who will do a thorough diagnoses of the problem. If you’re keeping your Morkie’s ears clean, then chances are any ear problems are something more complex and you’ll need to see your Veterinarian.

Always see the Vet if you suspect an injury or your Morkie is in pain.