Ear Mite Remedies

I really appreciate all the information I've found here. Just a bit of advice for those of us helping our pets to get rid of earmites. It's important for anyone dealing with ear mites in their pets to know that the initial cleaning out (either with medicine or with natural remedys) only kills the living mites. The eggs will remain in the animal's ears. The life cycle of a mite is about 3 weeks. Unless you are using a medicine that kills the larve and eggs, it is best to continue treatment for an entire month to insure all mites are eliminated. Even if the animal stops showing symptoms, make sure to continue treatment for the entire month. Hope this helps.

I have five several cats that have been dumped by various people onto my property. Can't believe the cruelty of people when it comes to what they do to animals. I usually manage to find homes for these dumped cats but the five I now have are extremely wild and cannot be caught or handled by humans. The problem I have now is that they are being troubled severely by earmites. One cat in particular is scratching to the point of crying out in pain when scratching her ear. If giving them ACV in their water will get rid of fleas will it also aid in gettig rid of earmites? I feed all of these cats regularly and give them fresh water daily which they seem to consume rapidly. Is there any other remedy for earmites that could be used to clear up the earmites if added to their food or water? Am very happy that I have found this site. It's wonderful to be able to read all of the great information put on here by you and others. This has been a Godsend. Thank you. Will be hoping to find some earmite information here soon.

In regards to your concern on Boric Acid. Haha, It has been used by hundreds of thousands of people as an eye wash, and as a suppository to treat yeast infections... Now if those areas are safe for boric acid I guarantee its safe for the ear! Perhaps you need to do a little more homework. As for it treating ear mites, I dunno? Couldn't hurt!

I have a cat refuge... the ear mites are constant. I do not believe in Vets or M.Ds.. they kill too many things... I am a naturopath... and it works. My main medicines are apple cider vinegar (rubbed on the body it stops congestion.. around the neck and in the ears and on the ruff... dilute to 1/2 with distilled water). You can also put some on their paws or drops on gums and into ears. IT IS A MUST FOR MOST THINGS. I also used Aloe Vera in their ears to help heal.

PRIMARILY, I USE 500 PPM COLLOIDAL SILVER... (a teaspoon in their gallon water. I clean with Grapefruit Seed Extract (GSE) and vinegar.

NEVER USE CHLORINE!

READ AND RESEARCH WHAT ALL THESE THINGS DO! Make an ear wash with a dropper of colloidal silver in chamomile and green teas (1 glass) and use it to wash their ears out. Then you can use the ACV to kill mites... just make sure that infection is killed with CS and that the ears are not inflamed. Use Aloe Vera to put in ears to heal and sooth. I work everyday with one cat or five.

The other thing I use is sulpher in oil to kill mites. Mix an organic cat vitamin and mineral supplement in foods (powder). MAKE SURE THEY GET PURE NON-POLLUTED WATER OFTEN FOR OXYGEN AND HEALTH. THE Apple Cider Vinegar and CS will not harm it. Watch your animals. Get a book on using herbs etc., on yourself and animals.

Live with the EARTH and the Sun and Moon. I am Native American.

To treat ear mites in dogs I have very successfully used injectable Ivomec. Using a 1cc syringe, without a needle, you administer .25 for each ear. Ivomec can be found at feed stores, such as Tractor Supply. A bottle might cost $30 but last a real long time and can be shared with friends. Ivomec can also be used to prevent heartworms. I do have a chart if anyone wants it.

I've always heard / read that tea tree oil is toxic to cats...can even be deadly. Some essential oils are fine for pets but others aren't.

Garlic is NOT toxic to cats! In fact, I fed it to my cat in every meal for 15 years and he never had any fleas, ticks or infections. I used about a tablespoon of crushed garlic. He lived a long and happy life. Don't spread misinformation please.

After having tried coconut oil and olive oil, I finally tried mineral oil. Weeks of misery gone in 24 hours! My guess is that biological oils - - meaning plant and animal oils - - are more of a natural environment for the ear mites, and thus don't work well. If your kitty has ear mites, try mineral oil first, and save yourself time and money, and you and your kitty misery.

