Guide to your pet's ears: How to get rid of ear mites

With warmer weather, ear mites are yet another issue we have to look out for with our pets. Here is a guide of how to clean your pet’s ears, what symptoms to look out for and what to do if your pet has ear mites. Usually ear mites are more present on puppies/kittens, but also on dogs and cats who spend a lot of time outside. They are known for being very contagious, and often being either passed down from parent to their offspring or between other pets. Ear mites can cause your cat or dog great discomfort.

CLEANING

Your pet’s ears are sensitive and most dogs and cats don’t want their ears cleaned. Here are two easy steps:

The first thing you want to do is have a bag of treats close by so that the whole experience stays positive. You want to get your pet used to getting their ears cleaned and somewhat enjoy the process. So while you’re cleaning their ears, give them one or two treats, so will find ear-cleaning as not being something so terrible.

The next thing you want to think about is to have all your equipment ready and close by so you don’t have to leave in the middle of the cleaning. The easiest product to use is cotton balls as they are more soft and gentle compared to cotton swabs. You want to get an ear cleaner such as our AniForte Vet Ear cleaner that is safe for your pet. Then start on the outside and then work your way to the inside. Put some drops of the ear cleaner into the ear and massage it, so that the cleaner gets deep into the ear. The best is to do that outdoors, because your dog will shake his head to get the cleaner and dirt out of the ear.

Watch our handy video on how to clean your dog's ears.

HOW TO IDENTIFY EAR MITES

Ear mites are quite small, so you can't see them. They live deep in the ear canals. They cause inflammation which the body responds to by producing more ear wax. Here is a list of symptoms of an ear mite infestation:

- If your pet is constantly scratching their ears, head or neck

- If there are thick red-brown or black crusts in the outer ear

- Small bumps inside their ear canal and more ear wax

- Constant head shaking

- Scratches on the backside of the ears

- Constant ear infection

HOW TO GET RID OF THE EAR MITES

If your pet has ear mites, start with the cleaning process. Then use an ear mite product such as our AniForte Ear Mite Oil. This product will kill the mites by making it impossible for them to breathe. For a medium-sized dog, add 2 drops into each ear. After 12 hours clean the ear again, but this time with just the simple ear cleaner. This will get the dead ear mites out. You then repeat this process for 10 days and your pet should be ear mite free!

Don’t forget to also check and clean the environment where your pet sleeps such as their bed or sofa. If the ear infection continues and the symptoms persist, please do consult a veterinarian.