Natural Products for Ear Mites

Ear mites are external parasites that live in the ears and on the bodies of dogs and cats, although they most commonly affect the ears. Some signs that your pet may have ear mites include relentless scratching of the ear area, shaking of the head, a dark discharge from the ears, sores and abnormal odor. Natural products will treat ear mites without the side effects caused by harsher medicines. Use these treatments separately or in combination, depending on the severity of your pet's ear mites.

  1. Yellow Dock Root

    • Yellow dock root extract is an effective ear mite treatment that is available from stores that sell nutritional and herbal supplements. Mix nine drops of the extract with one tablespoon of water. Fill an eye dropper halfway with the mixture. Clean your pet's ears to remove any discharge and clear the way for the root extract to work. Dispense the mixture into your pet's ears, alternating back and forth to each ear until the dropper is empty. Repeat this process every three days for six weeks to eliminate all of the cycles of hatching ear mites.

    Oil

    • Treat the affected areas with natural oil to get rid of mites. Olive oil, vegetable oil or almond oil all work well to smother ear mites and soothe irritated tissue. After cleaning your pet's ears thoroughly, use an eye dropper to dispense three to five drops into your pet's ear canal once a day. Maintain this treatment for one month. Avoid using tree tea oil because it can be harmful to cats.

    Garlic

    • Garlic acts as a natural parasite repellant when taken internally or applied externally. Add garlic to your pet's diet in small amounts to deter mites. Or, soak crushed garlic cloves overnight in the oil treatment that you apply externally. When administered to the ears, this garlic-infused oil will smother and repel mites while killing any bacteria that may lead to infections.

    Considerations

    • Ear mites are easily passed from one animal to another, and an ear mite infestation is not always apparent in all animals. For these reasons, any animals that have contact with the infected animal need to be examined for ear mites and treated accordingly, regardless of whether they exhibit symptoms. It is important for a veterinarian to diagnose this condition and approve and monitor any treatment you decide on for your pet. Along with any topical treatments, make sure your pet is eating a healthy, balanced diet to strengthen its immune system.