Do you think your dog might have ear mites? If so, you can bet he finds them extremely annoying. In fact, these tiny little bloodsucking parasites can send your dog into a nonstop frenzy of itching and scratching.

As unpleasant as it is to imagine, these mites are eight legged little insects that live by the thousands inside the ear canal. If they go untreated, your dog may scratch himself until he’s raw and bleeding in an attempt to get relief.

Ear mites find new host animals to inhabit by jumping from one to another. That means that if your dog goes out and plays any role in a larger community of dogs, ear mites might be tough to prevent. Still, if your dog develops a serious ear mite problem, you can still prevail as long as you persist. Here are a few tips from vets to help you win the battle:

1. Before you go and apply any medication to kill off ear mites, you must first clean out the crusty debris inside the ear. If you squeamishly skip this step and simply apply medication, the crust will protect some of the mites, who will then begin to lay more eggs and replenish the whole force.

To clear the debris, first fill a small dropper with a few drops of mineral oil, then deposit the oil in the ear canal. Now leave the ear alone for a few hours so the crusts can soften. Next, fill a rubber syringe designed for cleaning ears with a half-and-half mixture of distilled water and white vinegar. Using this solution, gently flush the debris from your dog’s ear canal, being careful not to use too much pressure. Repeat the process until you’ve removed all the debris.

2. It’s time for medication. Now that you’ve cleaned your dog’s ears, you can use an over-the-counter preparation to complete the job. Most vets recommend solutions containing pyrethrins, which are insecticides made from chrysanthemums. Typically, these medications are found in pet stores.

To apply the medication, just release a few drops into your dog’s ear, being sure to follow the instructions included with your medication. Then massage the base of his ear for about five minutes, to distribute the medicine and saturate the area. And now you’re done — it really is that easy.