Ear mites, scientifically known as otodectes cynotis, are tiny parasites that can cause big problems in your dog's ears. As they travel through your dog's ear canals, eating cerumen--or ear wax--they cause irritation, itching and tenderness. In severe infestations, they can damage ear canals and eardrums, and cause permanent hearing loss. Ear mites are extremely contagious, not only to dogs but to other household pets such as cats, rabbits and ferrets. Humans, however, are immune. Fortunately, it is not difficult to treat your dog for ear mites and get rid of these noxious pests.
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Ear Mite Symptoms
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If your dog has ear mites, it will usually be obvious. It will scratch its ears, shake its head from side to side and display a distinctive head tilt--almost as if it is listening for the source of what is tormenting the ears. The insides of the ears will look red and inflamed, and in severe cases the ear canals will bleed. You will see either fresh red blood from the bites or flecks of dried blood, resembling coffee grounds. With heavy infestations, there will be a dark, thick discharge, which contains blood, ear wax, biochemicals and the mites themselves. This discharge can block off the ear canal, resulting in serious fungal or bacterial infections.
Treating Ear Mites
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Veterinarians usually treat ear mites with a medication containing pyrethrin, a common ingredient in flea medicines. According to Dr. Daniel A. Cirnigliaro, DVM, it is safe to treat your dog for ear mites at home, but it in order to do this, you must first clean out the discharge. Prepare your dog's ear for the treatment by gently flushing it with a solution of lukewarm water combined with a drop of liquid dishwashing detergent. To prevent risk of a ruptured eardrum, allow the soap-and-water solution to freely bubble out of the dog's ear after you have squeezed it in. Use a rubber ear bulb, available at drugstores, to introduce the solution; do not insert it far into your dog's ear, but hold the bulb loosely in the ear and squeeze gently. Ensure that all the discharge and debris is gone by repeating the process several times, then rinsing the dog's ear with lukewarm--not hot water--and drying carefully.
Avoid the danger of pushing contamination further into the ear by using a cotton ball rather than a cotton swab for drying. You can use an over-the-counter remedy containing pyrethrin to kill your dog's ear mites. Increase the chances of success by carefully reading the label and following directions. Ensure that you are killing all mites--even new ones that are constantly hatching--by applying the medication for 3 days in a row, letting a week pass, applying for 3 days, letting a week pass, then ending with a last 3-day treatment.
If you have fears of damaging your dog's ear, being unable to restrain your dog during the treatment or are worried about the procedure in general, it is best to go to a veterinarian. Also, consult your veterinarian if your dog continues to shake its head, or if you continue to see discharge from the ears after cleaning and treating them.
Preventing Re-Infestation
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In order to prevent re-infestation, you must treat all household pets at the same time as your dog; otherwise, your dog and other pets will soon be suffering from ear mites again. And don't forget to treat all pets once a month for flea prevention by using the medicine(s) recommended by your veterinarian--the flea medicine should stop ear mites from making a reappearance.
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