Experienced and professional animal trainer provide their insights in answering this question :
A. You should follow the directions given by your vet, it could be that you need to withold cleaning the ears for the time being , or clean them every certain number of days or even daily. It depends on the amount of debris present in the ears.

How to Identify Common Pet Problems ?

Our sources include academic articles, blog posts, and personal essays from experienced pet care professionals :

Treatment generally begins with a thorough cleaning of the cat`s ears to remove any wax or debris that may shield the mites from topical medications. “There are many topical, oral, and systemic agents,” Dr. Miller notes, “and most—such as ivermectin—are highly effective.
How long does it take to get rid of ear mites in cats? It will take at least three weeks after treatment begins for the mites to be completely gone. Over the course of this time period, your cat`s itchiness should begin to subside as the medication takes effect.
To ensure all mite eggs have been eliminated treatment needs to continue for a minimum of 3 weeks. If using a single use product such as Revolution one dose is often enough to get rid of an ear mite infection but it will still take up to three or four weeks for the infection to completely clear up.
Ear mites are transferred from animal to animal through contact. If your cat is venturing outdoors they may be making friends in the neighbourhood and getting ear mites from them while they socialize. Now don`t worry you can cuddle up with you cat or dog and not get ear mites from them.
Most cats have healthy, clean ears and never need to have their ears cleaned. However, it is recommended to clean your cat`s ears if you notice discharge or an odor when examining the ear. Your veterinarian can help you decide how often your cat`s ears should be cleaned.
Why does my cat have re-occurring Ear Mites issues? If your pet has re-occurring ear mite issues, there are a few reasons why this may be happening. Sometimes, after treatment, there may be some wax or debris left in your pet`s ear that could still be irritating them. In this case, they just need a good ear cleaning.
Ear mites are a common and highly contagious issue for cats. These tiny parasites can irritate your cat`s ears and skin and result in infections that lead to excessive itching, scratching and eventual health issues.
Baths can help get rid of fleas, mites, and other bugs. Before you use flea shampoo or dip, ask your veterinarian if it`s the best option for your pet. Some flea products may not be safe for kittens, older cats, or cats with health issues.
Ear mites are more commonly found in animals, including family pets like your dog and cat. These mites can jump from animal to animal in close contact situations. There`s also the risk of humans getting ear mites, although this is unlikely.
An ear mite infection will cause your cat`s ears to itch. This often results in them: shaking their head or scratching their ears excessively. having red and inflamed ears caused by extra wax and irritation.
Ear mites can actually be treated in several ways. They are most active at night, so clean and treat the ears each evening at bedtime.
While ear mites are incredibly contagious between cats and dogs, there is no risk to humans. The life cycle of ear mites in a cat is around 3 weeks.
Even indoor-only cats can end up with them, and once one cat in the house has them, the others are sure to end up with them as well. Otodectes cynotis seen under a microscope. The most common type of ear mite is Otodectes cynotis, which live in the ear canal and feed by piercing the thin skin.
As with human ears, you really shouldn`t try to dig too deep and get rid of wax and dirt all the way down. Not only is this uncomfortable, but it`s also dangerous and could lead to serious pain or injury. The best cleaning solution for cat ears is a wipe, and specifically one soaked in a gentle but effective solution.
Essentials for cleaning cat`s ears

Cleansing wipes (like our selection, THE SWIPE) A dry towelor blanket – some people like to wrap their cats up in towels to keep them snug and secure as they clean their heads. Treats – you may need these to keep your cat occupied or content as you clean their ears.

Prevention. Ear mites are highly contagious. If one of your pets shows evidence of ear mites, treat all of them immediately. Just a few errant eggs can cause a re-infestation.
Ear mites usually only affect the ears, but can cause hair loss behind the ears due to itching and can infect the head, neck and even the tail/rump as the cat sleeps curled up. Your vet can easily diagnose ear mites by examination under magnification and can prescribe simple treatment.
Ear mites go through a life cycle that lasts approximately one month. The mites hatch from an egg into the larval stage. The mite then goes through the first and second nymphal stages where the female can be paired with a male mite. Fertilization then occurs when the female mite turns into an adult.
Ear mites are tiny skin parasites that cause intensely itchy ears, a build-up of earwax and ear infections. Ear mites can affect cats of any age but are most common in kittens. They can also affect other animals such as dogs and ferrets.
These mites can survive off the host for several days to months,2 with adults having a life span of about 2 months. Because transmission often occurs via direct contact during the neonatal period, otodectic mange is more commonly seen in kittens and young cats. Transient lesions have been reported in humans.
Essential Oils for Cat Ear Mites

Here are a few essential oils that mites hate: Tea Tree oil. Lavender Oil. Eucalyptus Oil.

