Ear Mites And The Issues They Can Cause Dogs
For many people pets are loved the same way as their children and it makes them miserable when a pet is miserable. Any pet is likely to be exposed to mites at any time. Ticks and mites belong to the same subclass. The name of this common species is otodectes cynotis. This mite chooses to live within the ears of various animals. Transmission of these ear mites can happen just by animals walking by one another.
Several animals are affected by these little predators such as ferrets, guinea pigs, cats and dogs. It does not happen often, but people can be affected as well. Rabbits ears are affected by a different type of mite that is larger.
The first sign that mites may be present in the ear of an animal will be a brown crusty looking material. These types of mites do not burrow like other types, so they will be seen as white specs living in the material inside the ear canal. It is one of the most common reasons that animals have ear infections, especially cats.
The mites can result in both yeast and bacterial infections. The ears of animals will become inflamed and red. It will be noticeable that the animal spends a lot of time scratching at the ear or both ears and shaking the head.
If left untreated the infection is likely to spread to other areas of an animal. It may continue to spread to areas of the neck and tail. The infected animal may end up with a serious skin infection or skin disease. Deafness is another real possibility for an infected animal that goes without treatment.
For treatment of the ears, it is necessary to remove all of the debris initially. Medication should then be applied that contains an antiparasitic. If more than one pet lives in the home, a veterinarian should be asked to prescribe medication which will most likely be ivermectin for every pet. There is also a drug that can be used to treat cats called selamectin and it can last for up to a month.
Rabbits are affected by larger mites that get into their ears. These mites are called psoroptes cuniculi. The material that is formed in this case is not crusty, but thick and very solid. It is also possible that it will spread to the outside of the ear and face of the rabbit. A rabbit will exhibit the same behaviors as other animals like scratching and head shaking when infected with mites. In order to rectify the situation, the cage and rabbit have to be rid of mites. Clean the cage frequently in order to prevent further infestation. The rabbit can be treated with ivermectin. Another suggested remedy is the application of olive oil. Remove all debris, and then apply the oil in order to smother mites.
Find great ideas for ear mite treatment by searching online. There you will find the answers to ear mites that you need to learn. Head online today.
Aug 30, 2010 | | Dog Health