A vinegar treatment brought quick relief.

I returned late in the evening from a two-day trip and noticed my clearly aggravated cat constantly twitching his ears. After researching ear mites and finding this forum through Google I tried a vinegar treatment using a garlic flavored red wine vinegar I had on hand. He clearly showed relief after two treatments eight hours apart and has shown no further symptoms since his third treatment.

I used a paper towel folded in half twice, then rolled corner to corner to form a loose roll with pointed ends. I dipped an end into the vinegar, blotted it lightly on the side of the container until it stopped dripping, then inserted it into an ear holding it in place for about 2 minutes while soothing him. I used the other end of the roll for the other ear, then folded the two used ends together and dunked the center of the roll into the vinegar and without blotting it lightly dabbed outside of his ears and on the top of his head while avoiding his eyes.

It has now been four days exactly since I first came home and found his discomfort, he has received a total of five treatments and I intend to follow through with two additional treatments per week for the next month after taking note of the comments concerning unhatched eggs. The damp paper towel prevented any risk of damage and blotting it lightly before inserting it into his ear limited the chance of dripping liquid in his ear causing him to seriously fight me.

WARNING!

Just wanted to reinforce what another poster has already said: ALL essential oils are dangerous for use on cats, including tea tree and clove! Cats lack the enzyme needed to eliminate the build up of EO compounds in the liver. Terpenes in essential oils build up and create toxicity in the cats body.

l have used colloidal silver for years for ear mites in dogs. 2 drops directly into the ear and massage. Quick relief. Treat daily for a week, then once every 4 days if needed for hatching eggs. Doesn't burn. Keep in mind that the cheaper versions may not be the real deal.

After adopting a very sick cat from SPCA, he had ear mites, mange, ring worm. I first tried the borax mixture that I found on here, saw a little improvement but not much. Tried olive oil in the ears, was very soothing but didn't seem to do much.

Then I tried one capful of natural apple cider vinegar to a cup of water.

I took a cotton ball, dipped it in the mixture, rang it out good. Then cleaned his ears with a slightly moist cotton ball. Within a couple of days I saw a big difference in his ear grime.

So then I thought I would try it for the mange and ring worm, I took the mixture, and soaked his ear good. I also wet the areas where there was the most flakiness and crusty flakes. Again within a week, big improvement! I highly recommend anyone to try this, but for him I couldn't use full strength. Just the smell made him puke on the spot.

One capful is all you need to one cup tepid water, it worked so well. I imagine you could also use it in a spray bottle and spray around the house, wherever he hangs out. They also liked me, so I used full strength on myself for ring worm and mange mites.

Mparsons said "I read one of the comments of using boric acid as part of a formula. This is frightening... "
Mparsons I don't know what exactly is frightening you? Are you frightened about the way Boric Acid kills cockroaches??? Why exactly? Mamalian biology is quite different from insect biology. But anyway... Boric acid is so very slightly toxic to mammals that it can indeed be used topically.

This from wikipedia: "Based on mammalian median lethal dose (LD50) rating of 2, 660 mg/kg body mass, boric acid is poisonous if taken internally or inhaled in large quantities. However, it is generally considered to be not much more toxic than table salt. "

With long term exposure or regular consumption it might lead to problems. But it has amazing properties as an antiseptic and insecticide that is really, all things considered very safe to apply to mammalian skins. So you can rest your fears, dear, except, of course for those poor, poor cockroaches and all their suffering!

I too have given my cats Garlic for many, many years, for fleas... Not sure where your info came from but, it is NOT toxic 2 cats!

WARNING!

Please, stop using this ear wash on cats. Tea-tree oil is very toxic to cats.

WARNING!

