When a dog is holding her head to one side, shaking her head or scratching or rubbing her ears a lot, she has an earache. This can be caused by a bacterial infection, a skin condition, from injury or from mites. The Doctors Book of Home Remedies for Dogs and Cats recommends that home remedies only work on ear mites. All other causes need to be treated by a vet.
-
Identification
-
Swab some of the wax from your dog's ear. Place that wax against a black background. According to Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook, the ear mites will be white. Also, the wax itself will have a strong, unpleasant odor.
Preparation
-
The crusty wax needs to come out in order for the home remedy to work. Get an eye dropper and mineral oil. Place a few drops in the dog's ears and wait several hours before cleaning out the wax.
Treatment
-
The Doctors Book of Home Remedies for Dogs and Cats recommends crushing four cloves of garlic and steeping it in olive oil overnight. Remove the garlic and use a few drops daily as ear mite treatment.
Time Frame
-
Repeat this procedure for three weeks. If the mites have not cleared up by then, it's time to go to the vet.
Misconceptions
-
Although humans can't get ear mites, other dogs and cats can. When one dog in the home gets ear mites, all of the animals have to be treated because mites are so highly contagious.
-