As dog owners, we are aware of how crucial it is to regularly clean our dogs’ ears. However, if our dogs aren’t trained to accept ear cleaning or if we don’t feel comfortable doing it, cleaning those ears can be difficult.
While some dogs naturally have clean, healthy ears and may hardly ever need to have them cleaned, other dogs need to have their ears cleaned frequently to avoid the buildup of dirt that can cause ear infections. All dog breeds are susceptible to ear infections, but those with long hanging ears, like Basset Hounds and Cocker Spaniels, are among the ones at the most risk.
You should frequently examine your dog’s ears to make sure they are healthy. If your dog pulls away from you, it could be because his ears are hurting even though he could prefer having them stroked when they’re healthy. Therefore, by gently stroking your dog’s ears, you may start evaluating their condition.
How to Tell When a Dog’s Ears Need Cleaning
Verify that your dog genuinely requires ear cleaning before pulling out the dog ear cleaner. Learn what a healthy, clean ear looks like (pink, odorless, and not dirty or inflamed) and smells like (not yeasty or stinky), and only clean your dog’s ears when you detect a change. Over-cleaning your dog’s ears can cause infection and irritation.
While some dogs only need their ears cleaned occasionally, others, including those who are prone to ear infections or those who spend a lot of time in the water, might. The Merck Veterinary Manual advises preventing water from entering the ear canals during bathing and applying topical astringents on dogs who frequently swim to keep the ear canals dry and well-ventilated.
It’s probably time for a cleaning if you smell a faint odor or see your dog moving his head more frequently than usual. Contact your veterinarian if your dog’s ear seems red and inflamed, smells funky, or if he shows signs of pain. These signs, which call for medical treatment, could point to allergies, fleas, ear mites, or ear infections. Frequently, cleaning an infected ear does more harm than good.
Ear-Cleaning Supplies
To successfully clean your dog’s ears, you just need a few tools: a cotton ball or piece of gauze, dog ear cleaning solution, and a towel. Avoid using anything with a pointed tip, including cotton-tipped swabs (Q-tips). These instruments may force dirt and other material deeper into your dog’s ears, increasing the risk of infection and even causing damage to the ear’s internal structures.
A word of caution: While easy, ear cleaning can be unpleasant. If your dog moves his head a lot while you’re cleaning his ears, you might want to do it in a restroom or another easily cleaned area.
Dog Ear-Cleaning Solutions
There are numerous homemade dog ear cleaning products available online. The safest option is to use ear cleaning products that have been recommended by veterinarians. Some homemade ear-cleaning remedies include poisonous or irritant substances. Others merely don’t do well.
Most veterinary clinics stock dog ear cleanser. As some products may be more advantageous for your dog’s unique needs than others, you can also consult your veterinarian for their recommendations.
How to Clean Dog Ears in 3 Easy Steps
- Bring your dog and your supplies together. It will be simpler to clean your dog’s ears if you wait until he is calm. Don’t be hesitant to entice them with sweets.
- Fill your dog’s ear canal with an ear cleaning solution that has been recommended by a veterinarian, then gently massage the base of the ear for about 30 seconds. As the product removes buildup and debris, you will hear a squishing sound. As touching your dog’s ear with the applicator tip could introduce bacteria, avoid doing so.
- Give your dog a headshake. This is where the towel comes in; you may use it to clean his face and shield yourself from the spray. Once your dog has stopped shaking, carefully wipe out the ear canal with a cotton ball or piece of gauze, only going as deep as one knuckle. During the cleaning process, if your dog seems to be in pain, stop and call your veterinarian.
Should You Use Hydrogen Peroxide to Clean Dog Ears?
No. On your dog, avoid using hydrogen peroxide. In fact, this ubiquitous home item might irritate healthy skin cells. Hydrogen peroxide use over an extended period of time may eventually cause harm to the ear itself because ears contain very sensitive tissue. Use only cleaning products that have been recommended by veterinarians.
How to Clean Dog Ears: A Summary
Now that you understand how to clean dog ears, let’s review the fundamentals:
- Understand the appearance and smell of a clean, healthy ear.
- Following a bath, regularly check your dog’s ears.
- Overly frequent ear cleaning can result in severe inflammation.
- Use a dog ear cleaning product that has been approved by a veterinarian.
- If you think your dog may have an ear infection, consult your veterinarian.
Maintaining your dog’s ears helps keep them free from infections. Regular ear checks will also help your dog become less sensitive to handling his ears and catch any further issues, like ear mites, before they worsen.
What eradicates dog ear mites?
Yes, an infected dog can transmit ear mites to people. Although it’s uncommon, it is feasible. More commonly than not, ear mites from a contagious dog infect other pets in the house.
The effectiveness of natural treatments for dog ear mites has not been studied. You should always see your veterinarian before receiving a prescription for medication because there are several easily available, efficient treatments.
Although it’s believed that tea tree oil has some antibacterial and antifungal characteristics, it can burn and sting an infected ear and even damage your dog’s eardrum.
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Instead, you should ask your veterinarian to recommend one of the safe, effective treatments for canine ear mites.
Utilizing hydrogen peroxide on swollen ears can be excruciatingly unpleasant. It might also hinder healing. 5
Do not use hydrogen peroxide to treat dog ear mites as there is no animal data on its disinfecting abilities.
Numerous medications, including as Milbemite, Acarex, Tresaderm, Frontline, Ivermectin, Selamectin, Advantage Multi, Simparica, and Bravecto, are known to eradicate dog ear mites.
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How do I take care of my dog’s ear mites without seeing the doctor?
