Nails, teeth, ears, paws
How do I know if my dog's ears are dirty or infected?
Last updated 23 September 2026 · How we write and check this
Short answer
Dirty ears usually show light brown wax with no strong smell and no obvious discomfort when touched. An unpleasant odor, dark discharge, redness, swelling, or your dog flinching, pawing, or tilting its head are signs of a possible problem that go beyond routine buildup and are best checked by a vet.
What routine dirt looks like
A small amount of light brown to golden wax, without a strong odor, is normal and simply means a cleaning is due. Your dog should not react with obvious discomfort when you gently touch the outer ear or lift the flap to look inside.
Signs that point beyond ordinary buildup
A strong, unpleasant, or yeasty smell, dark brown or black discharge that looks more like coffee grounds than ordinary wax, visible redness or swelling inside the ear, or a dog that pulls away, whines, or shakes its head repeatedly when the ear is touched all suggest something beyond what a routine cleaning at home should address.
Why this distinction matters
Continuing to clean an ear that shows these signs, rather than having it examined, can sometimes make irritation worse or mask what is actually happening inside. A quick vet check can confirm whether it is simple buildup or something that needs different treatment.
Keeping a simple record over time
Taking a quick phone photo of your dog's ear canal opening every month or so, even without any concern at the time, builds a visual record you can compare against later, making it much easier to spot a gradual change in color or amount of debris than relying on memory alone.
A quick comparison between your dog's two ears at the same time is also a useful trick, since a problem affecting only one side stands out clearly against the healthy baseline of the other, even when you are not entirely sure what normal looks like overall.
Key takeaways
- Light brown wax with no odor and no discomfort is typically just routine dirt.
- Strong odor, dark discharge, redness, or pain point to a problem beyond ordinary buildup.
- A vet check can confirm the cause rather than continuing to clean an already irritated ear.