I asked my vet (years & years ago) the same questions about ear care. She told me to only clean what I can see (all the bumpy stuff) with a Q-tip & showed me how. She put in a Q-tip & dragged the wax UP out of the ear, she said not to go downwards. & because Max is highly pron to ear infections (as we learned) We have a huge bottle of special ear ceaner/drying stuff. Everytime I clean Max's ears I have to pour some of the stuff into his ears. When ever Max sees the bottle he'll cry abit, but he knows it has to be done.

I lay him down, clean with a Q-tip, roll him over clean the other one with a Q-tip & the I tell him not to move & pour the stuff in one ear & rub the outside of his ear & roll him over again & pour the stuff in that ear & rub it... Then I tell him to stay & not to move until I can run away from him.

He'll shake his head & the extra cleaner will flyout & go everywhere & getting that stuff in ur mouth is the worst taste ever!! & the thought of where it just was doesn't help.