Aberrant hair is the term that you may hear your veterinarian use when referring to that annoying hair that may grow in the ear canal of our canine patients.

From my experience, aberrant ear hair is most commonly seen in breeds like poodles and shih-tzus.

In some cases, this excessive hair does not seem to cause any issues, however, I find more commonly than not, the excessive hair tends to create a breeding ground of bacterial or yeast infections of the ear canal.

As such, although controversial to some, your veterinarian may recommend removal or plucking of the hair in the ear canal to help treat and then prevent further infection.

This is also something that many groomers incorporate into their routine grooming.