by 
The Curious Bag
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Ear mites can affect all small mammals, including dogs, cats and rabbits. They can also be transferred from one pet to another, so it is a good idea to use medication on all the animals if one of them has ear mites. Ear mites are small, crab-like parasites that thrive in ear canals. Without proper treatment, ear mites can damage sensitive areas of your dog's ears.
Detection
If your dog is constantly fussing with his ears--batting them, rubbing them against furniture or licking them--he probably has ear mites. It is easy to confirm: Simply lay back the ear of your dog and look inside, either with natural light or a flashlight. If ear mites are present, the ear will tend to be red from the dog's scratching and you will see oddly-shaped black spots. These are the ear mites. In bad cases, you may see crusty discharge along the edges of the dog's ear.
Treatment
It is important to treat the ear mites right away before they get worse. A veterinarian will do an ear examination to confirm that it is ear mites and she will prescribe medication. There are many medications available, both oral and topical varieties. It may take up to a month to rid the dog of ear mites, but it is important to continue giving the medication until all the black spots in the ear are eliminated.
Source:
Guide to protecting your dog's ears
Guide to recognizing ear mites
Resource:
Guide to the Canine Ear
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