Is your dog shaking her head or scratching her ears constantly? Maybe you’ve noticed a black waxy discharge in her ear canal. She could have dog ear mites. So what should you do about, and how do you offer relief to your pet as she’s itching and scratching? First, it’s good to understand what’s going on.
“Ear mites are little spider-like insects that crawl around in dogs’ ears causing itching and pain,” says veterinarian Dr. Cathy Alinovi, author of “Healthy PAWsibilities for Your New Puppy.” The dog will then repeatedly scratch his ears, which can lead to ear infections, she adds. “Mites feed off debris in the canal and their movement creates irritation leading to increased waxy discharge, which is black in color,” explains Dr. Katherine van Ekert, co-founder of VetPronto.
How dogs gets ear mites
Many people think an adult dog’s itchy ears are due to ear mites but most have itchy ears due to ear infections. “Ear mites are usually a puppy thing,” says Dr. Alinovi. Ear mites “usually come from high-population conditions,” notes Dr. Alinovi. For example, a dog might pick them up at a shelter or at the puppy breeder’s. In most cases, once your dog’s ear mites are treated, they shouldn’t come back. If they do, something may be wrong with the dog’s immune system. It’s best to follow up with your vet for suggestions.
Identifying and treating dog ear mites
Dog ear mites are actually easy to see. All you need are a light and a magnifying glass and you can view the critters crawling around in the dog’s ears. (This does not apply to cats.) But now what? The best way to treat ear mites in dogs is through a prescription-only medication, obtained after an appointment with a veterinarian.
“There are home remedies, such as olive oil and baby oil, and over-the-counter treatments that basically drown or suffocate the mites, but these remedies take a while as all the mites aren’t killed at once,” says Dr. Alinovi. You can wipe inside the ears with the oil, but you shouldn’t put anything into your dog’s ears unless your vet OKs it.
Since a home remedy for dog ear mites may take longer than other remedies — and to make sure you don’t miss any other problems — you should take your dog to the vet for an accurate diagnosis. “It is very important that a veterinarian examine the ear canal prior to placing any substances down the passage, in order to assess the integrity of the ear drum (tympanic membrane).
If this is damaged, topical ointments can cause more damage, including pain and hearing loss,” says Dr. van Ekert. If adult dogs are treated at home for ear mites, then the dog usually suffers with the itch longer than if the dog is taken to the vet for the proper diagnosis and treatment. Bottom line: It’s time for a trip to the vet.
Talking with your dog walker about ear mites
Your dog walker may be worried about affecting other dogs, so it’s best to have an open and honest conversation about the situation. “Ear mites are readily treated, but the condition is contagious until treatment has finished,” says Dr. van Ekert. “Therefore dogs should have limited contact with other animals until the infection is cleared.”
Explain to your dog walker that your dog shouldn’t be around other dogs while being treated. However, Dr. Alinovi notes that “once the mites are treated with the veterinary product, there’s little concern for contagion to other dogs.” Encourage your dog walker to ask questions to thoroughly understand how dog ear mites affect your dog and the other dogs in your walker’s care.
Are you worried about your cat’s ears? Check out this guide to caring for cats with ear mites.
Judy Koutsky is the former editorial director of KIWI magazine, a green parenting publication. She was also executive editor of Parenting, AOL Parent and BabyTalk.
