Dog Ear Mites: Are They Dangerous To Your Dog?

Ear mites can greatly affect a dog’s health. Though it is rare, ear mites can definitely suffer your dog. The ear mites in dogs are tiny living parasites that are flourishing food nutrients from the dog’s body.

Dog ear mites can cause various dog ear problems. These parasites are barely seen by the human’s naked eyes. It is possible for the bigger ear mites to be seen on the body of your dog. However, there are some of these dog parasites that can be seen through a microscope. It is not really necessary for a dog owner to see the ear mites in the dog’s body. What is important is learning how to detect and treat this dog ear problem.

A dog affected by ear mites suffers pain and distress. They constantly scratch their ears and can be extremely irritable for them. Furthermore, ear mites cause brown discharges in your dog’s ears. This is due to excessive ear wax production in your dog’s ears, which are caused by the presence of ear mites.

Ear mites in dogs can be fatal if untreated at the early stage. One of the common concerns regarding ear mites is that it can affect your dog’s hearing. These parasites can deeply penetrate into the dog’s ears, which may cause ear drum damage. It is indisputable that the ears are very important to the dogs. The ear mites cause disturbances of the dog’s health balance that can lead to seizures. A bad seizure may lead to death.

Furthermore, ear mites in dogs are extremely contagious. If you have many pets at home, it is critical to isolate the infected dog from other pets. This dog disease may spread out and it might be difficult for you to eliminate them away.

A proper dog ear care and hygiene would be the essential defense against ear mites. You must regularly clean your dog’s ears and groom whenever necessary. A healthy dog cannot be affected by any diseases such as dog ear mites.

Dog Ear Mites: Symptoms and Treatment

Ear mites, also known as Otodectes cynotis are crab-like, eight-legged, infectious, microscopic parasites which unlike other mites do not burrow into the skin. They have a life cycle of approximately 4 weeks and can survive for several weeks outside the host. Female mites lay eggs in the surrounding area of the ear or fur.

They are very small in size and you can see them using a magnifying glass. Since a dog’s ear is generally dark, warm and moist, it provides a conducive environment for the growth of such parasites along with yeast and bacteria. These mites look like tiny white dots that keep themselves hidden amongst the dark earwax and debris.

Tell-Tale Signs
Dark Discharge: Ear mites live inside the ear canal and they feed on earwax and tissue, because of which their waste is accumulated in the dog’s ears. This type of mange discharges a toxic byproduct which makes the earwax appear reddish-brown or black.

Foul Odor: An infestation of ear mites will also make the dog’s ear smell bad. The earwax will have a pungent and foul odor, which must be taken note of as an obvious sign of infection.

Hematoma: Sometimes when the condition is left unresolved for weeks, the inner skin of the ear can develop another condition known as hematoma, wherein blood collects and dries up under the skin. This discoloration is often found on the ear flaps of the pet because of the repeated friction being inflicted from the paws during scratching.

Ear Sores: Look out for eruptions behind the ear flap and inside the ears of the pet. These eruptions will look like blisters or scabbed sores. Since the parasite feeds on the skin tissue, such sores are common and can be seen on the pet’s face and neck as well. The infestation of this mange can increase the risk of secondary bacterial or yeast infection and thus must be treated with rapidity.

Frequent Head Shaking: Dogs especially, tend to shake their heads back and forth when trying to get rid of something that’s irritating their ear, neck, or face. It is one of the behavior which aims at getting rid of the intrusion in the ear or affected area.

Intense Itching: Dogs suffering from mites will tend to rub their head and ears against objects, in order to relieve some of the itching and their frustration. They tend to lick the parts of their body where the mites may have spread, in which case the owner will need to pay more attention to the area where the dog is scratching or chewing its fur the most.

Excruciating Pain: Along with intense itching, the pet will also experience a lot of pain as a result of the infestation. The ears become sensitive to touch, because when these mites bite the skin it gives rise to an allergic reaction which causes the affected area to swell, redden and sometimes ooze a foul-smelling discharge.

Hearing Lapse: Hearing lapse must not be confused with permanent damage. Sometimes, when the infection persists or keeps recurring, the pet’s hearing may be temporarily weakened. However, if the condition is left untreated, the mites can eat into the blood vessels within the ear and harm the eardrum. In such a situation, the middle ear might be severely infected and may result in some damage.

Diagnosis
There are many other ear conditions which can cause dogs to portray a similar behavior. Hence, an accurate diagnosis of ear mites is very important for appropriate treatment. Ear mites can be seen with the help of otoscope or auriscope. They can be examined with the help of cell structure analysis using microscope (cytology), radiographs (X-ray), CT scan, and skin tests.

Veterinary Treatment
While treating ear mites, the veterinarian cleanses the dog’s ears before applying medications. Cleaning the ears is a mandatory step in treatment, after which the prescribed medication such as ivermectin or selamectin is applied. In case the skin is also infected, a topical medication is applied on the skin. Secondary infections, often require a course of antibiotics in order to treat the condition.