NAY on Mineral Oil -- I read Adele Davis' book Let's Eat Right to Keep Fit in the late '60s. It's served as a basis for our family's natural nutrition guide ever since. She was a nationally recognized biochemist/nutritionist in her day, and emphatic against the use of Mineral Oil for either ingestion or topically (since the skin is the body's largest organ). Here's a link (below) to read why, and why I wish to caution against using it as a "natural" ear mite solution. We love our kitties or would not be reading this info. Also, thank you for the info here on ear mites. Just rescued a tiny kitten (stray). Using DE for the fleas (it works!). Now tackling the ear mites. Also found great recipes for home made food by searching "natural food for kittens/cats". He loves the Chicken Stew with lots of veggies included. Good luck to all. - Jackie

http://www.healthy-communications.com/otheringredientsandmyths.html

MINERAL OIL

MYTH: A beneficial moisturizer.

FACT: An oil manufactured from crude oil. It is a mixture of liquid hydrocarbons separated from petroleum. Dr. T. G. Randolph, an allergist, has found that this and many other cosmetic chemicals cause petrochemical hypersensitivity. The allergic reactions can become quite serious in time leading to arthritis, migraine, hyperkinesis, epilepsy and diabetes. Taken internally, mineral oil binds the fat soluble vitamins A, D and E and carries them unabsorbed out of the body, and although little mineral oil is able to penetrate the skin, this tendency is so dangerous that Adelle Davis in Let's Eat Right to Keep Fit says that she "personally would be afraid to use this oil even in baby oils, cold creams and other cosmetics"

(New York: Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich, 1970, p. 46). The fact that mineral oil does not penetrate the skin well makes it inappropriate for use in an absorption base in a skin cream of any kind. In fact, mineral oil-containing cosmetics can produce symptoms similar to dry skin by inhibiting the natural moisturizing factor of your skin. Petrolatum, paraffin or paraffin oil and propylene glycol are other common cosmetic forms of mineral oil. Toxic. Avoid them (Hampton). Has tendency to dissolve the skin's own natural oil and thereby increase dehydration. Mineral oils have been found to be probably the single greatest cause of breakouts in women who use a new product (Chase). Serious carcinogens are commonly found in Mineral Oil.

Ear Mites

I had my cat Sooty to the vets twice with ear mites in 1 month, she had severe ear mites, I never thought of checking her little ears and felt terrible when I noticed little grey blisters and white specks seen by the naked eye and scabs. I was horrified. Sooty is indoor cat and didn't catch from another pet directly. One thing I've noticed that hasn't been mentioned is visitors visiting the house, you may be the cleanest person but visitors may live differently I know there pet as had them but don't know about having to vacuum the house and keep things sterile as they're like a human scabies.

If a pet at home as them or think they have dealt with it but don't realise they live on the animals body and make there way back after treatment and on bedding your clothing pet hair and u go to a friends house and there pet sits on your knee get the picture transmitted. I let people know and warned them when they came in and insisted they washed there hands and use hand sanitizer before leaving as only fair not infest there pets also its a kind way of saying these are contagious and report back or check your pet the suffering they go through and what there hear and endure is devastating. Prescriptions didn't work, expensive solutions did t work, if u ask I will tell u what iv used the list is endless.

