Olive oil provides a natural method for killing dog ear mites. Traditional medications, while effective, frequently use pyrethrin to kill the mites. Dogs generally handle the insecticide medications well, but if you also own a cat that spends time grooming your dog, you should know that pyrethrin can be toxic to cats. Therefore, finding an alternate method for ridding your dog of ear mites is important.
Many pet owners find that olive oil is both safe and effective at killing ear mites. It doesn't matter if your cat grooms your dog's ears after using the olive oil, because there is no chance of the olive oil impacting your cat's health.
What Are Dog Ear Mites?
Ear mites are small parasites that feast on dead tissue and fluids within the ear canal. The ear mites create inflammation and extreme itching. You often know they are present because the dog will scratch at his ears excessively and frequently shake his head.
If you view the inside of your dog's ear, you'll see ear mite deposits that resemble coffee grounds. The ear might be red and inflamed. Use a cotton swab to clean the outer ear area and then proceed to using olive oil drops to kill off the dog ear mites.
Using Olive Oil to Kill Dog Ear Mites
It's important to know that it does take longer for olive oil to kill all ear mites. Prescription ear mite medications usually work within a week. You do need to use olive oil for a full 6 weeks to guarantee all ear mites are killed.
Mix together 1/2-ounce olive oil with one vitamin E capsule and one teaspoon fresh oregano, garlic clove or fresh peppermint. Dog ear mites dislike those herbs. Be aware that garlic has antibiotic properties that can help with the healing process, so while strongly scented, garlic is beneficial. Let the mixture seep for two days and then strain through a cheesecloth and store in a glass jar.
Use an eye dropper and put half a dropper into each ear twice a day. Massage the ear lobe gently to help the mixture get deep into the ear. You can use cotton balls inserted into the ear opening to keep the oil from draining out.
The oil mixture remains effective for a few days, so add new ear drops every two or three days, depending on how severe the infestation is. Note that olive oil doesn't kill ear mites directly, but instead smothers them. Ear mite eggs can take weeks to hatch, so make sure you use the olive oil ear drops for a full 6 weeks to ensure all eggs have hatched and all adults have been smothered.
Ear mites will attempt to hide outside the ear canal, especially after you've added olive oil to the ear canals. To avoid the olive oil, they'll move outside the ear until they feel it is safe to return. Use baby shampoo or dish soap to wash the ears and tip of the tail to kill off any mites that attempt to hide. Dogs often curl up to sleep, placing their tail over their eyes. This allows dog ear mites to travel to the tail, so make sure you wash the dog's tail.