Which Essential Oils Kill Earmites in Dogs?

Earmites are a common problem in dogs that regularly interact with other pets. When contracted, earmites live in the surface of your dog's ears, and can be irritating and painful. If untreated, earmites in dogs can lead to severe ear infections. To see if your dog may have earmites, examine the inside of his ears. If the skin is inflamed or red from scratching, an unusual amount of earwax buildup, or you see tiny flecks of black, your pet may have earmites. If you want to skip a visit to the vet and fix the problem at home, you can use a variety of essential oils.

  1. Cleaning

    • Before using essential oils, clean your dog's ears out. Insert vegetable or olive oil into your dog's ears using a plastic syringe, and massage around the ear so the oil brings any mite dirt to the surface. Use tissue or cotton balls to soak up the oil and dirt when you are finished. Vegetable or olive oil does not kill earmites, but they prep and clean your dog's ear, while the proper essential oil used afterward kills the earmites.

    Melrose Oil

    • Melrose oil is a blend of different essential oils that include clove, rosemary and tea tree oil. Melrose oil has antibacterial properties, and rids dogs of earmites if properly administered in the ear canal. After your dog's ear is cleaned, dilute four to eight drops of Melrose oil with water, and place the diluted oil in an eyedropper. Using the dropper, place two to four drops of the diluted oil in each ear and massage. Melrose oil is also good for cleaning dog cuts and wounds.

    Yellow Dock Root

    • Yellow Dock Root oil, derived from the Yellow Dock herb, kills dog earmites, but must be administered properly. Dilute nine drops of yellow dock root extract with 1 tbsp. water, and mix the solution. Place the solution in an eyedropper, and administer half the eyedropper in one ear, and the other half in your dog's other ear. Repeat the procedure twice a week for about six weeks.

    Tea Tree Oil

    • Mix 1 tbsp. water with 10 drops of Tea Tree oil. Using an eyedropper, administer the solution evenly into both your dog's ears. Massage the ears before your dog tries to shake the solution out. Repeat this process twice a day for seven days. You can replace water with olive oil in the dilution solution if you want it to stick better in your dog's ears. Tea Tree oil can also be used to treat dog fleas.