It is important though to get the vet to do a check and then when your confident what your dealing with take it from there. After confirmation from the vet and there Prescription med as been used and it sure will continue mine did even after second visit and frontline and antibiotics they continued and constant daily ear cleaning before medication applied. She started September 2015 and think where nearly there feb 2016. Ear mites are very clever and when the ears have had server attack for some time there are deap scabs inside right to the eardrum packed with thousands of them buried in the wax and debris. I found the best solution was mineral oil and olive oil was the best for treating these poor ears its kind and gentle and stops the mites nibbling on there flesh and drowns them and softens the debris working its way out of the ear drums. Yes in the end I used q tips which this is when I noticed things where getting better. I didn't go into the ear canal totally just at the entrance and where the back of the ear is because this is where the hide out and just at the beginning of the ear lobe and if your gentle and your cat is showing no sign of discomfort your ok. If u go further down the canal u are causing damage cause you're pushing the debris back what is trying to work its way out and it will work its way out but not in a day this called TLC tender loving care. Alls you can do is make your cat as comfortable as possible till u have managed to clear most of the debris. I found Johnson ear mite treatment to be safe to use twice a day. Id put a drop on the qtip and apply it in all the hidden cracks and little lobes they have that mites tuck them selves under when the ears become clean this is when u cant see the mites by the naked eye and hidden eggs. I found that when I trusted the medication from the vet using the cream for 2 weeks to treat the yeast and bacteria infection which is always there when there is mites due to there poop and goop was another infestation so more damage was done should of stuck to the ear flushing daily and dosage of olive oil and mineral oil twice daily. Use plenty cover the whole ear inside out and wash with around the ear the cheeks and under the chin ensuring when they shake there head your stopping them from hiding in there fur. Iv bathed sooty twice with a cat shampoo and neem oil 100% pure neem only needing small amount its safe just make sure u completely rinse them off yes the neem is pleasant but the mites hate it. Verbac house spray is good stuff 10.00 amazon or ebay for bedding carpets soffo tables chairs where ever the rub pass basically every where.

At the moment now most of the debris as gone still little bits still coming that's from the eardrum airer so u can imagine how sore and packed and recaring ear mites go on for sept to feb. That's because they hide in all nicks and crans and live under scabs so don't be upset when u think everything is failing and can be a long process.

Now I've started to put day time colloidal silver in, first I flush her ears with home made solutions... mixture, Chamomile tea bag in a cup of hot water add 1 drop ONLY... LAVENDER oil high quality only ensure it recommend for pets first from the supplier. Never use tea tree oil as its poisoning to cats and 500ml vitamin e oil capsule and 1/2 teaspoon of coconut oil 100% pure pressed looks like lard but melts down fast mix it up take the chamomile tea bag out and transfer into your own bottle ... your own solution. When I apply it its just luke warm I fill her ear and hold for as long as possible stroking her head I let go and let her head shake it out and wiped the ear clean. At the present I'm not using the ear mite ointment I only use it when her ears are twitching and constant shaking when this dies of I go straight back to the oil treatment I hope I'm not confusing u guys when you read this ... feel free if I can be any help in advice in any way and if u have any good ideas I'm also interested. So iv flushed her ears done a gently wipe pure clean today gentle qtip ensuring she is dry and clean in little curves u cant see let her go feed her 2 teaspoons of natural yoghurt its like pro biotic for a cat I also put 1/2 teaspoon a day of apple cider vinegar in her wet food to help flush any toxins from the ear mite treatment iv used as cats livers aren't as good as a humans or a dogs so all products for dogs may not be suitable for a cat. After her ears are dry I apply colloidal silver its a 25ml bottle with an ear dropper and apply 1/4 and massage... mites come alive at night..Night time I clean her ears gently with a qtip with the oil I put in for the night which is extra virgin olive oil and coconut oil mixed together as I say I oy used the q tip checking theres no loose debris which as worked out of the canal. I got a little scab tonight but I no its from the ear canal and I'm close to the end. I'm ready for and eggs if they have managed to hatch any this time cause I've been thorough for solid 3 weeks constant cleaning and ensuring her ears or fully oiled to drown them. I've got the neem oil if there is another infestation. When the neem applied in their ear it will make the mites disabled so they can't reproduce and no more chemicals as this is a big concern with cats best to be chemical free when possible. She always runs of fast when I finish treating her, then 5 mins after she comes back smothering me in kisses. We're getting there, keeping positive.

Hope all this makes sense "))))))

We have a british bulldog that had mites she lost all her fur on front legs and neck, vets could not cure after 1,000 pounds and 1 year of treatment. We used flower of sulphur mixed with linseed oil and after a week she was cured. It has not returned 4 years on.

I have cats and when I see them itching their ear, I give them a squirt of full strength apple cider vinegar in the ear and it does the job. They don't like it, but it works.

