How to Get Oily Ear Drops Off a Dog's Fur

Co-authored by Ryan Corrigan, LVT, VTS-EVN

Last Updated: April 24, 2021

Putting eardrops into your dog’s ears is important when treating ear problems, but the oily drops can get into your dog’s fur. The oil may become greasy or cause the fur to clump. If your dog has an oily residue in their fur, try using cornstarch or dish soap to remove it. If that doesn’t work, give them a bath with their normal shampoo or cut away the fur.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Removing the Oil from the Fur

1
Sprinkle cornstarch on the oily area. The oily ear drops need something to absorb the oil from the fur. Cornstarch is a good medium that can help absorb the oil. Sprinkle a light coating of cornstarch over the affected area. Rub it into the fur with your fingers, spreading it all around. Leave it on the coat for a few minutes.^{[1]
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- You can brush out the fur with the cornstarch or give your dog a bath.
- You can also use flour instead of cornstarch.
2
Treat the area with dish soap. Dish soap can help remove oil from a dog’s coat. Place your dog in the tub and dampen the oily area with water. Then put dish soap, such as Dawn, on the oily patch of fur. Lather the soap, let it stay on the fur a few minutes, and wash that area. Rinse the soap away with warm water.
- If your dog has an ear infection, avoid washing around its ears. Be careful not to get water or soap into its ears, as this could worsen the infection or wash out the medicine.
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3
Use a commercial pet degreaser. If you don’t want to use dish soap, or your pet is allergic, you can instead use a degreaser formulated specifically for dogs. Dampen the oily patch of fur, coat it with degreaser, and then rub it into a lather. Let it sit on the fur for a few minutes before rinsing away.<
- You can buy degreasers at pet stores or online.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Addressing Difficult Oily Patches

1
Brush your dog’s fur. Brushing your dog’s oily fur can help remove any debris or particles that got caught in the oily patches of hair. Use a dog brush to gently brush the section of oily fur. Focus on loosening or breaking apart anything that has gotten into the fur.
2
Trim the oily fur. If you can’t remove the oily drops from the fur, you can trim away any oily parts that are clumped together. Use small scissors or clippers designed for dog fur. Don’t cut the fur back completely. Instead, snip the oily parts away.
3
Give your dog a bath. Sometimes, a bath with your dog’s normal shampoo will remove the small amount of oily eardrops on their fur. Put the dog in the tub, wet their fur with warm water, and lather the dog shampoo into their fur. Rinse away completely before letting them get out of the tub.
- If you don’t want to wash all of your dog’s fur, try just washing the oily patch with dog shampoo.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Preventing Oily Fur

1
Have someone hold the dog steady. Keeping your dog still and calm while applying eardrops can help you avoid getting oil on their fur. Have someone help you by holding the dog if possible. If there is no one to help you, lay the dog on a secure surface and wrap an arm around them to keep them from moving.^{[2]
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2
Apply the medication to the ear. Aim the nozzle of the medication directly at the ear canal. Squeeze the proper amount of medication into the dog's ear, making sure to keep the nozzle aimed. If the nozzle is not pointed at the ear canal, the drops could get on the fur.^{[3]
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- Don't let the nozzle touch the ear because this could spread the infection.
3
Massage the medicine into the dog's ear. To keep the medicine from running out of the ear, massage the base of the ear to work it through the ear. Let the dog shake its head once, but then keep them calm and from shaking their head too much.^{[4]
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- Use a piece of tissue to wipe up any of the drops that leak out as soon as you see them.