Ear mites

[wadlinkiwi]

Hello everyone,

Our daughter in law has a dog that has ear mites. Are there any home remedies to help this? She said that there is a medication online that costs 35-45 dollers and they do not have the money for it right now and the dog is fussy. All suggestions are welcomed.

[Pugdawg1]

Did a vet use a microscope to see them? I've had a cat with mites... vet saw the mites.. showed me (YUCK!), and gave me an ointment to use for 7-10 days. Cleared it up really fast and haven't had a problem since... that was a couple years ago.

[Carrie]

If they can't afford medical treatment for their dog for earmites, what will they do if something lifethreatening comes along...a serious injury which requires surgery or some other illness? Actually, earmites, left untreated can be very serious. Here's a little info:

http://www.vetinfo.com/dearmites.html

[Giny]

Are you sure it's ear mites? My vet just mentioned not long ago how it's rare for dogs to get ear mites, not like cats. I'd get the vet to check the ear out for a proper diagnosis.

[doberkim]

i have to agree - its fairly rare for dogs to get ear mites.

that being said, i really would take them to a vet - is there a low cost animal clinic, or a clinic that would be willing to accept payment plans? you can treat ear mites fairly cheaply, but you need a proper diagnosis and many of the meds are prescription only.

[doberkim]

is it just that the ears are itching? has she gently cleaned the ears out, what does the dirty in the ears look like? what kind of dog is this, and how old is he? has she put any meds in the ears already?

[wadlinkiwi]

Thank you for your posts everyone. They now have an aoppointment with a vet on Thursday. Is there anything that they can do for him in the meantime?

[wadlinkiwi]

Here is some more info. It is a 8 month old male Shi Tsu. They bought Hartz health measures ear mite treatment 2 days ago, and it does not seem to work. I have heard somewhere that people have been having trouble with this treatment is this true? He is also scratching alot and shaking his head. They say he has brown chunks in his ear and not black. His ear is sore to the touch and is red. They have tried cleaning it with a Q-Tip. A Vet told me to tell them to use a mineral oil or baby oil on it. Does this really work? So they said that they will try that until they see the vet on thursday! Are there any other treatments that you can think of to help him be more comfortable until then. Thank you again everyone. This really helps.

[Pugdawg1]

How do they know it's ear mites?

[Carrie]

I suspect he has a yeast infection....red, sore...Are they moist? (in which case, he'd need an Rx. The brown stuff is probably dirt and wax. Earmites usually appear very black, not brown, not even dark brown. That's what I've experienced with earmites in cats anyhow. Well, good that he's seeing a vet. Hope all will be OK. Let us know the verdict.

Oh...I have heard of using mineral oil to swab in there to sooth and loosen the grime. I wouldn't get so much in there though that it runs down inside the canal....maybe just use a q tip or cotton ball and smear some in and gently wipe out the dirt....just in the part of the ear you can see....be really careful not to go too deep. The vet can get a better look.

[linnie]

If it is straight out ear mites then a home remedy that has worked for my friends is to put caster oil in the ear this suffocates the mites... one drawback it the oily mess it leaves around though

Personally I prefer to take my dogs to the vet.
I notice some posts say they arnt very common??? in Australia they seem to be.. especially in dogs with floppy ears

[Pugdawg1]

Yeast seems to be a common battle in pugs because of the floppy ears. Two of mine have had that.. more than once. Carrie is right, it does sound more probable that it would be yeast, not mites. In either case, they need a vet to find out exactly what it is, and treat it properly... not good to take a guess and stick something in the ear, IMO. There are ear cleaners though that one can buy. I use something like that on my pugs when they look a bit dirty. I do not do it often though... my vet says too much of messing with the ear is not a good thing.

[mrsgrubby]

I am guessing it is a yeast infection. That usually is brown and chunky.
I would also suggest they clean his ears with a cotton ball and not a q-tip. That way they can't accidently injure him in case he won't sit still.

[calgal]

Ear Mites are very common in cats, and when dogs get them it is usually from cats. A mixture of 1/2 ounce of almond or olive oil and 400 IU vitamin E (from a capsule) makes a mild healing treatment for either cats or dogs. Blend them in a dropper bottle and warm the mixture to body temperature by immersing it in hot water. Holding the ear flap up, put about 1/2 dropperful in the ear. Massage the ear canal well so that you hear a fluid sound. After a minute of this, let the animal shake it's head. Then gently clean out the opening (not deep into the ear) with cotton swabs to remove debris and excess oil. The oil mixture will smother many of the mites and start a healing process that will make the ear less hospitable for them. Apply the oil every other day for six days (three treatments in total). Between treatments cap the mixture tightly and store at room temperature. After the last oil treatment let the ear rest for three more days. Meanwhile, prepare the next medicine, an herbal extract which is used to directly inhibit or kill the mites. Once the ears are cleaned out, one of the simplest ways to kill mites is with the herb Yellow Dock (Rumex crispus). Make an infusion by first bringing one cup of PURE water, (filtered or distilled) to a boil. Pour it over one rounded teaspoon of dried herb or one rounded tablespoon of fresh herb. Cover and steep for 15 minutes. Then extract the liquid by straining it through a cheesecloth or sieve. Here's how much to give your pet three times a day (morning, mid-afternoon and at night before bed): 1/2 teaspoon (about two cubic centimeters) for cats or small dogs (less than 20 pounds); 1 teaspoon (about five cubic centimeters) for medium dogs (20 to 40 pounds); or one tablespoon for large dogs (40 pounds and over). This is given by mouth for 7 days.