It is usual for a dog to scratch their ears and head since this how they groom themselves. However, “if you notice Sir Barks-A-Lot scratching his ears all day long, running his head along the carpet or couch, crying out while scratching, bleeding from his ears, shaking his head excessively, you’ve got yourself a problem,” notes petpost.us.

Dogs face many possible ear problems. However, the most common reason for ear scratching is an infection or mites.

In this discussion, we’ll shed light on how to get rid of ear mites in dogs using cheap and straightforward remedies at home.

What causes these parasites?

Mites in are tiny little creatures with eight legs. They live on or just beneath the skin. Their common species that can cause infections are Otodectes and Notoedres. The Otodectes usually affects dogs, cats, foxes, and ferrets while Notoedres typically affect the cats.

Before treatments, it is advisable you try to unveil how your dog gets ear mites? According to the 1800petmeds.com, they "are most commonly contracted from outside environments, or areas of poor hygiene and stress, such as pet stores and animal shelters.”

They often infect pets that are still young especially if abandoned, and their shelters are unhygienic. Research shows that older pets are much resistant to these mites and they cannot thrive in humans as they are not their natural host.

How to know if your dog has ear mites

For the purpose of coming up with the best treatment, we insist you first confirm whether the dog is suffering from mite infestation or not.

But how do you that do that? Well, to know whether your canine friend has these parasites or not, after having noticed some of their symptoms, you can use a cotton swab to collect a sample of the ear wax gently.

Put the wax on a piece of cloth in a lightroom. Use a magnifying glass to try if you can see them or whitish specks. The presence of white specks on the wax will confirm their presence!

Once you are sure about their presence, you should not wait any longer. Begin dealing with these parasites.

Note that delayed treatments would expose your pet too to various conditions which may include permanent hearing loss, secondary infections, and transmission to other pets.

How to get rid of ear mites in dogs

Treatments will fundamentally depend on the severity of the infestation. Therefore, if we tell you that that would be easy, then we would be lying to you!

Mild cases can be treated at home using over the counter ear mite treatment and home treatments. A severe infestation will require prescription medicines from a veterinarian.

Note that before you start any treatment, it is crucial to clean up the waxy brown deposits inside the dog’s ear.

These deposits may have a bad odor. Afterward, "once the debris from the mites has been cleaned, they will have no place to hide," notes livealittlelonger.com. You can achieve this by using a clean wet cloth to clean the wax.

Natural remedies for ear mites in dogs

Natural treatment is necessary to get rid of the irritating parasites in pooches. We recommend this for mild infestations. Otherwise, severe infestation would require a vet to help you.

Now, here are the most effective natural products you can use to rinse your canine friend’s ear in a bid to get rid of the mites:

• Aloe vera
• A mixture of lemon and garlic
• Honey
• Olive oil
• Neem oil
• Apple cider vinegar
• Sulfur
• Hydrogen Peroxide
• Colloidal Silver
• Bathe your pooch
• Yogurt
• Vegetable oil

Medications

Besides the various home remedies, there are several over the counter creams and ointments that can help get rid of these parasites.

“Over the counter products like Eradimite Ear Mite Treatment and Otomite are topical medications applied to your pet's ear to clear up mites,” states 1800petmeds.com.

Many OTC products can be applied to get rid of them. However, you must be cautious. Some of the products might disappoint you! Consult your vet before you buy some ear mite drops for pooches.

Note that prescriptions and non-prescription medications such as Frontline, Revolution and Advantage II for dogs can also be recommended in severe infestation cases. The period of the application would vary, i.e., from few days to few weeks.

According to Bluecross.org.uk, some of these treatments will take "at least three weeks of treatment as the medication cannot kill the eggs of the parasites, which take 21 days to develop into adult mites. If using these treatments, it's therefore crucial that you use them, as prescribed, for the recommended time."

While you focus your treatment on getting rid of mites, you should also give a second thought to infections caused by the parasites. In many cases, always consult your vet for the best and most effective treatments.

Preventing

We don’t advise that you wait until you discover mites is before you begin the treatment struggle. You can get ahead of these issues and avoid them by taking everyday precautions. It will make your canine friend happy and healthy

Here the tips for preventing mites in dogs:

• You should use all-natural shampoo to bathe them.
• Apply skin sprays to encourage good skin health.
• Make sure your mongrel has access to plenty and clean drinking water all the time
• In the dog’s diet, include immune-boosting supplements, for instance, the neem bark powered for digestive and immune support.
• Regularly clean your dog’s ear with natural ear wash once a week
• Turn to home natural products to help reduce various symptom that signifies the presence of these parasites.
• Make sure you keep their bedding clean all the time
• Brush and comb them and keep the coat trimmed if necessary.
• Don’t let affected pooches by this parasite infestations encounter your dog.

Upholding general cleanliness and a healthy diet will significantly reduce your dog’s chances of contracting mites.