Ear Mite Remedies

I have a 16 month old 13 lb.terrier pup whose one ear is now inflamed, from little hard bumps to more scab like today, smelly and clearly hurting her (the vet was booked when I went in, till Sat.)

Emily is a spunky sweetheart damaged in her back, legs & spine from puppy mill abuse (leaving no bowel control and little bladder control): she so doesn't deserve more pain in her short life.

I've so far used olive oil, vit.E, hydrogen peroxide, aloe juice -- so far E and Aloe seem to soothe her the most, but it has gotten worse.

She has been shaking her head, and whole body, a LOT. When I first checked her ear I saw nothing but thinner fur near her one ear, with a black dot which I thought might be emotional or have been a bug bite from rolling around 'love noshing' with her puppy friend. What is the difference between what mites and a yeast infection look like?

Hi, Nimueh back again. Still working with this situation. Since previous notes, have done three rounds with the vet, separated by 2-3 weeks, of: 1) fogging the house with a pyrethins-based fogger to stop mite cycle of mites scattered around the place. [Took all 6 cats out of the house for 3 hours each time; also plants; covered kitchen surfaces. Didn't mind the fogging too much as it dissipates afterwards quickly and left no discernible residue.]; 2) simultaneous to the house fogging, treated 3 cats with Acarex topical treatment in ears - these 3 were doing pretty well and do not have much symptoms, and 3 cats with my vet doing "off-label" transdermal shots of Iverectin (same stuff as Acarex - I think it's the same as Milbemite)as these 3 haven't yet shaken all the symptoms.sigh; 3) the first time, I also flea-shampooed the cats too. This has been quite costly and a hardship for me. (I am trying to set up another job to help us through this.)

In the last few days I am trying one more natural approach. Like I said, we may have tough mites here in the desert. My vet is trying hard to help us, but it's not gone yet. In the time between treatments, it gets almost all better, but then starts up again when the cycle starts over in about 2-3 weeks.

In the intervals between treatments, for relief, I have used: -- Diatomaceous Earth (DE) - but prefer not to, because it's so drying on all our feet and the surfaces in the house; -- also flea shampoo in their ears - very toxic! done in desperation! - not perfectly effective either. --Now I thought of ENZYMES. I found a human shampoo and mousse formerly called "Not Nice To Lice"- totally natural, not harmful - from Walgreen's, then re-ordered online. Now it seems to be selling at the same website www.notnicetolice.com but with with the new name "Lice R Gone", plus Enzyme Cleaner with Peppermint that can be used as a pet shampoo. I have been putting my remaining Not Nice To Lice shampoo in their ears, first cleaning with Qtips with this solution, then squeezing a dipped cottonball in the ear and rubbing the ear base while attempting to keep it shut. (Yes, I'm covered with it from their shaking afterwards.) It's a very thin shampoo solution that doesn't leave much residue, and in the last few days I think it's helping. The 3 cats who need it most, their skin is not as irritated as with the poison flea shampoo (duh!), and in fact, all is healing up well, AND they aren't shaking and scratching. It is so much better for these 3, that tonight I used it also in the ears of the 3 who don't need it too badly, and now no one is scratching. It is peaceful. Aaaahhhhhh.

Enzymes digest anything and everything. Enzymes are how we digest our food and do any chemical function in the body. So I am picturing this solution dissolving the critters and their eggs. Thus, no matter what immunities the little mite-monsters have managed to develop, the enzymes have the potential to just dissolve these invaders regardless. Enzymes don't hurt the cats or me or my hands or feet, or the household surfaces. I am once again hopeful.

Though the Lice R Gone shampoo, 8 oz., is $22, and the Enzyme Cleaner - Peppermint, 32 oz., is $35 ( - there is a smaller one too), plus $8 shipping, if it works, this will be much cheaper than what I have been doing. I will keep you posted. I appreciate you all and Earth Clinic. Good luck.

