The Best Remedy to Get Rid of Ear Mites in a Dog

Ear mites look like a thin black crust to the naked eye. These microscopic parasites are highly contagious, traveling from host to host when animals interact with one another. Left untreated, mites can cause severe itching and multiple types of infections. If your dog has ear mites, you can treat the problem at home.

Things You'll Need

  • Dish washing detergent
  • Ear bulb syringe
  • Soft cloth
  • Paper towels
  • Miticide
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Instructions

    • 1

      Place four or five drops of dish washing detergent into a cup of warm water. Insert the mixture into an ear bulb syringe, which are available at drug stores, and gently drop it into the dog's ears. Squeeze the syringe so that the solution drips slowly over the inner surface of each ear, covering and killing the mites. Wipe each ear with a soft cloth and repeat the process about three times, or until you find no traces of mites.

    • 2

      Rinse the dog's ears with warm water to remove the detergent. You can use a second syringe to drip clean water into the ears, or just wipe the ears with a dampened cloth or paper towel. After rinsing, use towels to thoroughly dry the ears. Make sure to get the ears completely dry.

    • 3

      Insert an ear mite treatment into your dog's ears. You can purchase liquid miticide products from your local pet store, or you can speak with your veterinarian about obtaining a prescription-strength product. Follow the dosage and application instructions on the bottle, and do not use the product longer than recommended by the manufacturer. If problems persist, speak to your veterinarian. In some cases, the appearance of ear mites may indicate other common problems or diseases. Only a trained veterinarian can find out for sure.

    • 4

      Treat all of the other dogs and cats in your house for ear mites. Ear mites get around, so if one pet has them, your other pets likely have them as well, even if you cannot see them. Always keep your pets' ears dry and watch them closely for signs of recurrence, like frequent scratching, head shaking or visible signs of mites.