Zymox Ear Cleaner Review: Worth It?

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Table of Contents

Introduction

Last week, I woke up to my 3-year-old cocker spaniel, Luna, shaking her head so hard she almost fell off the bed. For weeks, this had been our routine. She’d scratch her ears until they were red and raw, she’d shake her head nonstop, and the weird, yeasty smell coming from her ears was so bad I could smell it from the other room. I tried all kinds of other ear cleaners, none of them worked. Which is why I decided to do this unfiltered Zymox ear cleaner review, after testing this solution to see if it could finally save us from her constant ear itching. (Yes, I may have cried a little over dog ear gunk, don’t judge me, I was tired of smelling that weird yeast smell every time she walked past me.)

I was so sick of it. Every time she scratched her ears, I’d worry she had an ear infection, I’d take her to the vet, they’d say it was just dirty ears, give me some cleaner, and it would work for a week, then the itching would come back. Cocker spaniels are prone to ear issues, right? Their long ears trap moisture and dirt, so she gets dirty ears all the time. I’d tried cheap ear cleaners, expensive ones, all of them promised to fix the itching, none of them worked. I was this close to just paying for another vet visit, until a friend who has a cocker too told me to try Zymox. I was skeptical, obviously, but I had nothing left to lose.

Zymox ear cleaner review: What Is This Product, Anyway?

This is Zymox Ear Cleanser Solution for Dogs and Cats, the 4oz bottle, a gentle ear cleaner that’s made to clean non-infected ears for pets of all ages, whether you have a dog or a cat. It’s a gentle, non-toxic, non-irritating solution, free from harsh detergents, and it’s veterinarian recommended, which I loved, because I trusted that it was safe.

It has that LP3 Enzyme System, right? That’s the thing that makes it different from other ear cleaners. It helps to gently maintain healthy, fresh smelling ears, so you don’t get that weird yeasty dog ear smell anymore. It’s made to clean dirty ears, and it’s even safe to flush the ears after an infection, to help keep them clean and prevent issues from coming back. It’s not for infected ears, it’s for maintenance, to keep your pet’s ears healthy between issues.

The best part? It’s proudly USA made, in a Federally Regulated Manufacturing Facility, and it’s cruelty free, so I didn’t have to feel bad about buying it. It’s super easy to use, too, you just put a few drops in their ear, massage it, and that’s it. No harsh rubbing, no weird stuff that hurts their ears. I’d heard so many good things about it from other cocker spaniel owners, so I was hopeful that it would work for us.

My Experience Using It

I brought it home, and the second Luna saw me pull the bottle out? She ran under the couch. (I swear, she acts like I’m trying to poison her every time I pull any kind of ear product out, she hates having anything near her ears.) I managed to drag her out, got her settled on the couch, and flipped her ear up, like the vet showed me. I put a few drops into her ear, and then started massaging the base of her ear, like the instructions said. And then, right as I let go? She shook her head. And the ear cleaner went everywhere. All over my face, all over my shirt, all over the wall behind the couch. I had ear solution on the wall for three days. (Yes, that’s the second time she got gunk all over my house, don’t judge her, she hates ear stuff.)

I was so mad at first, but I decided to keep going, I did the other ear, and this time I held her head for a minute so she couldn’t shake it right away. And then, after that, I waited. The first day, I didn’t notice much, but the next day? She didn’t scratch her ears once. Not once. Normally, she’d scratch them a dozen times a day, but that day? Nothing. And the smell? It was gone. That weird yeasty smell that had been in my house for weeks? Gone, just like that.

I used it twice a week, like the instructions said, for two weeks. I noticed that after the first use, her itching went way down. She stopped shaking her head all the time, she stopped scratching her ears until they were red. Her ears were clean, they smelled good, no more gunk, no more weird smell. It seemed like it worked way better than any other ear cleaner I’d tried before. I didn’t have to worry about her getting an infection, because her ears were clean, no trapped dirt or moisture, just healthy ears.

What I Like and What I Don’t Like

Nothing is perfect, right? I’m not here to sugarcoat anything, so let’s break it down:

What I Liked

It actually stopped the itching. I noticed that after the first use, her scratching went way down, and after a couple days, she stopped scratching her ears entirely. No more red, raw ears, no more shaking her head all the time.
It’s gentle and non-irritating. Normally, other ear cleaners would make her shake her head and whine like they hurt, but this one? She didn’t even react, it didn’t irritate her ears at all, even though she has sensitive skin.
It got rid of that weird ear smell. That yeasty smell that was so bad I could smell it across the room? Gone, after one use. Her ears stayed fresh for days, which was a huge win.
It’s safe and high quality. It’s veterinarian recommended, cruelty free, made in the USA, no harsh detergents, so I didn’t have to worry about it hurting her. It’s even safe for cats, too, which is great if you have multiple pets.

What I Don’t Like

My dog hates it, and she shakes it everywhere. She hates having anything put in her ears, so every time I use it, she shakes her head right after, and gets the solution all over me and the wall. It’s messy, even though the product itself works.
It doesn’t work for active infections. This is just a cleaner for maintenance, right? If your dog already has a bad ear infection, this isn’t gonna fix that, you still need to go to the vet for meds.

Is It Worth It?

If you have a dog that’s prone to ear issues, like a cocker spaniel, basset hound, or any dog with long, floppy ears that trap dirt and moisture? This is 100% worth it. It’s also great if your dog loves swimming, because it can help clean out the water and dirt from their ears after they swim, to prevent issues. And if your dog has that weird, constant ear odor, this works great to get rid of that.

But if your dog already has a severe ear infection, with discharge and pain? This isn’t for you. This is just a maintenance cleaner, to keep their ears healthy between issues, it’s not gonna fix an active infection, you need to go to the vet for that. And if your dog is totally fine, no ear issues at all? You don’t really need this, it’s for pets that are prone to problems.

If you want to give it a try, you can check it out here: [buy link: Zymox Ear Cleanser] (affiliate link)

Common Questions

Does this stop itchy ears?

I noticed it cut down on my dog’s scratching a lot after a couple days. It helped keep her ears clean and cut down on irritation.

Is this safe for cats too?

Yes, the formula is designed to be safe for both dogs and cats of all ages, according to the product details.

How often should I use this?

I used it twice a week for maintenance, which worked well for my dog. That’s what the instructions recommended, too.

Final Thoughts

I went into this whole thing thinking this was just another overhyped pet product that wouldn’t work. I’d wasted so much money on other ear cleaners that did nothing for my dog’s itchy ears, so I was skeptical. But after using it, I was shocked. It didn’t fix everything, but it stopped her itching, got rid of the smell, and kept her ears clean, so we don’t have to deal with constant ear issues anymore. I don’t dread cleaning her ears anymore, even if she does shake solution all over me sometimes.

Does your pup have constant itchy, stinky ears too? Have you tried this ear cleaner before? Let me know in the comments.

A Quick Disclaimer

I’m not a vet or professional trainer. Just my personal experience. Every dog is different, so what worked for my cocker spaniel might not work for yours. This is just my own experience testing the product, and it shouldn’t replace professional veterinary advice if you have concerns about your dog’s ear health.

Zymox ear cleaner review: Did It Fix My Dog’s Itchy Ears?