My dog has dirty, itchy ears. Could it be mites, yeast, or just dirt?

Ear issues are not usually related to bowel ones unless there is a food allergy ongoing. A strange smell would make me think a yeast or bacterial infection (think corn chips) , however ear mites can also smell off. I would try to keep the ears clean and dry and if the smell continues, worsens, or you see actual discharge, bring Jude into the vet to have them looked at.

This amount of "dirt" on the external part of the ear i would considered normal, ear mites tend to be darker, like ground coffee, but in some cases it's not possible to actually see it from outside, the vet needs to check it with a cotton bud and under the microscope to confirm what it is. there 3 types of ear infections in dogs: yeast, bacterias and mites (less common). if Wallace seems to scratch his ears or shakes his head then it would be a good idea to get it checked by your vet.

I couldn't tell you just by looking at the ear externally, a sample needs to be taken from the ear and the vet needs to look at this sample under the microscope, only this way the vet can know for sure if it is an ear mite infestation, yeast infection or bacterial infection and then treat the infection accordingly.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is not common for dogs to have ear mites but if they did their ears are very itchy and have dark dried debris. It is common for dogs to have ear infections which can also be itchy and have debris. Ear mites are microscopic so canny be seen by the naked eye. If Truck is exhibiting these signs, I recommend taking him to a vet to get it diagnosed and properly treated. Good luck and kisses to Truck!

If the ears have never been tested or swabbed at the veterinarian's clinic, then I would recommend having this done. Sometimes there is only a small amount of debris in the ear canals with a mild infection and the ears do not always appear red or inflamed. A small amount of yeast can cause stinky ears. If the ears are clean of infection, then I would recommend using a weekly ear cleaner such as Epi Otic or Zymox otic cleanser. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Ear mites generally are noted first with signs of thick, dark discharge which appears a bit "crusty". However-the lack of these symptoms does not mean all is well with the ears of your pup. Dogs can get frequent ear infections, just like we can. I can tell from your photos that your pup has hair that grown down into the ear canals-this will be part of the problem. Those hairs trap debris, water from bathing, extra wax, etc and act as a great reservoir for bacteria to grow. I always recommend to my clients to have the hairs "plucked" by their groomer when they go or to come in to the office so that we can do it. After the hairs are cleared and the ears are cleaned, I like to do an exam of the ear canal and to take a swab of the ears to see what kind of yeast and/or bacteria are present there. It is important to have this exam performed by your vet to verify that your pet's eardrum is intact and not perforated. Likely your pet will get prescribed some antibiotics if your doctor finds it necessary, as well as pain medications or something for that awful itch. After everything is well controlled, it is usually easy to get my owners on a good ear cleaning regimen to keep ear infections at bay. I hope this helps! My best to you and your pup!

Without seeing Reaper in person and examining the debris from his ears under a microscope, there is no way I can say if he has a yeast or mite ear infection. You will need to take him into the vet to get that diagnosed, and the vet can prescribe medication to treat it. I'd call the vet first thing in the morning to make an appointment. Best of luck.