Labrador Retriever Dogs Blog

If you notice your dog or cat is scratching at its ears, shaking its head and its ears don’t smell too great, chances are your pet has ear mites. You can get rid of ear mites through some natural home remedies, or with medicine from the vet.

Ear mites are parasites which live off the bodily fluids of your pet. As the name implies, ear mites prefer residing in the ears. Ear mites resemble the look of coffee grounds or red, brown and black dirt. The inside of the ear will also look red and a little inflamed. You cannot see the ear mite with the naked eye.

Pets get ear mites due to poor hygiene and dirty surroundings. They are contagious with respect to other animals. If you insist that your pet is kept very clean and lives in pristine conditions, it is possible that the ear mites were caused by being around another animal who has ear mites, or your pet has exceptionally long, floppy ears which are especially susceptible to ear mite infestation.

It certainly is important to keep your and your pet’s surroundings as clean as possible and regular bathe your pet. Keep all other pets in your home away from the infected one and wash those additional pets regularly as well. It is imperative that you take action to rid your pet of ear mites because allowing the ear mites to remain in your pet’s ears will lead to deafness.

If you have an infected cat, you can use mineral oil to get rid of the ear mites. Simply place drops in the infected ear or ears, which will loosen up crusty build up. You can then take a small cotton ball to wipe out the build up. However, if your cat’s ears are raw and inflamed, the best thing to do is take it to the vet to make sure there is not some other problem with your cat’s ears.

If your dog is infected with ear mites, make sure to wipe its ears on a daily basis. You can make a mixture of garlic and olive oil and then put some drops in each infected ear. If you do not notice any change after a few days and your dog’s ears are raw and inflamed, take the dog to the vet to see if your dog has some other ailment.

Dogs suffer from ear problems all too often. Is your pet shaking his or her head a lot? Or maybe scratching away at the ears with its paw? This could well be a sign of an ear infection. The good news is that you can treat most ear infections with home remedies. Dog ear mites can be eradicated with the details shown in this article.

Ear infections are most commonly caused by microscopic ear mites. They are tiny parasitic arachnids that feed on the capillaries in your pet’s ear. Invisible to the naked eye, they irritate the tender skin which then causes inflammation. Wax production increases and builds up in the narrowed ear canal and can cause blockages. No wonder they start shaking their heads!

The best way to treat the ear infection is with a herbal remedy that will help to clear the ear canal, soothe the inflammation and restore the balance of healthy bacteria.

Follow these instructions to apply:

Tilt his head to the side, lift the ear flap and add a few drops of the solution to fall into the ear canal. Hold the ear flap down and massage gently. Wipe any excess away. He’s going to want to shake his head afterwards so let him before repeating on the other ear. Wipe the ear flap clean with cotton wool. Don’t put anything inside the ear canal as you’re likely to do some serious damage. Please don’t use Q-tips or cotton buds.

If you have any other pets in the house, they all need to be treated too. Ear mites are very contagious and are often picked up from other animals. This is the most likely source of the infection.

Prevention must be a part of any home remedies. Dog ear mites can be kept at bay by taking a holistic approach to your dog’s health.

Make sure they have a good nutritious diet. Dogs should be groomed regularly and checked for any skin issues. Bathe your dog once every couple of months. Keep dog bedding clean and regularly washed. You can also use a maintenance dose of the herbal ear infection treatment if your dog suffers frequently from ear mites.

In summary, if your dog is shaking his or her head, then it’s a sign that there could be something wrong with their ears. Ear mites are the most common culprit. This is really uncomfortable for your pet so please take action straight away. If you follow the steps above you will be able to prevent and treat most dog ear infections yourself.

When it comes to ear infection in dogs, a lot of pet owners are doubtful as to whether or not the problem can truly be solved by herbal remedies. The use of herbs and natural treatments either for a person or for an animal is not yet widely accepted.

However, there are times when owners are left with no other choice but to use these over-the-kitchen-counter remedies rather than give nothing to their ailing pets at all.

When it comes to ear infections, it is important that you first determine the very thing that is causing the infection. Most ear infections are caused by mites. But don’t outwardly assume so. Better to first inspect the ears of your pet thoroughly. Ear infection may also be caused by foreign objects finding its way inside the dog’s ear. If you can, bring your pet to the vet. Otherwise, go to the kitchen and find herbal remedies like apple cider vinegar or cod liver oil to help ease the discomfort.

If you decide to give an herbal treatment therapy to your pet, it is necessary that you take note of its improvement. If you don’t see anything positive happening to your dog since you have applied the cure, you might as well stop it because your dog is not responsive to the treatment anyway. This is also a sign that you really have to take the dog to the vet before anything worse happen to it.