Home Treatment
An ideal way to keep ear mites at bay or to repress the infestation is to clean the pet’s ear once or twice a week, depending on the extent of itching. Mineral oil is excellent for removing the buildup of earwax from the dog’s ear and killing the mites. You may do so by dabbing the oil on a small cotton ball and gently placing it into the pet’s ear. Use your thumb to gently squeeze the cotton into the ear, so that it goes in as it naturally would. Do not try to apply any force whatsoever.

Allow the oil-soaked cotton to absorb the dirt within the ear of the pet. Your dog may try to shake off the cotton but that will only help the oil to spread deeper into the ear, which is the main objective. Remove the cotton after 15-20 minutes and clean the area with a new cotton ball. An entirely assortment regarding common dog behavior troubles might be prevented through several compliance training. Dogs are animals of habit so why not use this to your benefit by supporting your dog to develop good behavior habits from an early age? Secrets To Dog Training: Stop Your Dog’s Behavior Problems, If you are aggressive and set up some simple recommendations and routines for your puppy to follow you may possibly never need to deal with dangerous behaviors such as digging, chewing, too much barking and even separation nervousness. Repeat this process if needed.
Prevention is always better than cure. Therefore, it is better to prevent a mite infection rather than treating it. Keeping the dog’s ears dry after bathing, frequently checking for foreign material and regularly visiting a veterinarian is very essential for maintaining the health of your pet. Also, since these mites can survive without a host, it becomes imperative that the pet’s belongings are washed and disinfected regularly in order to prevent a relapse.

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Home Remedies for Dog Ear Mites

Unlike most mites that burrow in the skin, ear mites simply live in the ears. They can spread rapidly and can easily be transmitted to other animals through physical contact.

If untreated, the ear can become infected and permanent hearing loss can occur. Conventional treatments contain chemicals and should be avoided if possible. Natural remedies for ear mites in dogs are a better choice.

Symptoms of ear mites include excessive scratching of the ear, shaking of the head and dark brown crumbly wax in the ear. The affected ear may also be swollen and sensitive to touch.

Ear infections can also cause the above symptoms, so be sure you know the problem is ear mites before treating your dog. If you are unsure, have your veterinarian diagnose the problem.

Home Remedy

* Put a few drops of mineral, corn, almond or olive oil in the ear canal and gently massage the ear – this will help bring out inner debris. If the debris is really hard, let the oil sit for a few minutes to soften it up.

* Use a cotton ball (not cotton swab) to gently wipe away the debris in the outer part of the ear.

* Fill a bulb syringe with warm water and gently flush the debris from the ear canal.

You need to this every day for a month or longer to be sure all mites and eggs are gone.

For better results…

Use ear drops containing pyrethrins – a natural insecticide from flowers in the mum family.

All natural Canine Ear Clean Drops contain Calendula officinalis, a flower (also known as marigold) belonging in the mum family. Other ingredients include olive oil, garlic oil, mullein, neem and St. John’s wort. For more information on this product, visit:

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How to Get Rid of Ear Mites

By Linda Cole

Ear mites are microscopic, white crab-like critters that invade a cat or dog’s ear canal. Their diet consists of ear wax and debris in your pet’s ears. You can see ear mites with the naked eye, but you have to look closely. Where do ear mites come from, and how do you get rid of them?

Ear mites are highly contagious and can easily infect other pets in a home. More common in cats than dogs, this parasite lives inside the ear, but it can also live on other parts of the body of an infected pet. Outside cats who have contact with other cats and animals have a greater risk of being infected with ear mites, but inside cats are also at risk. The cat is a perfect host and will pass the mites on to other pets in the home.

Humans can also become a host and transmit the mites if we touch an infected animal and then touch our pets. A dog’s scratchy ears are usually from another source of infection, since they are rarely infected with ear mites. Some pets will scratch infected ears until they bleed. Skin diseases can also develop from untreated ear mite infections.

It’s important to know what an infestation of ear mites looks like in your pet’s ear because too many times a pet is treated for ear mites when the actual problem is a yeast or bacterial infection.

Symptoms to watch for include:

Head shaking or scratching around the ears
Inflammation of the ear
Sores located around the pet’s ears caused by scratching
Debris in their ears that resembles coffee grounds
An unpleasant odor

An ear mite infestation can stimulate ear wax production in the infected cat or dog. So you could see a dark waxy discharge coming from your pet’s ear. Left untreated, ear mites can cause permanent hearing loss, so it’s important to have your vet examine your pet to find the exact cause of their head shaking and scratching if you notice any symptoms. If you suspect or just want to check to see if your pet has ear mites, scratch the base of his ears which would be in the area of the ear canal. If he responds by immediately scratching his ear, that’s a sign that the tiny parasites are most likely present.

Your vet can detect ear mites quickly by looking inside the cat or dog’s ear with an instrument (an otoscope). They can also be seen under any magnifying glass or with the naked eye by closely examining debris pulled out of your pet’s ear on a Q-tip. If any of the parasites are found in one pet, all other pets in the home will also need to be treated to prevent re-infecting the one you just treated.