Friends, I don't know why but the wet application of DE failed to help my 6 cats, even as much as the dry DE application. I am back to applying the DE, dry, on a cotton ball to ears - pressing a good amount into the ear, paws, tails' tips and privates, and anywhere else they are scratching. At least they have immediate relief, and it surely minimizes the mite excrement and ear wax that is in the ear. I will research getting the Milbemite from my vet. I will keep this DE up until I can arrange for the vet treatment, hopefully it will start to end this as it has been going on so long (3 months). I will let you know. Many thanks for all the sharing.

Hi! Checking back in, after a few more weeks of trying remedies!

As of when I wrote last, I tried Diatomaceous Earth (DE) with pyretherins (chrysanthemum extract). I used it dry, applying with a cotton ball, like I had the plain DE. The plain DE worked nicely to provide the cats immediate relief from the mites sensations. But it needed re-application daily or so.

Trying the DE + pyretherins, the result stirred up sensation and symptoms at first for a couple hours, but then seemed to last longer - I was able to go up to 3-4 days without the cats scratching, shaking heads and so on. But over a couple weeks, the relief lasted shorter and shorter for the cats.

All this, plus I have still been using the vet's Revolution for them, now about every two weeks (which I read online somewhere). I think it helped, as one cat with very long hair apparently hadn't really been getting the Revolution on her skin and she had the worst case. Finally I realized this and was very careful to apply it to her skin, and immediately her condition came "up" to the level that the other 5 cats were at. So, all 6 have very little "coffee grounds" stuff and wax in their ears, yet displayed itching and head-shaking after some time with the topically applied products used, as said above.

I was discouraged and alarmed after 3 months of this - trying something which seems to give relief, then finding the relief waning in effectiveness. I had this "waning" result with alkaline mineralized water, and with the DE with pyretherins. This was while using Revolution at 4-week intervals, then at 2-week intervals. The mineral oil didn't work for us at all. The plain DE didn't have a "waning" effect but it just never got the job all done. I came back to this site and somehow read what I missed before - about Ted's Borax, vinegar, hydrogen peroxide formula. I almost went out at midnight to get the stuff but decided to wait till the next day.

The next evening after work, I was too tired to . (as I understood the procedure) clean the house with a borax/ water solution and leave it on the floors, etc.; do laundry with borax of all 6 cats' beddings; and give a Ted's borax solution bath to each of the 6 cats. (His stories and the testimonials talked about dogs and baths; I didn't find any about cats but I was prepared to bathe the cats, though I haven't ever before bathed all the cats at once.) So, tired, instead, I made up a small glass bottle of Ted's borax solution to apply to ears, paws, privates and tail's ends, just to see if I could see the effect for the cats.

Reading Ted's approach, I had begun to understand the importance of getting the biologically active material into a solution that penetrates skin somewhat. Another person had talked to me also about putting the DE into solution; when I had tried that person's suggestion which had not been tried on a pet's body but only in the garden, it clearly made their situation worse over a couple of hours, and I reversed tacts. Using Ted's formula the night before last and yesterday, I also found that it didn't do the job. Here in the Arizona desert, we may have some truly genetically deviant mites, very hardy.

However, this morning, before I could do all the cleaning steps that Ted's approach asks (not that my house wouldn't benefit from that, anyway!), I thought about what had worked the best. The best remedy was the plain DE - available at HomeDepot here, or where swimming pool supplies are sold, for use in pool filters. But DE didn't last, didn't quite get the job done. DE is known to be an effective natural pesticide, as it is fossilized, ground seashells, inert calcium carbonate, etc., and its pieces are very sharp microscopically, so it cuts the micro-bugs; it is also very drying, so it lethally dehydrates the micro-critters too. It is used here by savvy natural gardeners to get rid of garden pests. As I wrote earlier, if you use it, you'll find it is very drying to your hands and nails, so wash your hands well after touching it. (And, again, avoid the expensive brand that states it is "Flour Grade," as I found that it gets into the air and is breathed - very damaging if anyone has respiratory conditions - and is quite difficult to clean up as it only floats in air and doesn't stay on surfaces to get wiped up easily. I had to clean and clean again. One of the most challenging and dangerous experiences in this whole tough time, as one here has a respiratory problem.)

