Does your dog have that sheepish look? It could be that he's embarrassed of his ear mite problem! All this time you thought he just had a bad case of ear wax like your Uncle Henry, when really he's been suffering from an annoying condition that's itching like mad... not to mention, making him wildly unpopular with the other dogs in the neighborhood! Pretty earritating.

Lots of dogs pick up ear mites, so tell your pup that it's nothing to be ashamed of. Ear mites are easily transmitted from animal to animal. Your dog may have contracted them from just about anywhere... another dog in the household, the family cat, or even that Weimeraner he was cavorting with in the dog park last week.

If you think your dog may have somehow picked up ear mites, be on the lookout for the following symptoms:

- Scratching
- Pawing at the ears
- Redness and irritation
- Thick, black earwax

You can do a little "ear mite check" at home, assuming you've got good eyes. Run a cotton swab along the outside of your dog's ear, then hold the cotton swab up to the light to have a closer look. If it's ear mites, you'll see what looks like miniscule white fuzzies moving around. That's not lint... it's ear mites! Yikes. That poor pooch of yours is feeling a little uncomfortable on account of his ear cooties. Help him get some relief.

Many pet stores offer over-the-counter topical ear mite medications, but it's best to bring your pup in for a vet checkup just in case you've misdiagnosed. Your vet will be able to confirm the condition, prescribe a treatment and recommend length and frequency of application. If your dog's ear "smells a little funky," then it's definitely time to schedule a vet appointment, no ifs ands or butts about it.

Ear mites aren't life-threatening, but most people would agree that letting parasites habitate on your dog's body for an indefinite amount of time is not good pet owner practice. You wouldn't want creepy critters crawling around in your own ears, would you? I didn't think so.

Time to take care of those ear mites!

Copyright 2005 Dina Giolitto. All rights reserved.

Dina M. Giolitto

Dina Giolitto provides exceptional copywriting direction, creation, support and implementation for a host of corporate and small business clients throughout the country. She is the author of "ARTICLE POWER: Create Dynamite Articles and Watch Your Sales Explode," now available for download at Article-Power.com.

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