If your pet has been scratching his ears a lot, and you’ve noticed that his ears do kind of smell odd in a bad way, your pet probably has ear mites. There are many available treatments for ear mites, from simple home remedies to medications you can get from a vet.
Mites are parasites; they live off your pet’s bodily fluids. They are called ear mites, because they seem to prefer infesting ears. They are too small to be seen with the naked eye, but when a dog or cat is infected, the infected area will resemble coffee grounds.
Poor hygiene and a dirty environment are the main causes for ear mite infection. Mites are quite contagious which is why you should avoid letting your pets interact with strays or pets of less conscientious owners. Breeds such as Basset hounds and Dachshunds are particularly susceptible to ear mites, because of their big floppy ears. Be sure to keep such dogs and other breeds with big ears as clean and well groomed as possible.
Bathe your dog regularly, if your dog has a crate, a bed or a doghouse, make sure these things are kept reasonably clean as well. If you happen to have several pets and one is suddenly infected, keep the infected animal away from all the others while you are treating the infection. Don’t take ear mites lightly, as prolonged infection has been known to cause deafness.
If your cat is infected and the infection is in its early stages, you can actually solve the problem with a bit of mineral oil. Simply use a few drops to loosen the crust, wait a few minutes, then wipe it off using a cotton ball. If your cats ears look inflamed and raw though, you will need to call a vet, the infestation may be severe, and there might also be other problems.
An infected dog’s ears should be wiped daily. A mixture of garlic and olive oil has been found to be effective. A few drops in each ear should do the trick. Should the condition persist though, you should see a vet.