Ear Mites in Dogs

visually determine that a dog has ear mites, it’s necessary to view a sample under a microscope. This can be done at the vet’s office for optimal convenience and clarity.

What Causes Ear Mites?

Now that we have discussed what ear mites are, let’s dive into how dogs get ear mites and how to prevent ear mites in dogs. Ear mites are caused by many different factors. To start, the most common cause of dog ear mites is the outdoors. Now, that probably sounds a bit concerning seeing as dogs spend a decent amount of time outside. We understand that. But don’t let this information keep you from walking your dog through the neighborhood or letting your pup run around like crazy in the backyard.

Instead, check for ear mites each time you bring your canine indoors. Gently wipe your doggy’s face with a towel and make sure that your buddy doesn’t remain damp while inside, especially when the weather is rainy or chilled. Ear mites are heavily present in dog parks as well as doggy daycare centers, animal shelters, and anywhere that more than a few dogs are contained within the same space. Ear mites are incredibly contagious, which just makes matters even worse.

The common denominator between all these situations is that the hygiene levels are relatively low. It’s impossible to doggy-proof nature, and similarly, it’s hard to make sure places where multiple dogs frequent are well-maintained at all times. However, by maintaining your own dog’s hygiene, you drastically reduce the possibility of your dog getting ear mites altogether. Keeping up with timely haircuts by frequenting your

dog’s groomer is one of many ways this is possible. Just keep tabs on your dog’s overall health and your dog will be less likely to face ear mites in his or her lifetime!

The Signs and Symptoms of Ear Mites in Dogs

We all know that dogs are known for many funny movements, one of them being the way they tilt their heads to the side and scratch their ears with their hind legs. While this is a very common action among dogs and pups of all breeds and ages, it can also be a sign that a dog has ear mites. Increased itching and excessive scratching of the ears is an obvious indication that ear mites are infesting the ear canals of your puppy pal.

Ear mites are most commonly found in the ears of dogs because their primary source of energy is ear wax, as well as the occasional facial skin oil. Another way of knowing if your dog has ear mites is by taking a flashlight and using it to look deep into the ear canal of your darling dog. If you happen to notice a black, tar-like substance inside of your dog's ear, it is probably a sign that ear mites are causing infections and discomfort for your dog.

This black gooey discharge is a direct correlation to ear mites. The little pests create the substance as they burrow themselves deep into the ear canal of your canine and secrete chemicals, which then build up and become the gross goop that you see. Since ear mites only live for upwards of two months, the carcasses of the dead ear mites

merge with the black substance, too. So, if you see anything in your dog’s ears that resemble this substance, it is a sign and symptom of ear mites in canines.

How to Protect Your Dog From Having Ear Mites

As unhelpful as these words of advice may sound, the best way to protect your dog from ear mites is to prevent your dog from ever coming into contact with them. While this is the best-case scenario, it’s nearly impossible that your dog will always be in an environment void of ear mites. Also, ear mites are so easily transferred from one dog to the next, and not every dog owner is aware that their pup has ear mites until symptoms are incredibly obvious, so prevention is a lot harder than it sounds.

So what can you do to keep your dog from contracting ear mites from his or her canine friends? Well, the best you can do is to educate yourself about the symptoms of ear

mites and have a plan of action in mind, were your dog to come down with a case of these unfortunate parasites.

Ear Mite Treatment in Dogs and Puppies

Aside from preventing ear mites from ever happening, it’s also important to know what to do once your dog has already contracted ear mites. Seeking professional help and assistance with treatment for ear mites in dogs is the most important part of curing your dog’s condition. Ear mites can only be stopped with the use of prescription medication. It’s vital that you make an appointment with your dog’s primary veterinarian in order to solve the problem at hand.

When you use the prescribed lotions for your dog at home, we highly suggest washing all the doggy beds, blankets, toys, et cetera, that your dog loves and uses. By doing so, you’ll be able to ensure that all of the most frequented spaces are free from ear mites. The worst situation to find yourself in is one in which your dog is finally free of ear mites, but then gets them all over again, just because the living space was not also free of ear mites. We don’t want your dog to have to go through that experience all

over again, and we doubt you want that either. Precautionary measures are absolutely necessary for the follow-up of ear mites.

Traditional Medication vs Alternative and Natural Remedies for Ear Mites

Now, if you go to the vet in the event of dog ear mites, it is very likely that you will leave the veterinarian’s office with a prescription or two in your hand. This is nearly always the result of receiving care from traditional veterinarians. When it comes to prescription medication, there are a few common remedies for ear mites in dogs.

