Have you noticed your dog going out of his way to scratch his ears recently? A few months ago I had the same issue with my puppy and it caused me quite a lot of trouble! I even tried giving him an ear mites in dogs treatment at home but I was obviously doing something wrong since the mites kept coming back over the months.
When I finally talked to a vet, I learned how to properly use ear mite medication for dogs and give my puppy a treatment that would relieve his pain and struggle. That’s why I decided to share my knowledge with you and teach you how to ear mites treatment can be conducted from home.
It is very important not to ignore this issue because an ear mite infection can be very irritating and cause your dog a lot of pain. If not treated properly, the infection will keep coming back until it causes more serious health issues. Therefore, stick around to learn what’s the best ear mite treatment for dogs!
What are Ear Mites?
Before we get into the details of the treatment, we should first get to know the problem. Ear mites or
Otodectes cynotis mites as they’re known in Latin is a very common parasitic infection that affects both cats and dogs. The mites are usually passed from pet to pet in a park or wherever they get in contact with each other.
Since ear mites are highly contagious, if you have two dogs and one of them is infected, you can expect the other dog to start exhibiting the same symptoms quickly. That is why it is important to take care of this issue as soon as possible and in the proper manner of course.
Luckily, ear mites are not dangerous for humans, as our organisms are immune to this type of parasite. However, they are still very unpleasant for both the dog and the owner, which is why you ought to get rid of them as fast as possible.
How to Know If Your Dog Has Ear Mites?
Before you start treating the dog, you must be sure that he does, in fact, suffer from an ear mite infection. Some of the symptoms that will indicate this type of an infection include head shaking, scratching the area around the ears, having a dark discharge from the ears and a strong odor.
If you notice your puppy scratching uncontrollably or shaking his head at random times, chances are he has an ear mite infection. More importantly, if the dog is showing these symptoms very frequently, you must act right away because their infection is getting worse.
What to Do If You Suspect Your Dog has Ear Mites?
Let’s say your dog displays some or even all of the above-mentioned symptoms and you have the right to suspect that it’s an ear mite infection. What do you do next? The next step is to take the little guy to a vet in order to confirm the condition.
What’s interesting is that you can check whether the dog has ear mites at home by taking a sample of the waxy residue from the ear and placing it on a dark surface. If you notice small white specks moving around the residue, the dog surely has the infection.
However, even if you don’t see any moving parasites, you can’t completely cross this option off the list, since you may have simply taken a sample that contains no live mites. Therefore, the method of checking for mites at home is still quite unreliable.
I strictly recommend taking the dog to the vet, just to be sure it is safe to begin the treatment. The vet will perform an ordinary physical exam and in some cases take a sample for lab analysis if skin and ear exams don’t prove sufficient for a diagnosis.
Once the doctor is certain about the infection, he is going to give you the details about the issue and teach you the basics of treating it. However, it’s always best to be familiar with the process aforehand, so keep reading to learn more about the ear mites in dogs treatment at home!
How to Treat Ear Mites at Home?
So, it’s confirmed, your poor puppy has ear mites. Don’t worry, this issue can be solved easily as long as you act on time. The first step of the treatment will be taken by the doctor, who will clean the dog’s ears thoroughly and possibly prescribe a special kind of medication.
There are various options when it comes to ear mite medication for dogs but it’s always best to go for the one the doctor recommends. If you’ve found a product that you think would be useful, always consult with the doctor prior to using it on the dog. As you can see in this useful Youtube tutorial, a few tablespoons of olive oil or green tea can be used as great natural remedies for ear mites.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=261A9mv7t1I]
Depending on your dog’s condition, the ear mites treatment will last 10 to 30 days. The treatment usually includes cleaning the dog’s ears and then putting medication into them. However, some products require a different kind of application so make sure to always read the label before you begin the process.
To begin with, put on a pair of glows and an old shirt, in case the puppy shakes the solution all over you (yes, it has happened to me). Take the puppy and speak to him in a nice tone so he doesn’t get scared and runs away. Use a piece of clean cloth or cotton to carefully clean the inside of the ear.
Remove all the waxy residue you can get to but never push too hard, as that may hurt the dog’s eardrums. Once the ears are clean, put several drops of the solution in them and give the puppy a little ear massage.
If the dog starts pushing his head against your hand, it means he is finding the massage enjoyable and not painful, which is always a good sign. Massage each ear separately until the solution sinks in.
Give your puppy a treat when you’re done to show him that he did well. Repeat this process daily for a month, unless the doctor advised otherwise. Consistent treatment is very important when it comes to dealing with stubborn ear mites.
Even when the infection is gone, make sure to clean the dog’s ears regularly. At least once or twice a month to prevent the mites from returning. One of the products you can use to prevent ear mites from showing up again is the VetWELL Dog Ear Wipes with Aloe and Eucalyptus, as they do a great job when it comes to thoroughly clean the ears. I also recommend using the Doctor Beasley’s Advanced Ear Bomb, which is a very powerful solution that helps get rid of ear infections in dogs. However, always consult the vet prior to using any of these products!
Conclusion
Dealing with ear mites can be quite irritating since the infection is prone to returning if not treated properly. That is why you must act right away if you notice your dog showing any of the ear mite symptoms.
If you suspect of an infection, take the dog to the vet right away to begin the treatment. Luckily, the treatment can easily be done from home so you don’t have to go to the vet every day.
Here’s a short summary of the steps you should follow for the best ear mite treatment for dogs at home!
- Gather all the supplies you will need: gloves, old clothes, a clean cloth, cotton, medication, dog treats.
- Put on the gloves and clean the dog’s ears with a clean cloth or cotton. Make sure to talk to the puppy throughout the whole process so he feels less scared. Tell him he will get a treat afterward.
- Once the ears are clean, put several drops of medication in them.
- Massage each ear separately so the solution sinks in.
- Give the puppy a treat and repeat the process daily.
If you have any questions about the treatment or you want to share personal experiences related to it. Feel free to leave a comment below!
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