A dogs hearing can be affected by loud noises the same way that yours can. It is important to protect your dog from loud noises by using earplugs when your dog will be exposed to them. Jennifer Smith, a veterinarian in Minneapolis, reminds you that a dog has a higher range of hearing than people do, which means that they are able to hear sounds at a higher frequency. She suggests several ways to use earplugs for a dogs ears.
Find an ear cover or headphone type apparatus that is meant for a child or baby. You can find these at baby supply stores or music supply stores. One meant for a baby should fit over your dogs ears, but they might need a little adjustment.
The Anatomy Of A Dog’s Ear
While a dog’s ear is made up of three parts (outer, middle, and inner), much like humans. A dog’s outer ear is quite different. This goes back to their ancestry. What we typically call an ear, or the outer section is actually the pinna. It’s made of the cartilage and is covered by skin and fur. A dog’s pinna is shaped in a way that captures sound and sends it down through the ear canal to the eardrum. Unlike us, a dog’s pinna move independently from one another. And, what’s really important as it relates to ‘can I use human earplugs for my dog’ is that a dog’s ear canal is much deeper inset than a humans. It is this depth that creates a better auditory process to trap and carry sound.
The length of a dog’s pinna is much longer. And the ear canal is narrow, and has a downward and horizontal angle.
Ours, on the contrary is short. Our ear canal starts from a droop and slightly angles upward, and is wider.
It’s The Pinna That Helps Elongate A Dog’s Ear Canal
Because a dog’s ear canal is designed to capture noise from a distance and deliver it through the ear canal, it has a completely different design. And it works well. The tilt of a dog’s ear canal delivers sounds at unimaginable frequencies; and dog’s are able to hear things we cannot (read more here), and this kept them safe when they were wild. But, it’s also why you can’t use human earplugs in dogs ears. They won’t stay in, and they aren’t narrow enough.
More Information About Dog Earplugs, Calm by CrittEar (the first earplugs for dogs )
Use a part of earplugs or ear covers meant for a child or small adult. Dr. Smith says that you should only use out-of-ear plugs and never to use plugs that go in a dog’s ear. She says that it is too easy to lose materials in a dog’s ear, and too easy to damage their ear drums by sticking things in the ears.