Although holistic physicians concur that commercial medicines are effective, puppies with ear mite infections may also have other common health issues that require care. To get rid of the pests using more natural remedies and let the veterinarian handle other problems could be less distressing. The first step is to clean the ears using calming treatments.
- Tea Rinse with Antiseptic. A natural antibacterial, green tea. It can be used to clear the puppy’s ear canal of all the crumbly brown or black ear mite detritus. A spoonful of green tea leaves should be steeped for three to four minutes in a cup of boiling water before being strained. Before applying it once per day for a month, allow it to cool to room temperature.
- Oil Therapy. Oil can float particles out and relieve irritated ears. The mites may potentially be suffocated by oil. It actually doesn’t matter what sort of oil you use, but some holistic veterinarians advise using almond or olive oil. Crush a few garlic cloves in a cup of oil and let it sit overnight for the finest results. Bacteria that could emerge as a result of the mite infection are naturally killed by garlic. Before treating your puppy’s ears with the oil, don’t forget to remove the garlic. For at least a month, you must daily apply the oil/garlic solution to the ears.
Cats that live outside are most likely to have ear mites. This does not imply that your indoor cat won’t ever contract ear mites; keep in mind that all it takes is one accidental contact with an infected animal. Dogs are still susceptible to ear mites despite the fact that they are less common, especially if they share their home with an outside cat. There is no foolproof way to keep your pet’s ears from becoming infected with ear mites. Regular usage of a product like Revolution is the best prophylactic approach (once a month, year round). By doing this, you can prevent your pet from getting an ear mite infection as well as a host of other parasites like fleas, ticks, and intestinal parasites like roundworms.
There could be a lot of issues if you’ve been treating your pet’s ears rigorously for ear mites but you still notice that they are itching, inflamed, and that they are shaking their heads continuously. First, confirm that ear mites, not bacteria or fungi, caused the condition. If you think your pet may have ear mites, take them to the doctor so they may be properly diagnosed. Second, even if you’ve successfully gotten rid of the ear mites, your pet may still need treatment for a secondary ear infection. Bacterial and fungal infections can arise as a result of ear mites. Third, were all domesticated animals treated? All animals must be treated simultaneously to prevent cross-infection. Finally, if you are using a topical drug that requires daily application consider switching to a single-dose medication.
Is apple cider vinegar effective against ear mites?
Do not become alarmed if you believe your cat has an ear mite infestation. Even though mites are nasty, they are fortunately rather simple to get rid of. In many instances, treating the symptoms might be where you start. Treatment for cat ear mites
The best way to relieve your cat’s discomfort may seem to be to try to relieve the itching or prevent infection, but these measures are only temporary unless you also address the underlying problem.
Fortunately, most pet stores and veterinarians can provide you ear mite treatment for dogs and cats, which is a fairly simple-to-find over-the-counter drug. In order to eradicate the mites at all phases of development, they are normally an oily solution that is dropped into the ear for a few days to a week.
If you are unsure of the best course of action for your cat’s itchy ear problems, consult your veterinarian. More serious infestations that have resulted in secondary infection or damage can call for an antibiotic.
Home Remedy for Cat Ear Mites
There is a lot of anecdotal data demonstrating the efficacy of natural home cures for cat ear mites, which are fairly popular therapies. Like most natural treatments, they work in the majority of instances, but they don’t always guarantee an ear mite cure.
The nicest thing about home remedies is usually that they are constructed of ingredients that you probably already have at home, in addition to being natural and chemical-free. A natural cure might not always be the best option for a problem.
Consult your veterinarian about all of the available treatments if you have a significant infestation of ear mites or related issues to ensure that you pick the option that is safest for your cat.
Here are three of the most often used natural treatments for cat ear mites:
Treating Ear Mites in Cats Olive Oil
Olive oil is one of the most popular and successful natural home treatments for cat ear mites. Although it almost appears too easy to be true, it is!
Applying a thin layer of olive oil to your cat’s ears can effectively smother the ear mites, stop them from attaching to the skin, and make it simpler to wipe away the mites and eggs using a makeup wipe or soft cloth.
The oil will also aid to hydrate the skin and speed up the healing process while acting as a numbing agent for the irritating reaction.
Essential Oils for Cat Ear Mites
You probably have a collection of essential oils in your home to treat a variety of ailments if you already favor natural therapies. If so, you undoubtedly have one or more essential oils that can help relieve the itching and prevent mites from making your cat’s ears a suitable home.
The following essential oils are detested by mites:
- Oil of tea tree
- Lemongrass Oil
- Oil of Eucalyptus
Since essential oils are so concentrated, they should be diluted with a carrier oil, such as coconut oil or olive oil, to make sure they are safe to use on cats.
Additionally, keep in mind that these essential oils should only be used topically in areas that your cat cannot lick at rather than being consumed. We advise using a different therapy if you are unaware of how to safely utilize essential oils on your cat.
Apple Cider Vinegar for Ear Mites in Cats
You might not be aware of how effective apple cider vinegar can be for treating cat ear mites, despite the fact that it has long been used as a natural therapy for numerous illnesses and problems.
It is a powerful anti-fungal and anti-bacterial agent that can both prevent and treat many secondary illnesses like yeast or bacterial infections that can be brought on by ear mite infestations. The skin pH in your cat’s ears can also be adjusted using apple cider vinegar, creating a less conducive environment for mites to survive.
When paired with one of the other all-natural ear mite treatments for cats, apple cider vinegar may not be sufficient to entirely get rid of the ear mites from your cat.
