Clean your ears right!

A basset hound puppy will routinely fall over its floppy ears. But as it gets older and bigger, and starts tracking, those ears are an asset.

They act like side brooms, sweeping up scents along the ground. That’s why bassets, along with their cousins, bloodhounds and coonhounds, are such champion sniffers. One problem, though: Because the dog’s ears are so close to the ground, they need to be cleaned at least once a week, but never using a cotton swab or any other pointy object. Soft cloths and soapy water will do.

Tip of the day? Treat your kids’ ears like a hound dog’s ... and teach the kids how to treat their own ears, too. According to Ohio State University researchers, every day, an average of 34 children under 18 are treated in U.S. hospital emergency departments for ear injuries related to use of cottontipped swabs. Around 77 per cent occur when a child (not a parent) is wielding the cottontipped applicator. (Mom and Dad, you do better, but far from good enough!)

The most common injuries are pushing earwax farther into the ear so that it becomes impacted and damages the eardrum – which can cause hearing loss. True, occasionally earwax does become too much of a good thing, making it hard to hear or feeling uncomfortable.

Then you need to see your doc to get it safely flushed out. To hear about the right way to clean your ears, Google “the right way to clean your ears Dr. Oz Show.”