Dog Ear Mites - Symptoms And Ways To Treat

It's something that every dog owner will likely have to deal with at one time or another. Ear mites are a common problem and the best way to determine if your pet has them is to look for dog ear mites symptoms.

But first let's talk about what ear mites are. Basically they are very small parasites. They are difficult to see, but if you look closely you'll find they look a lot like a small crab. But since they are so hard to see, it makes looking for dog ear mites symptoms even more important.

How Do I Know If My Dog Has Ear Mites?

A single ear mite is almost impossible to detect, but they multiply quickly so if you see one, chances are you pet has hundreds of them. Ear mites are white, but they leave a black discharge. Basically your pet will look like he has dirty ears, not clean ears like the dog pictured here. But the easiest way to tell is not by looking, but by your dog's behavior. These little creatures itch like crazy, so if your pet is constantly shaking his head or scratching his ears, that's a sign to take him to a vet to determine if mites are the cause.

One other thing, mites are very contagious. Not to you personally, but certainly to other pets. If you have more than one dog or cats, get them all checked.

Typically a mite will spend his whole lifetime on one dog. And as the name implies, they hang around inside the ear. But in some cases they can spread to the skin around the ear. They've even on occasion been known to work their way down toward the feet and tail.

Dog Ear Mites Medicine

The good news here is that mites are easy to treat. If you think your dog has them, take him to a Vet. This is important because there are other ear problems with the same or similar symptoms. That's why your Vet should make the final diagnosis. Once this is confirmed, it's not hard to get rid of them.

Your Vet will first flush out the ear canal. This is an important step to get rid of any buildup (known also as exudate). Without first flushing, then any medicine will not be as effective. This falls into the category of "don't try this at home." Let your Vet do the flushing.

Then it's just a simple matter of you adding ear drops at home. Typically you'll have to do this once or twice a day. The medicine you will be using has an insecticide (generally pyrethrin is used) which will eradicate the mites. The treatment could last anywhere from a couple of weeks to a month, depending on the medicine your vet prescribes.

One medicine that many people have good success with is Bio-Groom® Ear Mite Treatment (4 oz.; Drops), which not only contains Pyrethrins but also Aloe Vera for soothing the sensitive skin.

Since ear mites are so easily treated, it should be done right away. If you leave them untreated they can become quite serious. Check with your Vet as soon as you suspect something may be wrong to make sure the problem does not get out of hand.