So, this morning, I added DE to my bottle of Ted's formula and again drenched my 6 cats' ears, paws, privates and tails' ends. This provides an active solution and a hopefully effective biologically active agent - DE. And the Borax is there too. I am currently delighted that I have seen no more head shaking, itching, etc., for hours. I will report in a couple days if the effect continues, and I will take steps to apply it very thoroughly to all the cats and the environment too.

Thank you for this site. It has helped me and my beloved felines. Hopefully some of this experience will help others.

Re: my earlier submission. I have found it to be vitally important that I use only regular grade DE, i.e., NOT a certain brand and kind that calls itself "flour grade" - very fine. The "very fine" was so fine that it got in the air, and I had to wash everything that I possibly could, linens, floors, tabletops, etc., over & over, because we were breathing it, and it wouldn't stay DOWN on surfaces. It was much more expensive than regular grade (about $20, 1 lb.)

I have used DE for years and never had that problem until I used this certain "flour grade" type. So, please do use DE, but please get a regular type such as at HomeDepot for swimming pools - about $15 for 25 lbs.(life time supply for our urpose here - Also can use along edge of garden to eliminate pests, etc.)

Today searching for that product that I mentioned but couldn't get a hold of, I found online that pyrethrins (from chrysanthemum flowers thus natural) can be used like I've been using DE. Local to Arizona, I found a place that sells DE with pyrethrins (about $20, 1 lb. bag). I got some and have been applying to the cats now with the cotton ball to ears, neck, paws, tail tip and privates. So far, I can see that they are scratching less. Hopefully, this will help them. The pyrethrins may actually kill all stages of the mites, and so I may have reached the end of this tough challenge. I will let you know.

After trying Revolution monthly, I am now trying it twice monthly as I read online somewhere. Still, with various cleaners from the vet and from online, my beloved cats are still shaking their heads and scratching.I have also been using DE powder whenever they display these symptoms. I grab a cotton ball and dip it in the DE powder and press it firmly into each ear, also to their paws front and back - just dust the top of the paw, to the tip of their tails - as the paws and tail tip contact the ears, and their private parts - just dust there with the DE-coated cotton ball. Plus any place else that they are scratching. These are places where the parasites, eggs and such may be, so the DE will just stop them from developing. DE microscopically is very sharp shards as well as very dehydrating, so it wipes out all kinds of parasites and pests, in the garden too, etc. However, I am tired of them having more problems with this coming up still day after day. I am glad that the DE gives them immediate relief. I will continue for a month, as one writer suggests here, though I may have already done that. DE is very drying, so wash your hands thoroughly as it will dry your nails; also floors, etc. Still I would do anything to have their suffering end. I will try Milbo-Mite, as the oil didn't work for me & wasn't manageable - oil everywhere! Thank you!

Lanissa -- I always had lots of cats and deals with ear mites. You did the right thing but long term untreated, ear mites can cause bleeding.

With my cats I use neem oil after cleaning the outer ear. Then repeat every three days or so. Because neem oil interrupts the productive cycle of these mites, there is noticeable improvement. I keep checking though. Kittens need the neem oil diluted with another oil because of their delicate skins. Coconut oil is also good for sensitive ears with a touch of turmeric powder if bleeding. Turmeric stops bleeding internally and externally.

For the bleeding I use turmeric powder in small amounts as it also is a natural antibiotic. For fluid in the ear I use turmeric powder and alum in 1 - 20 ratio to dry out the ear, later following up with coconut oil. This will prevent inflammation and provide cooling for red hot ears. Hope this helps.

Namaste, Om

For ear mites try neem oil. The mites disappear within days of treatment. Neem oil disrupts the breeding cycle therefore no need to go on for a full month. Except now and then use it to prevent new infections.

No need to warm the semi solid oil as the body warmth does it and also it is easier to pack the oil into the orifice. For kittens the neem oil has to be mixed with coconut oil as their skin is too delicate for neem on its own. On EC was another post on this, confirming my own observation on the shorter duration of mite treatment.

Namaste, Om

NEEM OIL is a rapid cure for ear mite infections. I used it with my cockapoo and it worked in a couple of days where three weeks of using other treatments failed (olive oil, mineral oil, olive oil with garlic, water/vinegar ALL FAILED). The effectiveness of Neem Oil was impressive and I recommend it highly.