Lesson Summary. Once again, ear mites are parasites that feed off a human host`s skin cells, oils, and wax. They are transmitted by jumping from one host to another, or even though the use of shared damp linens. Symptoms like ear itchiness, redness, and discomfort may prompt a visit to a physician.
They are transmitted by direct contact with an infected animal. Once they are on your pet, they begin to feed on skin cells, blood and earwax. Next, they begin to lay eggs. Once laid, the eggs require four days of incubation time.
Do ear mites make cats sick? While ear mites may not make cats sick, their presence can lead to secondary health complications. Ear mites cause significant irritation and discomfort in the ears, leading to excessive scratching, head shaking, and inflammation.

Relevant Questions and Answers :

the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue

Q. One of my pet’s ears seems very irritated. What I can use to clean it with?
ANSWER : A. Ear Irritation can be caused by a number of things ranging from allergies, ear infections or even mites. Dirty ears can also cause irritation and problems. Knowing the type of problem is best for figuring out how to treat it.

For plain dirty ears that do not have any odor, redness or leakage of discharge/debris, a simple over the counter canine ear cleaner can be used. Gently soak some cotton balls or a washcloth with the cleaner, and then use these to wipe out the flap of the ear and opening to the ear. Do NOT use Q-tips as these can become stuck or lodged in the curve of the ear canal and may cause injury to the ear drum.

If the ear is bright red or itchy without any dirt or debris in it, it may indicate an allergy. Sometimes an allergy medication can help provide relief in this situation. Your vet can give you the correct dosages of an over the counter allergy medication to use, or may recommend one specifically for dogs.

For infections and mites, changes to the ear such as bad smell or lots of debris and discharge, flecks of black or brown debris, or scabs and sores in the ear may be present. In these cases, it is best to have your vet take a sample of the ear debris to test for mites or infection. Your vet can then give you an ointment that is placed and left in the ear between ear cleanings. Most vets will then recommend cleaning the ears twice daily and then leaving in the ointment after for a period of ten days.

Ear mites ARE contagious to other pets, so if your dog does have them, it is best to treat any other pets in the house at the same time to prevent the mites from spreading around continuously.

Read Full Q/A … : How to Treat a Dog's Ear Infection Without Vet Help

Q. I have two problems with my 16 yrs old dog: he’s constipated and has a ear ache. What can I use to relieve these?
ANSWER : A. Constipation is a common problem in dogs that can be due to a number of things. However it is a good idea to make sure the constipation is not actually diarrhea, as some dogs can strain after a bowel movement, making it look like such. If constipation is present, adding a little pumpkin puree or plain yogurt to the diet can help make digestion easier and make stools easier to pass. However if symptoms do not resolve after a few days, it is best to speak with your vet.

For ear aches, it is best to have your vet examine the ear as many things including allergies, ear infections, mites and more can cause ear problems. If the ear is just dirty, then cleaning the ear gently with cotton balls or a clean washcloth and a dog ear cleaning solution can help. Do not use Q-tips as a dog’s ear has a 90-degree turn in it and placing Q-tips in the ear can cause damage to the canal or inner ear. However if the problem persists or cleaning does not help, it is best to seek care.

Read Full Q/A … : Dog Constipation Causes and Treatment – pets.webmd.com

Q. What’s the best way to train a dog to use a lead again?
ANSWER : A. It depends on how serious your issue is. If you need to start from scratch: Bring out the leash, place it on the ground. Click and treat your dog. Say his name, work on attention, click and treat for attention. Work with the cheese sticks, or with some chicken.. something stinky, soft, and high value. Allow him to sniff the leash, praise him, click, treat, click, treat. Pick up the leash, click treat him. Hook the leash to his collar and allow the leash to drag, click treat him. Have him just follow you around, click and treat him to hold his attention.

Then, pick up the leash, click and treat him. Then drop the leash again, click and treat. Take baby steps. Then, hold the leash while you take a step, click and treat him for following. Open the front door, click and treat him. Then, take off the leash, click and treat him, and end training.

Pick training back up in an hour, and do the same exact thing from start to finish, only this time, “finish” will be you two going outside, you clicking and treating him a bunch, and then you bringing him back inside. Work your way up slowly. You can’t expect to just bring him outside and bring him on a walk right away.

When outdoors, use a front hooking harness like the Sensible/Sensation harnesses: http://www.softouchconcepts.com/index.php/product-53/sense-ible-harness / http://www.softouchconcepts.com/index.php/product-53/sense-ation-harness. These harnesses will eliminate the pulling power of your pup in a positive way. This will put you in control without the use of force. Carry high value treats with you everywhere, and offer them for good walking behavior – treats like white meat chicken, cooked fish, turkey pepperoni, turkey bacon, diced ham, mozzarella cheese sticks, hotdogs, all cut into tiny little pieces. The more you work on walking on-leash/attention indoors, the better it will be outdoors, remember that.

