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• Part 1 of 3: Determining if your pet has ear mites
• Part 2 of 3: Treating ear mites with medicine
• Part 3 of 3: Treating your pet's basket
• Tips
• Warnings

Ear mites are a type of blood-sucking parasites that live in your pet's ear canal their entire life. They thrive in the dark, moist environment in the ear. Ear mites cause severe itching and irritation for your pet and if left unchecked they can cause ear infections. In addition, your pet can injure itself by constantly scratching in and around the ear.

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Part 1 of 3: Determining if your pet has ear mites

1. Watch for redness and irritation. The inside of the ear will be red and irritated. A red and irritated ear can be a sign of ear mites, but that in itself is not a definitive symptom. If in doubt or not notice other ear mite symptoms, see the vet.
   • A red and irritated ear canal is not always caused by ear mites. Ear infections caused by bacteria and fungi are quite common, especially in dogs. These types of ear infections cannot be treated with ear mite remedies.
   • Your vet can determine if your pet has ear mites. He or she can also prescribe the correct remedy if your pet does not have ear mites. Treating your pet with the wrong substance can do your pet more harm than good.
2. Take a sample from your pet's ear and examine it. If you suspect your pet has ear mites, you may be able to see the parasite with the naked eye.
   • Using a cotton ball, gently remove a small amount of dark brown or black material (it should look like coffee grounds) from the ear canal.
   • You may need to add a few drops of mineral oil to the material in the ear and massage the ear to help loosen the material and get a sample.
   • Your pet may shake his head after you put the mineral oil in his ear. Some chunks of material will likely fly out of his ears. You can then investigate these chunks.
   • View the monster in bright light and see if you can find tiny white dots. These dots can even move. These are most likely ear mites.
3. Take your pet to the vet. The best way to determine with certainty that your pet has ear mites is to have your vet examine it and have him or her view a sample of the ear canal material under the microscope.
   • Know that cats are much more prone to ear mites than dogs. However, dogs can get it from time to time, especially if there is a cat with ear mites in the same family.
   • The vet may instill a long-acting ear mite medicine into your pet's ears and give you an itch-relieving medicine. It is not uncommon for an animal to have a secondary bacterial or fungal infection in addition to ear mites. So you can also get medicines to treat that infection.

Part 2 of 3: Treating ear mites with medicine

1. Get ear mite medicine from your vet or a good pet store. The medicine used for ear mites is a pesticide that kills the ear mites. Do not forget to read the instructions on the package of the medicine before you start. This contains important information about the dose that you should administer.
   • Do not use ear mite medicine in your pet if your pet's pupils are of different sizes or if he tilts his head and cannot correct it on his own. If so, chances are the eardrum has ruptured. Of course, you don't want to put something in his ears that makes the problem worse. Ask the vet for advice immediately.
2. Remove as much of the dark material that has accumulated in the ear as possible. A medicine works best if the ears are clean when you administer it. Therefore, take the time to remove any accumulated material from your pet's ears.
   • Put a few drops of mineral oil in the ear canal. This will help dissolve the grainy material when you massage the ear canal.
   • Use a cotton ball to wipe away the dirt after your pet shakes his head.
   • Your pet may try to scratch their ears after cleaning them. Do your best to avoid this by using a towel to keep your pet from getting to his ears. Your pet may need to wear a collar temporarily so that it doesn't injure itself.
3. Administer the medicine. Start by holding your pet's head firmly in your hand. This way, your pet will not be able to shake the medicine with his head when you try to administer it.
   • Tilt the bottle or ampoule and gently insert the end of the applicator into the ear.
   • Squeeze the bottle until you have administered the correct amount of the medicine.
   • The drug is more effective if you drip it deep into the ear canal.
   • Know that your pet is likely to shake its head after the administration. Therefore, it may be a good idea to administer the medicine outdoors, in the bathroom, or in the laundry room so that the medicine does not get on your furniture.
4. Massage your pet's ears. When you have put the medicine in one ear, you should start massaging immediately while also administering the medicine in the second ear.
   • Gently squeeze the ear and use your fingers to massage the medicine thoroughly into the ear. Massage using your thumb and index finger on both sides of the ear canal, just below the opening of the ear canal. Open and close your fingers and you will hear a sucking sound.
   • Most of the time, your pet will be preoccupied with you massaging one ear. This way you can treat the other ear in a relatively calm way.
   • This treatment can be performed by one person, but it is always good if someone else is there to help if needed.
5. Wipe off the excess medicine. Gently wipe off the excess with a clean towel.
   • This step is particularly helpful if you are concerned that some of the medicine will get onto your carpet or furniture.
6. Repeat the treatment. There is little chance that you will kill all mites with one treatment. Follow the instructions on the medicine package. Usually you treat the mites once, wait seven days and then give the medicine again.

Part 3 of 3: Treating your pet's basket

1. Wash your pet's basket. Ear mites are contagious, especially to other pets. It is important to wash your pet's basket so that your pet does not become reinfected and your other pets cannot be infected with ear mites.
   • Use hot soapy water to wash your pet's basket.
   • Follow the instructions on the care label. Some baskets can simply be put in the washing machine, while other baskets have to be hand washed.
2. Wash all other baskets, pillows and blankets that your pet comes into contact with. Ear mites cannot survive long outside of your pet's ear. Nevertheless, it is best to ensure that all baskets, blankets and pillows are clean and free of ear mites. Wash them in hot, soapy water.
3. Treat your pet's basket with a spray. There are products for sale that kill fleas, ticks and mites on household surfaces. If you are still concerned about mites in your pet's basket, spray the basket with a product that will definitely kill the mites.

Tips

• Cats get ear mites much more quickly than dogs. However, dogs can get it from time to time, especially if there is a cat with ear mites in the same family.
• It is best to wear thick gloves if you are concerned that your pet will try to scratch or bite you.

Warnings

• It is not recommended to clean your pet's ears with cotton swabs as this could injure your pet. Instead, use a cotton ball.
• Failure to treat ear mites can cause damage to your pet's ear canals and eardrums. Your pet can suffer hearing damage as a result, as well as malformed ears.
• Ear mites are very contagious. Have all of your pets screened for ear mites if one of them is already infected with it.
• Do not use cotton swabs in your pet's ears. You can accidentally injure your pet with this.