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My dog's ear smells and he's scratching. Can I clean it if it hurts?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Large (61lb +) | Male | unneutered | 11 months and 30 days old | 35 lbs

I believe my dog might have an ear infection. He is always scratching it and it’s beginning to smell bad. Although when I look in it, it just looks dirty. Should I clean it even though he seems to be in pain?

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4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Vanessa Yeager DVM MPH

Veterinarian

Published on January 10th, 2020

Hi and thanks for posting. Yes, Theo's ear is very red and appears to have a good amount of debris in there as well. Ear infections can and are indeed painful. I would wait to clean it until your veterinarian has examined the ear. Your vet will need to ensure his tympanic membrane (ear drums) are intact before using any kind of cleaner in the ear. A sample of the debris in his ear will be taken to determine what is causing the infection so it can be treated most effectively.

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Other Answers

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    Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

    Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

    Published on November 4th, 2016

    Poor Jake! From your description, it sounds like he probably has an ear infection - this is a very common problem in dogs, and often causes a foul odor as well as redness and pain when the ears are handled. He will need prescription ear drops or ointment to treat the infection, so unfortunately he does need to see a vet - there is nothing you can get over the counter that will be effective for this problem.

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    Answered By Cara, DVM, cVMA

    Veterinarian

    Published on September 6th, 2017

    It sounds like Big Fella could have an ear infection. Usually shaking and scratching are the most common symptoms. If he will let you look at the ear canals, you can check for any redness or discharge. If you see that I would recommend that he go to a vet as they can get quite painful and cause permanent damage to his ear canals. Most veterinary clinics take Care Credit, which you can use as a credit card for medical expenses. Depending on your location there may be low cost clinics or humane societies that may be able to see him as well. Good luck!

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    Answered By Lauren Celestin, DVM

    Veterinarian, Veterinary Dentistry Resident

    Published on July 13th, 2017

    Sounds like Hank may have an ear infection. He should see his veterinarian to examine his ears and determine exactly what organism(s) is responsible for the infection and get him started on the appropriate medication. Yeast is usually the culprit, but there are other organisms and there could also be more than one cause the problems. I recommend he be seen as soon as possible as continuous head shaking can lead to ear hematomas which are a pain to deal with. Hope this helps a bit.

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