Friday, August 21, 2009

What Are Ear Mites?

By Moses Wright

Ear mites are microscopic parasites that commonly infest the ear canals of cats and dogs. Canker ear is a name that refers to having ear mites. Infestations of ear mites are highly contagious among pets.

Dogs and cats are not the only pets that can develop your mite infestations. Rabbits are also prone to ear mites. All pets in the household should be treated for ear mites if one pet gets an ear mite infestation. Otherwise, the ear my infestation can circulate among all the pets in the household that are susceptible to ear mite infections.

Even though ear mites live in the ear canal of the dog or cat, but ear mites may also be present in the pet's environment. The ear mites can be spread to other cats and dogs in the household from sharing the same environment or through direct contact.

Signs of ear mite infestation include shaking of the head and scratching the ears. Even though some cats do not show behavioral signs of having ear mites, the discharge associated with ear mites can often be seen in the effected ears of the cat.

Ear mites can be diagnosed by a veterinarian by the characteristics of the discharge from the infected ear. The ear discharge caused by ear mites is often described as resembling coffee grounds. The ear mites themselves are microscopic and burrow into the skin inside the pet's ear, so they cannot be easily seen.

Many dog and cat owners mistakenly think that cleaning the dogs or cats ears is an effective treatment for ear mites. An anti-parasitic medication is necessary for treating ear mites. The topical, antiparasitic medication treats the current ear mite infection and helps to prevent a recurrence of the ear mite infestation.

The antiparasitic medication must be given for up to ten days. The veterinarian may want to see the cat or dog after this time to check how successful the treatment has been. The veterinarian may also want to re-examine the cat or dog weeks later to check for a reinfestation of the ear mites.

Some dogs and cats sustained minor cuts on their ears due to their scratching. These small cuts may be treated with antibiotic ointment.

A possible complication of an ear mite infestation is a ruptured eardrum. A ruptured eardrum can cause instability when the pet is walking. If left untreated, ear mites can lead to ear infections and skin disease.

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