How to treat ear mites in dogs

Is your dog shaking its head or scratching its ears constantly? Maybe you’ve noticed a black waxy discharge in his or her ear canal. It could have dog ear mites.

“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 its ears, which can lead to ear infections, she adds.

So what should you do about ear mites, and how do you offer relief to your pet as its itching and scratching?

How dogs gets ear mites

“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, veterinarian.

Ear mites “usually come from high-population conditions,” Alinovi notes. 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.

Sometimes 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 Alinovi.

“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.”

— Cathy Alinovi, veterinarian

How to treat a dog with 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,” Alinovi says. 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.

“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),” says Van Ekert. “If this is damaged, topical ointments can cause more damage, including pain and hearing loss.”

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 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, 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.