Dog Mites & How to Eradicate Them

Blood-sucking ear mites are a painful nuisance for your dog, and can lead to severe infection and hearing problems if left untreated. Symptoms of ear mite infestation include excessive scratching of the ear area, tilting and shaking of the head, and ear odor and discharge. For less serious ear mite infestations, you may wish to save yourself a veterinarian bill by using a homeopathic approach. For serious, longer-term infestations, consult with a professional who can provide you with stronger medications.

Things You'll Need

  • Cotton swabs
  • Flea and mite powder
  • Veterinarian-prescribed ear drops or ointment
  • Vegetable or olive oil
  • Eyedropper
  • Yellow dock root extract
Show More

Instructions

  1. Using Veterinarian-Prescribed Medications

    • 1

      Clean both inner ear areas of your dog thoroughly before applying medicine. Removing dirt and wax from your dog's inner ear helps insure that the prescribed medication gets to the affected areas.

    • 2

      Powder your dog's entire body with an anti-parasitic flea and mite powder. Mites which leave your dog's ears during treatment will likely take refuge in your dog's fur in other body areas, returning to re-infest the inner ear area again. Massage the anti-parasitic powder into all areas of your dog to eliminate any safe haven.

    • 3

      Apply the prescribed topical medication, in doses recommended by your veterinarian, in your dog's inner ear. The medication will most likely take the form of medicated ear drops or ointments. Treat all the pets in your household simultaneously to prevent cross-infestation (your other pets won't need as high a dosage as the dog with ear mites unless they, too, exhibit mite symptoms).

    • 4

      Bathe and groom your dog regularly during the course of treatment to prevent future infestation. Change and wash your dog's bedding regularly to eliminate hidden mites and larvae.

    Homeopathic Treatment

    • 5

      Clean both inner ear areas of your dog thoroughly before applying medicine. Removing dirt and wax from your dog's inner ear helps insure that the homeopathic treatments get to the affected areas.

    • 6

      Apply a few drops of vegetable or olive oil into your dog's ear canal with an eyedropper.

    • 7

      Keep your dog's head still and massage the ear to break up any compacted mite dirt, gently pushing any loosened debris up and out of the dog's ear. Finish this step by gently swabbing the dog's inner ear with cotton swabs to further remove loosened debris. Be careful not to allow the swabs to enter your dog's deeper ear canal.

    • 8

      Mix 9 drops of yellow dock root extract and 1 tbs. of water. Siphon this mixture up into the bulb of an eyedropper.

    • 9

      Apply a few drops of the mixture into your dog's ear (again, not venturing too far into the dog's inner ear). Massage the mixture into your dog's ear thoroughly. This treatment should be applied once every three days for six weeks. Treat all the pets in your household simultaneously to prevent cross-infestation.

    • 10

      Bathe and groom your dog regularly during the course of treatment to prevent future infestation. Change and wash your dog's bedding regularly to eliminate hidden mites and larvae.