Ear mites are extremely spreadable parasites for dogs as they live on their skin and in ear canals. They may not be as deadly as ticks for puppies and dogs but can still make the life of your companion quite nasty or miserable by causing enormous itching. Ear mites in dogs can be treatable at home by using commercial and homemade products. Keep reading to know the details about an effective home remedy to treat dogs with ear mites.
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How Do Dogs Get Ear Mites?
Ear mites are often transmitted by contacting other infected animals. This contagious disease can spread through any type of physical contact and dog-to-dog socializing can also be responsible. Mites can be transferred if they sleep in the same area or bed and play together. Infections of ear mites are more common in puppies than in adult dogs.
Symptoms of Ear Mites in Dogs
Ear mites can become the reason for your companion’s discomfort. Therefore, it’s important to look out for the early signs of ear mites in your canine friend. The most common symptoms of ear mites in dogs are as follows.
- Itching in and around the ears
- Scratches around the ears, head, and neck
- Shaking of head
- Reddish-brown and waxy ear discharge
- A vexatious odor coming from the ears of the dog
Home Remedy to Treat Dog’s Ear Mites
You will need to treat your dog for about a month through natural remedies to cure this problem. This is because eggs of mites will continue to hatch and can quickly re-infest the ears. The following home remedy is quite helpful for dogs with ear mites because it will handle these parasites, effectively.
Gather All Supplies
First, you will need green tea leaves, a tablespoon, and a cup of hot water to make a homemade solution or medicine. Then an applicator or eye dropper for placing drops inside the dog’s ear. A clean cloth can help in cleaning off the excess medicine after the treatment. Also, you need a table if you are dealing with puppies or small dogs. A cotton ball can also be used to clean ear mites.
Make an Antiseptic Tea Rinse
Green tea is a natural antiseptic and can be used to flush out all the crumbly brown or black stuff from the ear canal of the dog. Take a cup of hot water and add a tablespoon of green tea leaves to it. Stir the mixture for a few minutes and then strain it. Leave it so that it will cool to room temperature before use.
Position Your Dog for the Procedure
Place a pup or a small dog on a table. If you have a large dog, then either kneel or sit on a chair to position yourself which is aligned to your dog. Then, pet your puppy and rub its ears. You can also have a causal talk session with your pup to make him/her feel comfortable.
Then, firmly grasp the ear flap with your left hand to expose the opening. Make sure that the pup should not shake his/her head. The opening of the ear flap will help in cleaning out all the waxy material (ear mites) before applying medicine to the ear.
Apply the Tea Rinse
Use the tea solution by putting the liquid into the dropper. Then drip a few drops into the pup’s ear. Since the dog’s ear canal is shaped as “L” that means it travels straight down towards the center of the dog’s head. Usually, don’t poke anything into the ears because gravity can move the liquid where it needs to go but if it is needed then take the cotton ball carefully pluck out the ear mites or clean the ear.
Massage and Wipe Around the Ear
Then massaging the base of that ear will help the liquid to move inside and loosen the debris. A slight ear-rubbing massage helps to soothe that deep-seated itch of your dog’s ear. Release your dog’s ear and let him or her shake the head. You will see that the debris flies out. Then wipe the parts of the solution around the ear with a clean cloth.
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Reward and Repeat for Other Ear
Then feed a treat to your pup for successful treatment. Then do the process on the other ear. You need to put an antiseptic tea rinse daily for a month which means you must repeat this process for a month. You can also give a bath to your pup after a month when the treatment is completed.
Other Home Remedies for Ear Mites
Some other major home treatments which are useful for dealing with ear mites are as follows.
Olive Oil – Add olive oil drops to clean the ear and remove as much debris as possible. The oil helps to choke the mites. Repeating the process every 3 days for 2 weeks will get your dog free from ear mites.
Coconut Oil – It is a great natural remedy for treating ear mites. Simply melt coconut oil in a saucepan with two cloves of fresh garlic. Then let its substance cool. Add 2 to 3 drops of the mixture to your dog’s ear using a dropper to get your dog rid of ear mites.
Calendula – This is a fantastic remedy that is used for treating many ailments in pets. You will take its leaves and soak them with olive oil for four days. Then strain the mixture out and remove the leaves. Put the mixture inside the dropper and add a few drops of it into your dog’s ear.
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