Ear mites

The ear mite is a very small, spider-like animal. The animal is so small that it cannot be seen with the naked eye. Often it is also difficult with the otoscope. Ear mites are a common problem in dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs and rats. The ear mite lives in the animal's ear canals. This is a problem that often occurs in young animals, as they often have less resistance. The crab-like mite spends its entire cycle on the dog.

What is the life cycle of ear mites?
An adult ear mite burrows holes into the dog's skin surface. The female mites lay eggs in and around the ear. Earwax serves as food for the mites. The multiplication of the mites causes irritation, as a result of which even more earwax, dander and tissue fluid are produced. The entire cycle lasts two to three weeks. The total lifespan of a mite is 4 to 21 days.

What are the symptoms of ear mites?
The ear mites are often present for some time before the first symptoms appear. Some symptoms that may appear when the animal suffers from ear mites are:

• Itching symptoms

• Crusts on the inside of the O

• scratching ears,

• shake your head,

• keep your head bowed

• Huge amount of brown earwax

• Strong smelling ears

What is the diagnosis of ear mites?
The dog's ear canal is examined with an otoscope. This allows the vet to see if ear mites are present. In some cases, the ear mite is not visible and a swab is taken to examine it under a microscope.

What is the treatment for ear mites?
An ear mite infection never goes away on its own, so it always needs treatment. In addition, the ear mite is very contagious. Therefore, it is advisable to have all other pets checked as well to prevent a problem. The earwax is cleaned with an ear cleaner. If the ear cleaner has no effect, the ears are rinsed clean.

In addition, a mite killer is often administered with a pipette. Often an ear ointment is administered, which has to be injected into the ear once or twice a day. In addition to the pipette, you can also opt for tablets or an injection against mites. The animal should be checked regularly by the veterinarian. This is because the ear mites often cause an inflammatory reaction in the ear canal, resulting in the treatment not working well. Scratching can cause bruising in the auricle.

It is important to treat the ear mite in time to prevent complications. A common complication is bacterial infection. If this infection is not treated in time, it can rupture the eardrum. This can then lead to a middle ear infection. If this is not noticed in time, it can even lead to meningitis.

How can you prevent ear mites?
It is advisable to check the dog's ears once a week. This is especially recommended for breeds with hanging and hairy ears. To prevent infection by mites, you can clean the ears with an ear cleaner. These are often liquids that can be run into the ear canal, after which the ear must be massaged from the outside. The dirt that then runs out of the ear can be caught with a clean cloth or cotton pads.

It is important never to clean the ear with a cotton swab as this will only drive the dirt deeper into the ear.

This text was translated by a translation machine