Treatments to kill ear mites work well, but it can take several tries if the first treatment doesn’t take into account the life cycle of ear mites. They go from egg to larvae, 2 stages of nymphs and finally adult mites in about 21 days. Treatments need to go through the complete life cycle of the mites to successfully eliminate them. The good news is advances in ear mite medications have been successful in reducing the time needed to get rid of an infestation.

Tresaderm has been a favorite of vets for years and works well, but newer medications are showing good results in as little as 2 to 4 treatments. Invermectin is an anti-parasitic medication that’s injected into the pet. However, not all dogs can tolerate the medication. The injections are a good solution to use on pets who refuse to allow anyone to mess with their ears. Cat owners who have tried to clean out or put ear drops in their cat’s ears will appreciate the convenience of an injection. Two different topical flea medications have been approved for use in eliminating ear mites: Revolution® for both cats and dogs, and Advantage Multi® for cats only.

It’s possible for humans to be affected by ear mites, but not likely. Some people have reported skin rashes when their pet was infected with mites, but it is rare and most pet owners don’t need to worry about becoming infected.

It’s best to take your pet to the vet for a professional evaluation just in case your pet has something other than ear mites. Yeast or other bacterial infections will not be cleared up using ear mite medications, and you are only wasting your time and money treating the wrong infection.

Read more articles by Linda Cole

Ear Mites

Is your dog scratching its ears often and shaking its head vigorously all the time? If you also smell a foul odor off your dog’s ears then your dog is surely suffering from an ear infection.

One of the most common problems among your pets like cats and dogs are ear mites. These problems seem very irritating and sometimes painful for your feline and if left untreated can lead to serious infection. Cats can’t talk and if you don’t pay attention to your cat’s actions you will not likely know they [...]

If you think that fleas, ticks, and lice are the only bugs you have to worry about your pet, then you are sadly mistaken. There is one more bug that can pose as a very irritating threat to your dog or your cat and this bug is well known as the ear mite…

One of these is to maintain the overall good health of your dog and make them free from common parasites. Ear mite treatment for dogs is one example of these responsibilities…

Dog ear mites are a common parasite and are relatively mild if attended by a veterinarian and the pet is given proper medication at the earliest stage possible…

One of the most common problems veterinarians encounter among dogs and cats is the ear mites. These are tiny, coffee-ground like parasite which lodges into your pet’s ear canals or other parts of their body.

There are many kinds of canine ear mites and they usually reside in a dog’s ears because they feed upon the wax and oils that are present in the canal of a dog’s ear.

Rabbit ear mites live in warm and dry parts of the body and their infestation cause ear infection on the animal host…

You may feel safe by thinking that only your dog or cat is capable of catching ear mites, be careful as there is such a thing as ear mites in humans.

The ears are the perfect area for mites to thrive because it is dark, moist and warm. Aside from this parasite it is also the perfect place to live and multiply. Mites feed on your dog’s earwax and the epidermal debris of the dog’s ears…

Ear Drops for Dogs Ear Ache Pain From Ear Infection or Ear Mites

Sometimes dogs ears ache, they are sore, red, inflamed and in need of dog ear medicine to help ease their suffering. Whether they suffer from common ear yeast infection or ear mites, getting an effective dog ear treatment will be top priority.

Ear drops for dogs are available by visiting your veterinarian’s office for prescription dog ear medications. Many people also choose dog ear drops which are formulated with natural ingredients. Particularly if the dog has other health problems, diabetic dogs, pregnant dogs, lactating dogs, dogs with cancer may all benefit from the use of natural ear drops.
Having no chemicals, natural ear drops will help to avoid negative side effects in all dogs.

There are several over the counter ear drops for dogs available, however, not all are natural formulas.
Some do have chemicals and additives in them so care should be taken when shopping over the counter dog ear medicines. One that is all natural without chemicals and offers immediate pain relief, reduces swelling as well as antibiotics to fight infection is Dr Dogs Ear Oil. It is one of the few that is safe for use in all animals.

If the dogs ears are itching, scratching at the ears can only make things worse. Leaving dogs ears unattended will lead to bigger problems so if you notice signs of ear problems in your dog you’ll want to do something about it rather quickly. Too much head shaking can cause veins in the ear to burst, this will result in a hematoma which can require surgery and will be expensive as well as painful healing process for the dog.
Broken blood vessels cause swelling to the dogs ears, you may notice a big bump on the external ear which is filled with fluid. A veterinarian will have to surgically open it, drain it and stitch it. Then the dog has to wear a head cone for a couple of months while it heals. If you don’t get surgery on the dogs ear, the hematoma can get bigger and completely close the dogs ears. Left untreated, it will cause “cauliflower” ear….this will result in deformation of the dogs ear and it won’t stand up or look right ever again.

The easiest thing to do is to get started by using safe ear drops for dogs at the first sign of ear problems. Avoid further difficulties by giving dog ear treatment right away, dog ear problems don’t go away without your help.

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