Pets can be afflicted by a number of parasites. These include fleas, ticks, heart worms, tapeworms and ear mites. Hopefully, this will allow one to know the symptoms and learn how to treat ear mites.
Ear mites are a microscopic organism very similar to dust mites. Unlike the name suggests, these critters can live elsewhere on the body of the animal, not just the ear canal. They are not contagious to humans. However, they are highly contagious to other pets. They are transferred between animals through physical contact with an infected animal.
Pets should have their ears cleaned on a regular basis. Equal parts of hydrogen peroxide and water is a good solution for cleaning ears. Washing out the ears with a cotton swab that is lightly damp with this solution is an easy way to clean ears. Be sure to use different swabs per ear. Infections can be spread from one ear to the other if the same swab is used. The ear canal does not need cleaning. Only the parts of the ears that can be seen.
The symptoms of an ear mite infection include scratching ears, shaking head, being off balance, and not walking in a straight line. These parasites live in the ear canal and cause itching. This is why the animal will itch or shake its head. Like humans with inner ear problems, mites can cause imbalance and throw off equilibrium in an animal. The amount of itching and head shaking is dependant on the severity of the infestation. A discharge of fresh or dried blood will also be seen in the ears. The dried blood looks like coffee grounds. This is generally a sign of infestation. If the mites are somewhere other than the ear canal, the pet may or may not scratch at the area.
If the problem is left untreated, animals can get damage to the ear canal and ear drums. This can result in permanent hearing loss. Also, ear infections and skin disease can be a result of infection.
Non prescription medication is available. This does take twenty one to thirty days of treatment though. This is due to the fact that it does not kill mite eggs. It is most often in a liquid form.
Prescription medication takes anywhere from ten to fourteen days because it does kill mite eggs. These medications come as drops or injections. They have to be obtained by a veterinarian.
For mites that are located outside the ear canal, flea and tick medication, such as dips and shampoos, kill mites on the body.
When treatment is required to rid the pet of a mite infestation, if there are multiple pets, all pets must be treated at the same time. This prevents repeat infestations.
If an animal does suffer from repeat infestations, the animal should be taken to the veterinarian. The same is true if the pet has severe symptoms or needs prescription treatment.
This is an easy pest to treat and get rid of. It is important that a pet owner learn how to treat ear mites. This will help keep the pet healthy and prevent more serious damage that could arise when the problem is left untreated.
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