Read Full Q/A … : Proven Ways to Train Your Dog – wikiHow

Q. My dog is having ear problems. I have had her at two vets and they can not seem to find the cause. Can you help?
ANSWER : A. For a pet with chronic ear issues I would recommend checking her thyroid levels. Hypothyroidism can be a cause of chronic ear infections.

Then I would recommend having a bacterial culture of the ear debris to ensure the appropriate antibiotic is chosen to completely rid the bacteria in there. If there is resistant bacteria, the ear will appear to get better at first but then once ear meds are stopped they will thrive again and cause a re-emergency of the ear infection. Also longer treatment may be needed, for example instead of 7-10 days, perhaps 14 days continuously.

If all else fails, I would recommend a skull radiographs to look for signs of a narrow ear canal and/or an inner ear infection which will require not only topical antibiotic ointments put into the ear, but also oral antibiotics.
Most ear infections are caused by moisture in the ears, narrow ear canals, hypothyroidism or skin allergies. Each one has to be gone through systematically.

Read Full Q/A … : Dog has ear problems; flaking and smelly – Questions …

Q. My dog has a bad ear infection, his ear is leaking a smelly fluid. Can he take a penicillin to get rid of it?
ANSWER : A. If your dog has an ear infection it is best to have your veterinarian examine it. Ear infections, depending on their type are treated differently. The most common way to treat an ear infection is through daily cleaning of the affected ear and then placement of a medicated ointment that stays in the ear until the next cleaning. Oral antibiotics are sometimes used, but usually in cases where the infection has spread or ointment has not cleared it up.

Do not use penicillin to treat your dog unless instructed by your veterinarian to do so. Penicillin is a general antibiotic and may not be the right choice for treating this particular infection. The wrong dosage can also cause your dog to become very ill.

Read Full Q/A … : My Dog Has a Funny Smell Coming From His Ear – MedicineNet

Q. My dog has ear mites and mange. Have been using Revolution Selamectin on her for 40 days now, but ears are badly sore at the top, next to head
ANSWER : A. If the mites and mange have not begun to clear up yet with the current treatment, it may be a good idea to speak with your vet about attempting a different treatment. Ivermectin is typically the main treatment for mange, while a topical ear solution is used for ear mites, however there are some alternate choices if those do not work or your dog cannot use ivermectin products (it should never be given to collie dogs).

Mange and mites can take a long time to recover until the skin begins to heal, and even if the underlying mite issue is resolved, the skin may have a secondary bacterial or fungal infection causing the sores to appear. Additional treatment or testing of the area can help. Ear mites are also very contagious and can be passed back and forth from pet to pet, so if you have other pets in the house, treating them for ear mites at the same time can help break the cycle and prevent them from spreading back and forth.

In some dogs, Demodetic mange *can* be genetic, making it more likely to be chronically there for a longer period of time. English Sheepdogs and Shar Pei dogs as well as other dogs with large folds in the skin may be more prone to this type.

Read Full Q/A … : Best Ways to Get Rid of Ear Mites – GETRIDOFTHiNGS.COM

Q. My dog keeps shaking his head at night and is very anxious acting? We’ve cleaned his ears and putting ear drops in hasn’t helped?
ANSWER : A. It sounds like ear canal infection. I am not sure if you used ear drops to clean ears (they do not contain antibiotics) or ear drops from your vets to treat ear infection. In case you used ear cleaner only you should take your dog to your vets to get antibiotics. If you are using antibiotics drops and there is no improvement your vet may recommend taking a swab from the ear to check what bacteria, fungus or parasite is responsible for the infection and then pick the most effective medication.

Read Full Q/A … : Idiopathic head tremors – Oh My Dog!

Q. Can you use Floxin Otic for ear infections on dogs?
ANSWER : A. Floxin Otic is an ear cleaning solution designed for the clearing of ear infections in people. While it may be similar to dog products used for ear infections, it is best to bring it to your vet’s attention first so he or she can compare it to dog-safe products. It may be that it is in the same concentration and can be safely used, or your vet can instead recommend a product that is in the right formulation.

If you are seeing an ear infection in your dog’s ears, your vet can provide you with a dog-safe medication to use. Ear infections are usually treated over a period of ten days and involve cleaning the ear 2x daily and then placing the otic ointment in the ear to stay in place until the next cleaning.

Read Full Q/A … : Ofloxacin Otic Solution for Dogs – Vetinfo.com

joliana smith

My name is Sarah Smith and I am a dog owner, lover, and trainer. I have been working with dogs for over 10 years and have a passion for helping them learn and grow. I am a certified dog trainer and specialize in positive reinforcement methods. I believe that all dogs can learn and that the best way to train them is to build a strong relationship based on trust and respect.