How to Kill Ear Mites in Dogs : Treatment and Prevention (2023)

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how to kill ear mites in dogs? To answer this question we must know this thing first: Ear mite in dogs is an unfortunately common pest.

Just like any other parasite, discovering them is bad news for your furry friend, they are small arachnids who consider the wax and oils in your pup’s ear canal as a five-star celebration.

The bad news? They are highly contagious and if you have one pet with an ear mite, your other pets are also likely to be infected. The good news? Treatment is relatively easy.

Because mites do not dig deep into the ear, they are easier to treat than other parasitic infections.

Flushing your dog’s ears full of insecticides is something of a nuclear option for a simple problem such as ear mite. There are many softer natural home remedies to treat ear mites yourself.

What Exactly Are Ear Mites?

The most common form of ear mite is Otodectes cynotis, which is literally translated from Greek into a beggar of the dog.

The American Association of Veterinary Parasitologists says together with dogs that these ear mites can be found in cats, ferrets, and foxes.

Ear mites in dogs are very small, but if you look into the ear of an infected animal, you may see a white pin the size of a pin.

They are classified as arachnids along with spiders and ticks because they have eight legs, although you cannot see that without a strong magnifying glass.

How Do I Know If My Dog Has An Ear Mite?

An ear mite infection causes your dog’s ears to itch, often shake their heads or scratch their ears with their paws. Ear mites can also cause wax and irritation, making your pet’s ears appear red and inflamed.

Ear mites usually also cause dry black ear discharge. There may also be an unusual odor.

But irritation in a dog’s ear is more often than not caused by allergies that lead to infections other than ear mites, so it is crucial that you take your dog to the vet for proper diagnosis – especially because the parasites are so hard to detect with the naked eye. Veterinarians usually confirm an ear disease diagnosis with an otoscope to look into the ear.

Without a visit to the vet, many owners mistakenly assume that their dog has an ear mite when they actually suffer from a bacterial or fungal infection; this can lead to weeks of inappropriate treatment and worsen the condition.

Treating Ear Mites in Dogs

Ear mites can be treated on an outpatient basis. Older and freely available ear mite treatments mean that you put medication into your dog’s ears once a day for 10 to 30 days, depending on the product you use.

If you are trying to treat your dog’s ear mite with any of these drugs, carefully follow the instructions on the label. If you miss only a dose or two, your dog may still have mites after you stop treatment.

Newer ear medication for dogs can kill ear mites with a single dose on a dog’s skin. These simple treatments for ear mites are only available through vets. Single-dose medications that are applied to the ears are available through vets for cats, but vets can sometimes recommend their (off-label) use in dogs.

Regardless of the type of ear mite medication that getting a dog, cleaning up all the dirt from a dog’s ear canals is an important part of the treatment. Your veterinarian may recommend that he or she thoroughly rinse your dog’s ears or give you a suitable product and instruct you on how to clean your dog’s ears at home.

A month after your veterinarian, a follow-up appointment can be made at the start of treatment to determine whether the mites have been eradicated and to clean your dog’s ears if necessary. Call your veterinarian if you have questions about the recovery of your dog.

Drugs For Ear Mites

Treat the ears by washing away the debris and the mites with an insecticide similar to flea treatments. The drug is often suspended in a dull medium, such as mineral oil, which, when injected into the ear, helps to choke insects that are not directly killed by the insecticide.

The solution also removes dirt from the ear canal and gently massages the ear base. A number of commercial products are available for treating ear mites; ask your veterinarian for a recommendation.

Homemade Medications

Holistic veterinarians agree that commercial products work well, although puppies that are sick with ear mites may have other common health problems that require treatment. It can be less stressful to chase away the insects with more natural treatments and to have the vet treat other problems. Cleaning the ears with soothing solutions is the first step.

1. Antiseptic Tea Rinse

Green tea is a natural antiseptic. It can be used to wash away all ear mite residues – that crumbly brown/black stuff that clogs the puppy’s ear canal. Soak a tablespoon of green tea leaves in a cup of hot water for three or four minutes and then strain it. Allow it to cool to room temperature before using it once a day for a month.

2. Oil Treatment

Oil helps soothe sore ears and can also remove debris. Oil can also suffocate the mites. Holistic vets say that it doesn’t really matter what kind of oil you use, although some recommend almond or olive oil.

For the best benefit, crush a few cloves of garlic in a cup of oil and let it marinate overnight. Garlic naturally kills bacteria that can develop secondary to mite infection. Do not forget to remove the garlic before using the oil to treat your puppy’s ears. You) must treat the ears daily with the oil/garlic solution for at least a month.

Manage And Prevent Ear Mites At Home

After treatment has started, your dog should feel relief quickly. Excessive scratching, head shaking and ear discharge should begin to disappear after a few days.

Ear mites are highly contagious and can easily be transferred to other dogs or pets, including cats, rabbits, hamsters, gerbils, mice, and ferrets.

They do not spread to people under normal circumstances. Ear mites are transmitted through social interaction, such as sleeping or playing together.

For this reason, all animals in a household should be treated for ear mites, even if only one or two have symptoms of an active infection.

The environment must also be cleaned. Wash items such as pet bedding in hot water and then feed them through a hot dryer until they are completely dry. Thoroughly vacuum areas where pets spend a lot of time.

After completing treatment, continue to check your dog’s ears regularly for signs of ear mite or other problems. Note secretion or redness in the ear canal and the head vibrates or scratches around the ears.

Possible Complications Of Ear Mites

If your dog has a hypersensitivity reaction to ear mites (an immune reaction to the mites that is stronger than normal), this can lead to the intense irritation of the outer ear and surrounding tissues. In this case, your veterinarian will prescribe more aggressive measures to treat the infection.

If left untreated, mites can seriously damage the ear canals and the eardrum and lead to permanent hearing loss.

How To Kill Ear Mites In Dogs

Although you may be tempted to try a home remedy, your veterinarian must see the best treatment for your dog. Your vet can recommend that you take all your pets with you to see if the infection has jumped from animal to animal.

Your vet will thoroughly clean your dog’s ears to remove as many ear mites as possible. They will then probably apply anti-parasitic medication to your puppy’s ears. Trupanion says that if the infection is advanced, the vet can also prescribe antibiotics.

Because loose hair from pets can carry parasites, your veterinarian can advise you to wash your pets often for up to a month to remove mites that can still linger. You must also thoroughly clean and disinfect all the places that your pet has shed to reduce the chance of repeated infection.

With a little help from your vet, you can overcome the scary ear mite and lift your dog’s itchy ears.

FAQs About Ear Mites