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Natural at Home Remedies for Ear Mites in Dogs of 2022

German Short hair pointer getting its ears checked out for ear mites

Ear mites in dogs are an unfortunately common pest. Like any other parasite, discovering them is bad news for your furry friend. While medication treatments are available, these are often quite harsh on a pet. They typically contain hard insecticides. This gets washed down your dog's already sensitive ears. Natural home remedies for ear mites in dogs can be just as effective. They work without subjecting them to rough chemicals and a stressful medicating process.

Flushing your dog's ears full of insecticides is something of a nuclear option for a problem as simple as ear mites. There are many softer natural home remedies to treat ear mites yourself.

What Are Ear Mites?

Three perky eared chihuahuas sitting on a fur throw in a living room

Ear mites are a type of parasite that lives on dogs. They are small insects that thrive on the bodies of other animals. While ear mites typically live inside the ear as the name implies, they can even move onto different areas of a dog. When this happens, dogs can be bitten by the mites and develop itchy sore spots similar to when a dog has fleas.

Once ear mites have moved into your dog's ear they will likely stay there. While they don't live long they reproduce quickly. Common signs that a dog has ear mites are:

  • Scratching their ears more than usual
  • Waxy discharge coming from the ear
  • Painful ears
  • A bad smell coming from the ears
  • Hair loss from the ears

If your dog has these symptoms, they may have contracted ear mites.

How Do Dogs Get Ear Mites?

Siberian husky scratching its ears on a country path during a sunset

Like fleas or worms, your dog can pick up these little pests from all sorts of places. The most common source is another dog.

Ear mites are an infectious parasite that likes to spread from host to host. A dog that has ear mites will usually pass the condition onto the other dogs they encounter. Until they get their mites removed they will spread the parasites. If you live in a household with multiple dogs, this can quickly become a problem.

Home Remedies for Ear Mites in Dogs

You should consider using a natural home remedy for ear mites in dogs as they can be kinder on your pet's ears and be made pretty easily. These are the top natural at-home remedies for ear mites in dogs:

Antiseptic Tea Rinse

An antiseptic tea rinse is a natural solution to ear mites in dogs that can be done with ingredients you'll likely have around the house:

  • Soak green tea leaves in hot water for a few minutes. It only needs to soak for as long as it normally takes to make a cup of tea.
  • Let it get to room temperature.
  • Flush your dog's ear with the substance.
  • Repeat this once a day for a month.
Veterinarian swabbing out the ears of a lab with ear mites

Oil Treatment

An oil treatment can be helpful for flushing out these pests. However, you need to be careful and follow guidelines for using natural remedies since garlic is poisonous to dogs.

  • Crush garlic gloves then soak them in oil overnight.
  • Remove the garlic from the oil.
  • Flush your dog's ears with the solution once a day for a month.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is a great solution to problems with a dog's ear since it kills all bacteria. However, you shouldn't use vinegar if your dog's ear has become too sore as it can hurt.

  • Mix the vinegar with water, it should be one-part water one-part vinegar.
  • Put the mixture in a syringe or soak it into a cotton ball.
  • Squirt some in your dog's ear or use the ball to clean out your dog's ear.

Coconut Oil

Coconut Oil is a great natural remedy for a lot of problems in dogs, it is particularly effective for treating ear mites.

  • Melt coconut oil in a saucepan with two cloves of fresh garlic.
  • Allow the substance to cool, then add it to a syringe.
  • Administer two to three drops of the mixture in your dog's ear, the amount will depend on your dog's size.
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Calendula

Calendula is an all-natural remedy that is often used for treating ailments in pets. It is a little harder to find in the wild, but you can also buy it in pre-made solutions and skip the first two steps.

  • Soak the leaves with olive oil for four days.
  • Strain the mixture out to remove the leaves.
  • Use a syringe to administers a few drops of this into your dog's ear. 
  • This solution also works with a cotton ball

Mullein

Mullein is another natural plant with anti-bacterial effects. It is made in a similar way to calendula, but it does take a little longer.

  • Soak the leaves in olive oil. You can add in one or two cloves of garlic too if you have them on hand.
  • Soak this for two to three weeks.
  • Strain the liquid from the mixture and apply it in the same way as Calendula.

Oregano Oil

Oregano might be fantastic in Italian food, but it can also help clean out your dog's ears!

  • Add a single drop of oregano oil to half an ounce of pure aloe vera juice.
  • Administer drops of this from a syringe or soak it into cotton wool and clean your dog's ear with it.
Floppy eared white dog sniffing a daisy in a sunny field

Olive Oil

Even if you can't find any natural remedies to add to oil to help treat ear mites in dogs, the oil itself can work as a treatment:

  • Administer drops of oil to your dog's ears every other night for three to six weeks.
  • Be sure to do this only every other night to prevent irritation.

Baking Soda

Baking soda can be an effective treatment for ear mites in dogs, but be careful not to allow your dog to ingest it.

  • Mix one cup of warm water with one teaspoon of baking soda.
  • Soak this in a cotton ball and use it to rub your dog's ear.

Oregon Grape

Oregon grape is made from the grape root. It can be an effective natural home remedy for ear mites in dogs if you use it in small doses:

  • Administer one to ten drops of this to your dog's ear.
  • Repeat until the ear mites have all been cleaned out. 

Hemp Infused Coconut Oil

Hemp Infused Coconut Oil has the same great benefits for ear mites that regular coconut oil has, plus a few more! The CBD ingredient in hemp infused coconut oil can help ease the pain and inflammation associated with ear mites. So while regular coconut oil helps to get rid of the ear mites, hemp infused coconut oil will actually reduce the painful symptoms associated with ear mites at the same time as getting rid of them! It really is a 2 for 1 solution. Instructions for hemp infused coconut oil are the same as the instructions for regular coconut oil.

  • Melt coconut oil in a saucepan with two cloves of fresh garlic.
  • Allow the substance to cool, then add it to a syringe.
  • Administer two to three drops of the mixture in your dog's ear, the amount will depend on your dog's size.

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Should You Use Home Remedies for Ear Mites in Dogs?

With all of these choices in natural home remedies for ear mites in dogs, it can be difficult to choose one. Some of these solutions take a bit more work than others, but they should all effectively deal with your dog's infestation. It is important to treat ear mites quickly to avoid the condition spreading. Using a home remedy lets you take care of ear mites without subjecting your dog to harsh insecticides in their ears.


Meet The Author 

Jordan Ashley

Jordan Ashley

Canine Specialist & Writer

Jordan is an experienced author who enjoys writing about all things dog. He loves all animals and when he is not working he spends his time curled up with his two dogs playing video games and maybe enjoying a craft beer.



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