Start by warming the Neem Oil by sitting the closed bottle in a bowl of hot water for about 10 minutes. This is important because Neem Oil becomes viscous or solid when cold and you must warm it up so that it flows easily into the ear.

Then, using a dropper, fill the ear canal with pure Neem Oil, then massage the ear canal for about a minute, then wipe off the excess with a cotton ball. Do this once a day at bedtime for a few days so the dog sleeps with the oil in its ear. Neem Oil seems to be absorbed into the tissues so do not use it for more than a few days.

Holistic Ear Mite Remedies:

I adopted two kittens in November and both were infested with fleas and ear mites. They were babies, only four weeks old, but the mother stopped producing milk, and the woman who owned the pregnant cat said she'd had enough of the constant bottle feeding.

My key goals became to rid them of the fleas and mites, but the vet I have told me to avoid any medications at their young age, especially since one of them was the runt of the litter and barely weighed 14 ounces. The other was one pound.

Anyway, he suggested I mix 1/4 cup of olive oil with 10 drops of peppermint oil and then store it in a bottle. Every day, I'd put three or four drops of this oil mixture into their ears and then massage it in. I'd follow this with a bath in warm water with baby shampoo to kill off as many fleas as possible. Then I'd use blunt-tipped tweezers to pick off fleas that climbed to the head. Wrap them in a blanket and dry them off some. Then I'd use a flea comb to remove any other fleas that escaped. I was told that by bathing them right after the oil treatment, any mites that escaped the ear were washed away by the shampoo.

After two weeks, I took them back to the vet and heard the words I was waiting for--both kittens were completely flea and ear mite free. They are eight months old and never had fleas or ear mites again. So obviously the olive oil and peppermint oil mix did the trick. Now I have my two boys who weigh 11 and 13 pounds (the runt is 13) and as I've been told they are obviously part Maine Coon, the vet's told me to expect them to be huge. Given the size of their paws, I'd already expected that!

i have used both VCO and olive oil and garlic oil (from capsules - the smelly kind not the deodorized). i have pet rats and sometimes they will get ear mites. at first i tried putting VCO in their ears for several days and then also rubbing it all over their fur til it reaches their skin. while this seemed to work you have to do it again in a few days to make sure you get the new ones that hatch. i have also used olive oil for this and what i think worked the fastest was squeezing a garlic capsule in either VCO or EVOO and using the garlic flavored oil on their ears and around their ears. just don't get the garlic oil in their eyes! you must re-apply in 3 days and then in 3 more days to be sure. good luck!

the VERY best thing i have found for ear mites in cats, rats, etc. is olive oil mixed with garlic oil. usually i just rub the olive/garlic mixture on their ears and then do it again a few days later.

i've also had pretty much the same results with just olive or coconut oil by itself if you are afraid to use garlic. i personally don't believe garlic is poisonous to cats but some people do. also, i had rats that had ear mites and rubbed VCO all over them ears and everywhere and did it again a few days later (it doesn't hurt them to lick it off) and the mites were gone.

I first rid a cat of ear mites using a mixture of olive oil and vitamin e back in 2004, following the advice in the book natural remedies for cats. Yesterday I noticed my cat had signs of mites. I cleaned the ear of debris and massaged in olive oil. Today I bought vitamin e and the yellow dock and gave him a dose of olive oil and then the yellow dock (9 drops in 1 TBS of water). We'll see if this works, but I bet it will. I treated the nonaffected ear yesterday, but not today. My cat is a little wary of me messing with his ears, so I'm focusing my efforts on his bad ear at this point!

pine tar soap also works very well on mites as well as fleas. lather it up very well and let it sit a few minutes. it will be necessary to do it a few days later. i would use this in addition to VCO or garlic oil.

Years ago, my Grandmother spent a majority of her summer, running her dog to the Vet's because of ear mites. Then she decided to take the pet to another Vet. who was a Man who believed in "old time" remedies. His advice to her for the ear mites was pure aloa vera gel. Just break off a small end of one of the stems and using a Q-tip, swab the ear and within a few days, the mites were gone and most importantly, the Aloa is very gentle on the pet not to mention it cures without harmful chemicals.