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Ear Mites
Home remedy to get rid your pets of ear mites--Use plain old mineral oil. Get a dropper and fill the ear canal with mineral
oil, rub the base of the ear to ensure it is worked right down to the bottom of the canal. Let it sit for 30 seconds and then
carefully use a que tip to remove the brown gunk from the canal and the outer folds of the ear. Do this twice a day for 2
weeks always removing any gunk with a q-tip afterwards. Then stop for 4 weeks. Resume again for 2 more weeks and your done.
Ear mites are tiny white parasites that live in the ear canals of dogs and cats. These mites are highly contagious and frequently
infest whole litters of puppies and kittens. Ear mite infections are quite common in cats but much less common in adult dogs.
Severe ear infections may develop as a result of injury to the ear canal by the ear mites. A dark, crusty material is found
in the affected ear canal. Head shaking and ear scratching are common signs of ear mites.
Ear mites are tiny parasites that live on the surface of the skin lining in the ear canal of cats and dogs. They pierce the
skin surface to feed, causing inflammation and discomfort. If left untreated, bacterial infections and loss of hearing may
result from ear mites.
Puppies and kittens can acquire an ear mite infection from their mother. Ear mites can be transmitted from one household pet
to another. If ear mites are present in a multiple-pet household or a kennel or cattery, it is likely that if one animal is
treated for ear mites, the mites will move to another resident. The best preventive measure for ear mites is to treat all
residents for mites.
Dogs with long, floppy ears are more prone to ear mite infections. Air movement is restricted, promoting infection and bacterial
growth. When a dog shakes its head excessively, blood vessels may rupture and soft swellings form on the ear flap. This condition
is called hematoma and immediate treatment is needed to avoid pain to the dog and possible ear deformity.
If you have an infected pet, follow your veterinarian's advice. Give your pet the entire course of the prescribed ointment
or lotion. If you stop a few days short because the ear mites seem to have gone away, parasites and bacteria may still be
present and multiplying, prolonging the infection that is caused by ear mites.
Because ear mites pass readily from one animal to another in confined quarters, one might consider boarding a pet with a neighbor
rather than a commercial kennel should it be necessary to leave the animal. Pets which have a fetid odor associated with the
ears or which shake or scratch their ears excessively should be examined for signs of ear mites. If the inside of the outer
ear is dark with dried scabs and the auditory canal is filled with dark, thick earwax, the chances are great the pet is infested.
Examination of material from the ears by a veterinarian will confirm the presence or absence of ear mites. One type of ear
mite treatment consists of washing the auditory canal with an alcohol based solution of "ear cleaner." After the pet has removed
the solution by violent shaking of the head, an emulsion of a miticide, antibiotics and mineral oil is dropped into the auditory
canal to kill the ear mites, stop any secondary bacterial infection and to soothe the ears. Such a ear mite treatment should
be applied several times as prescribed by the veterinarian. If a pet has mild ear mite symptoms, the application of mineral
oil alone to the auditory canal is sufficient to control ear mites.
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