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Ear Mites In Furry Critters

Ear mites are a common annoyance of dogs, cats, and other small and furry animals. They are very small white tick-like insects that live and feed in the ear canal.

It is not common to find an infection of this type in humans. If it is suspected that you may have mites, visit your doctor for diagnosis and treatment. Luckily if you do, they do not burrow and instead stay in the ear canal and feed off wax and skin oil.

Infection in animals is spread through direct contact with other infected animals. Outdoor pets are therefore the most commonly affected and infection spreads among animals very quickly. The mites, if untreated, will lead to a variety of health issues. These issues include skin diseases and infections in areas other than the ears as well as eventual deafness.

The appearance of dark crumbly material in the ears is a good indication that your pet has become infected. If you look closely, you may even see the mites among the dirt. Other signs that your pets ears are infected includes scratching of the area, shaking of the head, sudden imbalances, and sores around the ears and sometimes the mouth.

It is important to remember that even if these symptoms are present, if your pet has not come in contact with another and lives in doors, then it is likely they have some other type of medical problem. Your vet will be able to help you decipher the cause of the problem. Be sure to tell the vet that mites are very unlikely so that they do not automatically jump to this conclusion and prescribe and unnecessary and ineffective treatment.

The infection is treated relatively simply. The vet can provide you with an anti-parasitic treatment that will kill the mites. The ears should be cleaned by removing any debris and then the treatment should be applied. There is also an oral and an injection treatment available.

Over-the-counter treatments can be found but they are the longest treatment option. These medications do not kill incubating eggs so the treatment will have to continue at least 21 days. If your pet is averse to medical treatments, this will be a long and uncomfortable time. Luckily prescription topical treatments only take about ten days and there are also several one time use products that are available from the vet that are effective.

This infection can be quite uncomfortable for your pet and really requires medical attention. Early treatment will avoid further complications that can be quite serious and expensive to treat.

Darn those ear mites! They will not stop biting. Wait, with the right treatment for ear mites, you can put a stop to them. Listen to your pet and get help.

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