Ear mites (otodectic mange) in dogs

Otodectic mites are tiny mites that live in the ear canals and feed by piercing the skin. They are highly contagious to cats and dogs, but not to humans. Ear mites are the most common cause of ear symptoms in puppies and young adult dogs. Suspect ear mites when both of the dog’s ears are involved.{{more}}

Ear mites should not be confused with the mites that cause sarcoptic or demodectic mange. This is an entirely different disease, but one whose signs can include crusty or bleeding ear tips. Sometimes you may notice a bleeding sore at the tip of your dog’s ears that never heals, no matter what you dress it with. This is because the sore is as a result of the mites causing severe irritation to the ear canal and the dog trying to rid itself of the irritation by shaking the head and scratching the ears, giving rise to these sores on the tip of one or both ears.

It takes only a few ear mites to produce a severe hypersensitivity reaction that leads to intense itching, with scratching and violent head shaking, which sometimes cause the blood vessels in the flap of the ear to become ruptured and the flap of the ear appears swollen with the appearance of a balloon. This condition is very painful and is called a hematoma of the ear flap.

The ear canals contain a dark brown to black, waxy discharge that looks like coffee grounds and may have a bad odour due to secondary infection.

Ear mites can be identified by looking into the ears with a special instrument called an otoscope. The wax could also be smeared on a slide and looked at under a microscope. At home, you can remove a specimen of wax with a cotton-tipped applicator and look at it under a magnifying glass against a black background. Mites are white specks, about the size of the head of a pin, that move.

Treatment: Once the diagnosis has been made, all dogs in the household should be treated to prevent re-infestation. If you have a house rabbit, check their ears as well; in this case the ear canal appears to be filled with scabs. The ears must be first cleaned. This is essential, as dirty ear canals provide wax and cellular debris that shelter mites and make it difficult for ear medications to contact and destroy them.

After cleaning, medicate the ears using a miticide ear preparation prescribed by your veterinarian. Commonly used ones are Mites Out and where there is secondary bacterial or fungal infection, it can be combined with Animax ointment.

It is important to complete the entire course of treatment. If treatment is stopped too soon, a new crop of mites will reinfest the dog.

For further information, contact: Dr Collin Boyle Unique Animal Care Co. Ltd. Tel: 456 4981

Website: www.uniqueanimalcare.com