The veterinarian would normally prescribe antibiotics to your pet. Depending on the condition of its ear, oral medicines may be given. Otherwise, topical treatments would suffice. You have to be very consistent when giving your dog these medicines because any changes in the schedule or dosage may affect the rate of recovery of your pet.

You might think that ear infection in dogs is a minor problem. However, your dog could be suffering a lot from it and is just not exhibiting pain. When left untreated for weeks, dog ear infection may lead to total loss of hearing. Worse, your dog may develop a much severe disease because of it. Ear infections may lead to brain problems because the pus and the bacteria start to penetrate your dog’s head. When this occurs, it would be a lot harder to treat your dog. No herbal remedy, or any other type of medicine for that matter, can truly help it.

Therefore, you should always check your dog’s ear whenever you can. Dog breeds that wear their ear down are most susceptible to ear infections because air is not properly circulating around it. As such, you have to periodically take your dog to the grooming center just to make sure that its ears are clean and healthy at all times.

Keep in mind that you don’t have to physically clean the ears of your dog. Dogs have a natural way of keeping their ears healthy. Your job is to merely check that there’s no pus, foul smell, or discharges abnormally coming out of their ears. When you observe any of these, better take your dog to the vet right away for proper diagnosis.

I will get straight to the point on dog ear infection home remedies and also discuss the causes of most dog ear infections. Being able to treat our dogs with home remedies not only makes it easier our pets because they can be treated in the comfortable surroundings of their homes but it is also a cheaper method for us as owners. Dog ear infections can be treated like many other ailments and illnesses with home remedies.

Here is a list of most of the dog ear infection home remedies I have found being used today.

DOG EAR INFECTION HOME REMEDIES

Balsamic vinegar is being used to clean dog’s ears. One teaspoon placed on a cotton ball will do the job just fine. Make sure to dry your dog’s ears after using the balsamic vinegar. Cod liver oil or vitamin E will work when used as ear drops. I remember well when I was a child getting cod liver oil as drops in my ears and I remember it feeling good especially when warmed prior to placing the drops in the ear. The vitamin E can be used from the soft gels most of us take regularly. Another ear drop method is using liquid that has been infused with garlic. Crush up the garlic and place in oil for 1 to 2 weeks. Strain the garlic and use warm liquid as an ear drop. Of course you can use other oils such as vitamin E oil or the cod liver oil mentioned above. Apple cider vinegar can be used as a cleaning agent for cleaning out your dog’s ears. Treatment with apple cider vinegar is also very soothing to your dog.

CAUSES OF DOG EAR INFECTIONS

Lack of air flow – dogs with floppy ears are more susceptible to ear infections Bacterial infection Wax buildup Ear mites

For other great information on pet illnesses and home remedies read on thru the last paragraph and click on the links. Great secrets await that will help with caring for your pets and saving mega bucks on vet bills.

Ear problems are most probably one of the most common and recurring health complaints to plague our furry companions. Some dogs are more prone to ear infections than others. In this article we’ll take a look at which dogs are more likely to suffer from ear infections, how to spot them and how home remedies for dog ear infection can help your pet.

Which dogs are more likely to suffer?

*      Dogs with longer, floppy ears possess a more fertile breeding ground for bacteria and yeast infections as their ears provide a warmer and moister environment that is well sheltered.

*      Those dogs who are getting a little older tend to suffer more from ear infections as their immune systems tend to get a little more fragile and are less able to fight of the infections.

*      Also suffering are those dogs who spend more time outdoors. This is especially true if they like swimming as even the most vigorous shaking session can’t clear all the water out!

*      Finally, dogs with weakened immune systems will struggle with ear trouble.

Tell tale signs of ear troubles

*      Keep an eye on your dog to see whether he’s shaking his head a lot.

*      Is he scratching his ears?

*      Can you see a discharge from his ears?

*      Do his ears smell bad?

Home remedies for dog ear infection

The key to avoiding ear infections is to maintain a healthy balance of the micro-organisms that inhabit our dogs’ ears. The following are steps that you can take to promote good ear health. If you are concerned and his ear infections are not clearing up, please consult a veterinarian.

*      A healthy, well exercised dog on a healthy diet will fight off more infections than an ill, sedentary and overweight dog.

*      Feed him a varied diet containing as much raw food as possible. When manufactured food is used, ensure that it is of premium quality.

*      Groom him and clean his outer ears often.

*      Use a herbal ear solution. This will help to clear his ear canals and support the right balance of flora in his ear canal.

*      If he suffers from recurrent ear infections, use an anti-bacterial herbal remedy to further support healthy bacteria.