Best Ear & Eye Cleaners

The single rule that prevents most recurrent ear infections

Cornell Riney's canine ear guidance: most dog ear infections are secondary to allergies or moisture. Floppy-eared breeds (Cocker, Basset, Lab, Golden, Doodle) and dogs that swim should get a weekly cleaning with a pH-balanced cleaner. That alone prevents the majority of yeast and bacterial overgrowth.

Pick a cleaner that matches the dog

• Healthy dog, weekly maintenance: Virbac Epi-Otic Advanced. pH-balanced, no alcohol, mild antimicrobial. The vet-office standard.
• Chronic recurrent otitis or allergy-driven ear disease: Zymox Otic (with 1% hydrocortisone if itch is the main issue, without if your vet says no steroid). Enzymatic action handles biofilm that mechanical cleaners can't.
• Post-swim quick rinse: any pH-balanced cleaner — drying agents in some 'swimmer's ear' products are overkill for routine use.

How to clean ears correctly

1. Fill the ear canal with cleaner — really fill it, not a few drops.
2. Massage the base of the ear for 20 seconds (you'll hear a squelching sound).
3. Let your dog shake it out.
4. Wipe the visible part of the ear with cotton or gauze.
5. Never push a cotton swab into the canal — you compact debris against the eardrum.

Eye washes

For routine tear-stain cleaning and minor irritation (pollen, dust, a bit of debris after a hike), a hypochlorous-acid eye wash like Vetericyn Plus All Animal Eye Wash is the safe default. Saline eye drops marketed for humans also work for a one-off rinse.

When to skip and call the vet

• Smell + head tilt or balance loss: middle/inner ear involvement.
• Visible discharge that's dark brown, yellow, or bloody.
• Sudden eye redness, squinting, or pawing at the eye: corneal ulcer until proven otherwise — same-day appointment.
• Pain on touching the ear or eye: vet visit, not OTC.