Was it inside his ear or on the outside-like on the tips? Does his ear smell bad? usually ear infections smell pretty bad!

There was a cocker spaniel at work that had flaky skin on his ears around the tips and it was extremely itchy and reddish. It turned out to be scabbies. It is a type of mange/mite that IS comtagious to people. The cockers whole family got it! It probably isn't scabbies but thought I would just let you know!