Cleaning Cocker Spaniel Ears

We are Basset Hound parents, having had 4 over time, the last of which is now 15. Believe it or not, Basset Hounds have similar issues to your Cockers'. They have VERY long, VERY heavy ears which prevents much ventilation in the working parts of the ear. We have used lots of over the counter otic cleansers, with decent results, for normal maintenance. But if your pets' ears are smelly at this point, they likely have a yeast infection (we deal with that at least once or twice a year). The best and most efficient way to deal with that is to go to the Vet and get Mometamax or some other Gentamyacin solution. Works very fast. My Vet now gives me a large enough bottle that I can continue to use it as needed for quite some time. As to washing and wiping the ears out - the best way to wipe, I have found, is those little round flat cotton pads we women use for makeup application and removal..some even have one side lightly textured. Good luck with your pups.

Zymox

ETA: You might want to do a Google search for "blue power dog ear cleaner." It's not something I can personally recommend because I've never tried it. I'd want to research the ingredients before I did. But I know quite a few cocker people who swear that it's the only thing they've found that works for their dogs' ears. The "recipe" has been around for years.

I've never really thought about the color thing but I do know some cockers have smaller ear holes than others. Those usually are the ones who have the most problems.

First thing you need to to do is get them to a vet asap, to find out if the infection is yeast or not. Than you need to find out the proper way to clean there ears. Never never put any kind of drying powder in there ears, that only makes it worse.
When you do put cleaning solution in, after massaging the side of the ear gently to loosen the gunk, than take a paper towel or Kleenex on your finger and gently put in the ear to get rid of excess solution. They will shack the rest out.

Far as cleaner I buy mine from my vet but any of them work if they are used properly, don't use the powder items.

Also I cut off the top elastic of a sock, I put it on doggies after cleaning like a collar, than I tuck there ears into it on top of there heads. This allows air into the ears so they can dry.

Im not a expect but I am a life time Cocker Spaniel lover, I've had some with bad ears and some with good ears, im sure you know its a commitment and sometimes very frustrating but you can keep a handle on it once they see a vet to make sure you have antibiotic for the infection. Good Luck.

IMO, ear canal structure has more impact than color... but is that characteristic associated with color?

Epi-Otic, oticlens, many other OTC cleaners are good.

Doug

I have used a product by Virbac called Epi-Otic for many years. Seems to work very well in keeping the infections at bay.
Sorry, can't help with the ear color question :)