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.

Since you are a vet, I would not expect you to have any other opinion. Being someone who has lost a few pets to a vet's incompetence, I am always looking for alternatives to the exorbitant and overkill methods presented by the veterinary profession.

I am happy that hand sanitizer was suggested for the cure of ear mites. It was something I already had in the house and I didn't have to go out to buy anything. My two year old peekapoo was scratching his ear like crazy and I truly did not know what the problem was. A family member suggested that he may have ear mites. I went online looking for home remedies to cure ear mites so that i could save on a costly vet bill. I came across several remedies, however the sanitizer was at hand and I decided to use it. I used a bottle with a hand pump and used two sqirts in each ear and massaged it in. Within an hour he scratched once and by the end of the night he wasn't scratching at all. Thanks for the useful information. You guys saved me a trip to the vet. jaja

I have cured my Siamese cat and 2 cats I fostered of ear mites using a mixture of a boric acid solution and ACV which I placed in a dropper bottle. I believe the amount of boric acid I used was 1/4 tsp. in 1/4 C. filtered water. I usually put the water in a heat resistant glass measuring cup and bring it to a boil in the microwave then add the boric acid and stir or put back in the microwave for several more seconds until dissolved. I then allow it to cool (or if in a hurry place the cup in the freezer for 5-7 min.) and add about 1 tbsp. of ACV.

I first clean the cat's ears with a cotton ball with coconut oil (makes it easier to remove the dirt) and then moisten a couple of cotton balls with the solution I prepared and press it on each of the cat's ears so some of it goes in the ear. The cat will shake but this mixture works fast, relief of the itching is almost immediate. It must be applied at least 2x/day, usually only 3 days are necessary but I believe the first time I did it for a whole week. Anyway, when the ears remain clear and the cat's not scratching anymore you'll know he's cured.

NOTE: Borax can be used in place of boric acid, I think it's more stable, boric acid tends to lose potency after a couple of days.

Garlic is at the top of the list of well-known toxins for cats. It can cause severe life-threatening anemia (Heinz body anemia). Some cats seem to do okay with very small doses, but many have died from regular use of garlic in their diets.

WARNING!

Pool filter grade diatomaceous earth has been heat and chemically treated and will poison an animal or human who ingests it, so it is always of utmost importance to only obtain food grade diatomaceous earth to use in and around your household.

Quote from: Wolf Creek Ranch web site: http://wolfcreekranch1.tripod.com/defaq.html

WARNING!

Tea tree oil is toxic to cats and garlic will kill your cat. Good grief people, educate yourself about what is and is NOT safe for your animals!

I use ACV for ear mites on my cat and itchy skin. They bite their skin-- I suspect allergies. They don't have fleas, but even if they did, I'd still use Raw Apple Cider Vinegar, because it's undiluted and has all the vitamins and minerals and potassium intact. The cats have stopped biting and scratching. I put it on a cotton swab for the ears, a cotton pad (round ones for removing makeup)for the fur, and I also put a tiny amount in their wet food. They do not like the smell, but the cats took to the ACV better than the ear mite medicine I had applied to the ear.I think the ACV soothes the cats' ears.

Using alum to treat earmites in dogs, Cheap to use and kills mites, eggs, and larvae by drying process. mix alum in water, apply to ear with dropper.

I see a lot of post using EOs and garlic which is very dangerous for cats. I can't speak for dog as I'm a cat lady.. :) Anyway, I just wanted to share what I use for my cats ears and my daughter (who is a dog person) uses on her dogs. I came upon this concoction in the 70's, it was given to me by my pediatrician. You see, every time I turned around I was taking my son to the doctor for his ears.. I said to my wonderful pediatrician, Dr. Richmond, "what am I going to do, I can't be bringing this boy in here every time I turn around" He stood there a minute, then he turned to his prescription pad and wrote this; 16 oz bottle of 91% or better alcohol + 1 T white vinegar.. Distill 2-3 drops to infected ear. Here's the theory behind this concoction; the vinegar creates an acidic environment that bacteria (and apparently bugs - such as mites) cannot survive in and the alcohol, a drying agent, assures your not leaving the ear canal wet - the perfect breading ground for bacteria.. Please keep in mind, more is NOT better where the vinegar is concerned - it is acidic - stick to the recipe, please!! 1 Tablespoon only.. Hope this helps.. Stay away from EOs where cats are concerned.. Garlic too.. Their livers don't process things like we humans and dogs do..

