Whether their ears are natural or cropped, Great Danes have large ear canals. These canals can easily trap dust and moisture. If you have multiple dogs, it is possible that they will keep each other’s ears clean. Though that certainly can help, you will have to be in charge of ear maintenance.

If your Great Danes has excessive sludge, use an ear cleanser such as K9 Ear Solution or Nolvasan Otic. For a more holistic approach there are a number of brands that use tea tree oil, which may help soothe irritated ears.

Squeeze a bit of solution into the ear. Gently massage the base of the ear to help work the liquid downward. At this time, he may lean his head toward your hand and begin to moan deeply. Once you stop, allow him to shake his head a couple of times. Excessive head shaking can lead to damage of the ear leather (flaps). Next take a cotton ball or cloth and gently wipe out the residue. Should the ears appear red, swollen, warmer than usual to the touch, or painful, a veterinary visit is called for, as he could have an ear infection.

If you see what looks like black grit or sand in his ear, he may have ear mites. Ear mites are common, and can be gotten from other cats or dogs. They are usually pretty easily gotten rid of with treatments from your veterinarian. Left untreated, mites can cause hearing loss and possible damage to the ear from habitual scratching.

Besides being annoying, excessive scratching of the ears and shaking of the head may result in a thickening of part of the ear flap, whether ears are cropped or not. This thickening, called a hematoma, is actually a buildup or pooling of blood. A hematoma in a cropped ear may affect the way the ear stands or could even prevent it from standing at all.

If your dog develops an ear hematoma, you may want to take him to the veterinarian. Hematomas can be more than just a cosmetic issue and may obstruct the ear canal and lead to future problems.

Ears Up or Down

Some say that drop ears or ears that hang down have more problems than those that are upright or cropped. This belief is not supported by research. Dogs in general with floppy ears are no more susceptible to ear infections than those with erect ears. Ear infections are more likely influenced by environment, diet, hygiene, the dog’s own body chemistry, and his immune system than the position of the ears themselves.