My Beagles ears?

Question

One of Hunter's ears.   QUESTION: Hi. Hunter, my Beagle, is still a puppy. But he's having some pretty bad problems with his ears. They were fine when we got him, but they have gotten very flaky on the inside and outside now. He itches them a bit, but not a lot. And they don't stink, so I didn't think it was an infection. He does have the brown wax buildup, but from what I've read that's normal. I just have to keep them clean. But his hair is starting to get thin on his ears and the outside is slightly red. We're going to take him to the vet for a check up soon but I'd like to have at least an idea of what this is.

ANSWER: There are two options that stand out to me. One is fleas, which are common in dogs obviously and can cause this kind of problem. They can be taken care of fast with a steroid shot. If that is the case then ask your vet about frontline or any other leading product. The second is ear mites. They can be mistaken as ear wax alot of the times. What your vet will do is take a few samples and check it under a microscope. Since beagles have floppy ears they contain a lot of moisture which can make wax build ups. It is hard and scary to clean a beagles ear because they have large ear canals you can insert a q-tip as much as 2 to 2 and a half inches inside the ear. I strongly advise you to watch your vet first before you try it. A beagle's ear should be cleaned once a week to help prevent these kinds of things. I hope this helps and if you need anymore help please don't hesitate to ask. Best wishes to you and Hunter.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you! I know it's not fleas. But it could be mites. If he had ear mites would my other dog have them too though? Because she doesn't have any signs of mites.

-Courtney

Answer
Hello Again,
Ear mites are microscopic, eight-legged insects that are passed by direct contact from dog to dog. Although usually found in the ear canal, these mites can also be found on other parts of your dog's body and are contagious to other household pets. But if you don't see the flaky particles in your other dog's ear I wouldn't worry to much. But in my opinion I would have the other one checked as well because they are contagious. If you need anything else please ask me again I am more than happy to help!