WARNING!

Just a reminder that felines are radically different, physiologically, from both dogs and rabbits. Cats are able to absorb many things through their skin, including oils and other solutions, and even many essential oils can be harmful to them, whether by inhalation, ingestion, or absorption. Just because Campho Phenique works on a dog or rabbit does NOT mean it is safe for use with a cat ;o) Their livers are unable to process these things in the same way other species can, and it can quickly toxify their system. I am using warm water with a few drops of witch hazel, and a drop of gentle pet shampoo to cleanse my cat's ears. I gently wipe out, then use slightly warm olive oil to soothe.

I have recently discovered that colloidal silver works with ear mites, fungal infections, parasites, and many other issues that come with cat care. You can mix it with water and mist the ears for a cleaning solution or you can put it directly into the ear. I had a cat that had ear mites very badly. They smelled and looked like coffee grounds. She was suffering. I used olive oil to suffocate the ear mites treating each ear twice a day. Now my cat was not at all cooperative but I invented a type of papoose board that I have to use when doing this. Yes, sounds traumatizing but what is worse the constant ear mite and infections or a couple minutes swaddled? After 3 days I started using the colloidal silver. I mixed 2 drops into 1 tsp. Of distilled water and put it in the ears. She was cleared up in 3 days. No coffee grounds or foul odor. I now give the colloidal silver to all my animals. 20 cats and 6 dogs and not one has suffered from any ear mites, infections, or skin issues and it's been 3 years!

Posted by Theresa

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Theresa

The wonderful Theresa from Minneapolis, MN has been helping pet owners and their beloved pets around the world on Earth Clinic since 2013.

About Theresa

Theresa from Minneapolis was born and raised in the inner city, always wishing she had been raised on a farm.

Her love for creatures great and small began at an early age, starting with caterpillars - which continues to this day, along with an interest in all insects and 'creepy crawlies'.

Theresa's interest in pet health started with a bird keeping hobby at age 14, where she learned from another hobbyist that the simple addition of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) in a bird's drinking water kept fungal infections away; she was able to share this with her avian vet who in turn prescribed it to her own clients; Theresa was surprised to learn that she could teach her vet a thing or two. This important lesson - that each of us can be a teacher - was a turning point for Theresa, and  fueled  her quest for the knowledge held in lore,  and remedies passed by word of mouth. That quest for knowledge continues to this day, as new and old remedies alike are explored. She may not have experience with a particular issue, but she will research it to the best of her ability and share what she finds freely, in the hopes that you can heal or improve your pet's health.

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(Mpls., Mn) on 05/03/2018

Hey Natural,

Consider the Arcane remedy for ear infections for the affected ear:

https://www.earthclinic.com/arcane-solution-ear-infection-dogs.html

You might also bring this kitty in to the vet or see if a local rescue can help.

Mineral oil/olive oil/coconut oil are great to break up hardened mite "junk" in your kitty's ears, but the thing I have found that really knocks them down and out and will keep the ears totally clear for months is diatomaceous earth (FOOD GRADE ONLY). I simply dip my pinkie finger in some and apply it inside the ear and try to rub it in if possible. Do this every day and try and remove the debris as you apply. I trapped two feral kittens who had horrendous mite problems - they have been completely clear of ear mites for literally years. (Also treated our other cats so as not to keep this passing back and forth). This works great on my dogs too. They usually stop scratching and shaking their heads the same day, and are a lot more cooperative about the process!

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