Dog Ear Mites: Symptoms and Treatment

Owning a cuddly dog at your home sure brings in a lot of responsibility. You need be very careful about its cleanliness and health. Your dog can suffer from a number of health problems including viral or bacterial infections, immune abnormalities, metabolic disorders and allergies. Ear mite is one of the most common ear infections found in dogs.

Ear mites, called Otodectes cynotis are crab-like, eight-legged, infectious, microscopic parasites. They have a life cycle of approximately 3 weeks. They can survive for several weeks outside the host. Female mites lay eggs in the surrounding area of the ear or fur. Ear mites are very small in size and you can see them using a magnifying glass. They look like white, tiny dots. They can be transmitted to other pets and even humans. Although the mites mainly affect the dog’s ears, they can infect other body parts too.

Symptoms of Dog Ear Mites

Ear mites live inside the ear canal and they feed on earwax. As they stay for a longer time in the ears, their wastes are accumulated in the dog’s ears. It leads to irritation, swelling and accumulation of fluid inside the ear. When these mites bite the skin, it causes pain and discomfort. It gives rise to an allergic reaction in most dogs. There is an inflammatory reaction which swells up the area around dog’s ears. Some signs and symptoms of dog ear mites are frequent head shaking, rubbing the head and ears against objects, persistent scratching around the ears, loss of balance, increased earwax, vomiting, refusing to eat, sensitive ears and hurt when touched, foul-smelling odor coming from the ears and dark brown to black debris in the ears. Frequent scratching causes formation of sores around the ears.

A dog’s ear is generally dark, warm and moist. This environment is perfect for growth of yeast and bacteria. The open sores due to ear mite infestation can increase the risk of secondary bacterial or yeast infections, causing more pain. If left untreated, the ear mites can burst the eardrum. In such situation, the middle ear might be severely infected.

Diagnosis of Dog Ear Mites

The symptoms of ear mites can be similar to the symptoms of other types of ear diseases. Hence, an accurate diagnosis of dog 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, skin and allergy tests and complete blood count (CBC).

Treatment for Dog Ear Mites

While treating ear mites, the veterinarian cleanses the dog’s ears before applying medications. Cleaning the ears is a mandatory step in treatment. Avoid using cotton swabs inside the ears. Then the prescribed medications such as ivermectin or thaibendazole are applied. In case the skin is also infected a topical medication is applied on the skin. Use shampoos containing insecticides to kill ear mites. If there are some secondary infections, you need to use antibiotics.

Prevention of Dog Ear Mites

Prevention is always better than cure. So it is better to prevent ear mite infection rather than treating it. Keeping the dog’s ears dry after bathing, frequent checking for foreign material and promptly visiting a veterinarian is very essential to prevent ear mites. Cleanliness is very important to prevent any kind of infection and keep the dog healthy. Frequently check your dog’s ears for any kind of discharge or foul odor. Regular check-up of your dog by veterinarian helps clarify any health issues of your dog.