Ear Mites in Dogs

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Ear Mites in dogs
Ear Mites
Ear Mites

also see ear problems

Ear Mites
Ear mites, (Otodectes cynotis) is the most common ear mite of cats but can be a problem for dogs. It usually lives in the ears and on the head of affected cats or dogs but it can sometimes live on the body of the cat or dog. It is contagious and the presence of the mites can cause severe inflammation in affected cat or dog's ears.
Ear mites are not the only cause of ear disease in cats and dogs. Your pet should be examined to determine if ear mites are present prior to treatment. Whenever treatment for this condition is not working well other causes of ear disease should be considered.
In the past it was felt that ear mites did not live well off the pet but they may be better at surviving in the environment than we thought. In order to eliminate ear mites it is important to treat your cat's or dog's ears, the haircoat and the pet's environment for the mites. There are a number of approved medications for ear mites. Flea control products that kill adult fleas will kill mites. These may be used to treat the haircoat and the house, according to the product directions. In particularly stubborn cases, the use of ivermectin, an experimental drug in cats, may be justified.
Mike Richards, DVM

Ear mites
Question: My dog has ear mites. What are these and how did she get them?
Answer: Ear mites are an external parasite that can infect dogs, cats and more
rarely, humans. The mite's name is Otodectes cynotis. Otodectes mites are
large enough that they can sometimes be seen with the naked eye and are easy
to see with magnification.
Ear mites live in the ears and on the skin of pets infected with them. The
mite lives its entire life on the pet and it takes about 3 weeks for a mite
egg to develop into an adult mite. The adult mites are very mobile and can
live for some time off of a dog or cat, which enables it to be fairly
contagious.
The most common sign of ear mite infection is shaking of the head and ears.
Dogs may also scratch at their ears, rub their face and in severe cases may
even cause bleeding sores behind their ears in their effort to relieve the
discomfort from the mites. The intense itching associated with these mites
is thought to be due to a hypersensitivity reaction, which is similar to an
allergy. Some pets can be infected without showing signs of itching or head
shaking, apparently because they don't develop the hypersensivity reaction.
Ear mites are more commonly diagnosed in cats than they are in dogs but they
are a significant cause of ear infections in dogs, too. Dark brown to black
debris accumulates in the ears of infected pets and the mites may be visible
as small moving white specks on the debris. Secondary infection with
bacteria or yeast is common in ear mite infections and may complicate the
diagnosis. The mites can live on the skin and some dogs and cats appear to
have infections that affect only the skin, causing small sores to develop in
affected areas. It is important to treat the ears for mites and the whole
pet with a product that is capable of killing the mites. Most flea and tick
products will kill ear mites on the skin.
In multiple pet households it is important to treat all the pets and to
clean the environment, considering the use of premise control insecticides
in persistent cases. Ear mites are susceptible to many medications,
including pyrethrins, rotenone, fibronil, thiabendazole and ivermectins. It
is necessary to treat for at least three to four weeks in most instances to
be sure to kill the adult mites and any eggs that may hatch later.
Many veterinary clients treat their dog's ears with over the counter
products for ear mites based on the presence of ear inflammation or exudate
in the ears, doing this for weeks or months prior to giving up and having
their dog's ears examined. There are a number of causes of ear infection in
dogs and it is best to have your vet examine your dog's ears to determine if
the cause of ear irritation is ear mites or another infection. Doing this
can save your dog from weeks of pain or discomfort.
Mike Richards, DVM
7/17/99

Last edited 08/30/02
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