Unfortunately, many cases of ear mites for dogs include the use of prescription medication. The problem with prescribed ear mite treatments is that they contain a vast amount of unnecessary and unwanted ingredients. From pesticides and parasiticides, to since the presence of ear mites typically goes unnoticed until symptoms are very obvious, many dogs with ear mites reach a point where there is a legitimate infection occurring.

An alternative method of soothing the irritation and inflammation caused by ear mites is through the use of CBD oil. Have you heard of CBD before? If so, then you know that it’s a close relative of THC, which is the main source of psychoactive sensations attributed to the use of weed. Unlike THC, CBD is actually good for dogs. The primary reason for using CBD with dogs is to make the unfortunate symptoms of many illnesses, infections, and diseases more manageable for your pet.

CBD is a way of keeping your dog free from pain and genuine misery while they endure treatment for their ear mites. By the end of treatment, your dog will go back to feeling like a million bucks. But until that point is reached, your puppy pal might be facing some really uncomfortable symptoms. Dogs’ ears remain pretty itchy and scabby during the healing process, and if it bothers them enough, they will start to scratch at

the area. In doing so, dogs are prone to making the matters worse and slowing down their progress.

The Perks of CBD Oil for Ear Mites in Dogs

If the medication your dog’s vet prescribes as a way of treating your dog’s ear mites works well, then that is something to appreciate. Unfortunately, it is often the case that prescription medications intended to treat ear mites in dogs create additional problems as side effects. For example, if your dog is allergic to the medicine you were told to administer, then your dog will probably develop a rash.

Not all dogs react poorly to ear mite treatment, but in the off chance that your dog does, you should contact your vet immediately and figure out what to do from there. Do not try to figure out how to take your dog off of the medication on your own, and more importantly, don’t just stop giving the medicine to your dog all at once.

Some medicinal remedies for ear mites require that you slowly taper your dog off of the medicine. Depending on the particular treatment your dog is receiving, forcing your dog to quit treatment cold-turkey could be very detrimental. But with the help of your vet’s advice and wisdom, you can find the right route to take while also keeping your dog’s best interest in mind.

If you are looking for a home remedy for ear mites in dogs, you will not find anything that necessarily treats your dog’s symptoms. That responsibility needs to be left to a veterinarian that you know and trust. However, as you now know, your dog might not respond very well to the treatment involved in curing ear mites. That doesn’t mean your dog just has to deal with the exacerbated pain and discomfort, though. This is where CBD oil comes into play.

CBD oils, CBD treats, CBD Soft Chews, and Hemp capsules are increasing in popularity more and more every day. People who are looking to treat symptoms of their dogs’ ailments are turning to CBD-related products as an alternative way of helping their dogs feel better. From reducing pain and preventing further strain, to lowering anxiety levels and controlling stress that is easily heightened, CBD has a myriad of uses.

A very well-studied area of the effects of cannabidiol revolves around dogs who suffer from the aches and pains of osteoarthritis. Recently, a study at Cornell looked into the relationship between CBD and dogs. Concluding the study, the researchers found that CBD is a beneficial remedy for pain relief and management.

One of the findings that result in time and time again is that there are never any negative side effects of CBD for dogs. The same actually goes for other animals and people, too. CBD either has calming, sedative effects, or no effects at all.

Unlike THC, CBD will never cause adverse effects for dogs, which is a fact assumed to be attributed to the lack of psychoactivity involved with CBD. Most often, increased anxiety, the onset of paranoia, sudden nausea, and all other unfortunate bodily and mind responses to cannabis is due to THC.

Not everyone is well-suited for THC, whereas just about anybody can ingest CBD and be completely fine. That is the beauty of CBD. It is a one-size-fits-all type of pain reliever and anti-inflammatory solution to an array of physical symptoms.

Even better, true CBD oils will always be natural, meaning there should never be any by-products, added dyes, chemicals, or anything of the likes.
If you happen to find CBD that is not completely natural, we advise that you steer clear of the brand because this means the CBD oil is not pure, which could also be an indicator that there are relatively high levels of THC in the CBD oil as well. Dogs should never ever come in contact with THC for many reasons, but above all, the general idea is that THC is not good for dogs.

The benefits of using CBD oils for a dog with ear mites include…

• Lower pain levels
• Lessened irritation
• Decrease in stress associated with ear mites
• Clear reduction of inflammation in response to ear mite infection
• Assists in lowering the possibility of developing diabetes
• Lowers chances of having seizures or developing a seizure disorder