Ear mites in dogs: treatment, drops, what it looks like, how to get rid of it, how it is transmitted

What is an ear mite

What does a parasite look like? This is a very small insect, not reaching one millimeter, with a greyish-white translucent body, with a gnawing mouthpart. It gnaws through the skin and makes passages under it, laying eggs in them.

Ear mites under a microscope

The wounds become inflamed and fester. The larvae, feeding on the products of suppuration and lymphatic fluid, reach sexual maturity after 3-4 weeks, and then also lay eggs. In a short period of time, an ear mite can damage not only the skin of a dog’s ear, but also the eardrum, and further penetrate into the inner ear and brain.

The disease develops unnoticed - when the animal begins to show signs of the presence of a tick, then, as a rule, a significant part of the ear is affected. In addition, it was noted that the activity of the insect is subject to some cyclicity: a period of activity and bright symptoms is replaced by more or less calm intervals. This may be due to the cyclical development of the parasite. When pathology takes on threatening forms, there are no periods of rest.

Types of drugs and their use against ear mites (otodectosis) in dogs

There are many medications for ear mites (ear drops, ointment). Of these, most of the older generation preparations contain insecticides that do not affect tick eggs and must be used throughout the entire tick reproduction cycle - 21 days or more. There is no mention of this in the instructions for the drops. There are medications that contain an antibiotic that affects both the tick and the eggs it lays (for example, TRESADERM - the treatment period is reduced to 14 days).

One of the very effective ointments today is Ordermil

. The treatment period with this ointment is 4 weeks. I would like to once again emphasize to you that you should never self-medicate; when diagnosing and choosing medications, be sure to consult a veterinarian.

How are ear mites transmitted among dogs?

How can a dog become infected with ear mites?

Ear mites can be transmitted from one animal to another, regardless of what stage of development it is at. During itching, the dog intensively scratches its ears, contributing to the spread of the parasite throughout the entire surface of the body. That is, the tick and its transitional forms can be located anywhere the pet is.

A healthy animal can “catch” ear mites in the following ways:

upon contact (even fleeting) with a carrier animal;
through a grooming item used by an infected dog;
from a person who had contact with an affected representative;
through fleas (they can carry tick larvae);
from the mother (in puppyhood).

Reasons for appearance

Treatment of otodectosis (damage to the ears of pets by mites) is undoubtedly necessary, and it must be prompt. But in order to make treatment procedures truly effective, you need to find out first where and for what reasons ticks appear on cats, dogs, rabbits or other furry inhabitants of the house. Mites appear in the ears of pets for the following reasons:

Direct contact with an infected animal.
Infection occurs due to the use of poorly disinfected personal hygiene items of another animal.
Residents of the house can carry ticks from the street on their shoes.

There is also a separate list of risks, according to which ear mite infection occurs more often in:

Strays. Most of the carriers of ear mites (about 80%) are animals that do not have a permanent place of residence. Moreover, they themselves may not even have otodectosis. You need to remember that ear mites can be found on the fur of a stray animal, and therefore, after petting a stray cat or dog, you should immediately wash your hands upon arriving home. In addition, birds, rodents, insectivores and farm animals (pigs, large and small livestock) become carriers of parasites such as ear mites.
Newborns. Young animals are more often susceptible to infection with ear mites, as the parasites are passed on from their parents.
Elderly. Older animals or pets who have suffered a serious illness or stress can also suffer from ear mites.

Otodectosis necessarily worsens in the absence of preventive measures and timely treatment. Even if the pet does not go outside, sitting at home all day, the owner must regularly check the ear canals of the ward and carry out appropriate preventive measures. If the parasite finds optimal conditions for its existence (in the folds of clothing, furniture, floors or shoes), it will develop quite quickly, aggravating the situation.

Symptoms of ear mites

You can suspect ear mites in a dog if you find a dirty brown mass in the external auditory canal. It is formed from skin scales, particles of the outer integument of shed parasites, and the secretion of the ear glands. All this is mixed with purulent discharge from damaged areas of the epidermis and mite excrement, and leads to severe skin irritation and an inflammatory process.

Other ear mite symptoms:

hyperemia of the skin of the ear canal;
severe itching;
swelling of the ear folds.

The dog is nervous, shakes its head, and often itches. When scratching or shaking the ears, particles of accumulated mass may fly out of the external auditory canal.

Symptoms

Ear mites cause an invasive disease in dogs, which, as a rule, is chronic. In the habitats of ear mites, the following occur:

redness,
swelling,
during inflammation, a characteristic liquid is released, which, together with dead skin particles, earwax and mite waste products, forms black-brown crusts in the dog’s ear,
when complicated by secondary microflora, the process moves to secondary and internal care and then to the meninges (this happens rarely).

When a dog is parasitized by ear mites, the owner may note the following symptoms:

constant itching: the dog tries to scratch its ears on objects or intensively scratches them with its paw claws (often until it bleeds),
the dog’s head position becomes unnatural: the head is lowered or tilted towards the affected ear,
in advanced forms of the disease, pus forms in the auricle, which glues the hair on the lower edge of the ear,
if inflammation spreads to the meninges, nervous disorders develop, during which the dog dies.

Diagnostics

Diagnosing ear mites in dogs is not difficult: during the examination, the veterinarian will take material from the ear and look at it under a microscope. In the chronic form, bacterial seeding of the contents of the ear canal may be required to determine the sensitivity of the insect to drugs and to select the optimal drug. In advanced cases, a specialist may prescribe an X-ray examination or computed tomography to identify the condition of the inner ear and membranes of the brain. Additional diagnostic procedures include: bacterial analysis, scrapings, and allergy tests.

Is it possible to identify ear mites yourself at home?

There are situations when it is not possible to conduct a microscopic examination of a dog in a clinic. Before treating your pet for otodectosis, you can independently identify the parasite at home. To do this you will need a cotton swab, a piece of dark paper and a magnifying glass. Taking a small amount of plaque from your pet’s external auditory canal with a stick, you need to apply it to paper. If the disease is present, under a magnifying glass you can see moving ticks of a light gray hue.

Important: at the initial stages of pathology development, the population may be small. Therefore, the likelihood that the collected material will contain insects is reduced.

Treatment methods

There are two ways to treat your pets for ear mites: on your own at home or with the support of a veterinarian. But regardless of the chosen option, treatment of otodectosis should be a mandatory procedure.

Independent struggle

Treatment of ears in cats at home, as well as independent medicinal procedures in dogs and rabbits, becomes possible only with small lesions in which the inflammatory process has not yet developed. The animal should not experience pain in the ear canals. Now manufacturers of veterinary medicines offer ear mite drops for cats in a wide range. Many of these drugs are universal, have a wide spectrum of action and are aimed at destroying the most famous types of parasites.

Self-treatment of ear mites in cats involves not only regularly burying the canals, but also regularly cleaning them of wax accumulation and mite waste products. It is best to clean with cotton swabs previously soaked in hydrogen peroxide or medicinal lotion.

When cleaning your pet's ears, remember your main task, namely, eliminating the parasite and its larvae. Don't skimp on cotton swabs for this. You can make only two strokes with one side of them, and then turn them over to the other side or change them to a clean one.

Treatment of ear mites in dogs at home is similar to the scheme that is used for cats. The same condition applies - the animal’s condition should not be too severe and neglected. Nowadays, a lot of drugs have been released, so the question of how to treat ear mites in dogs can be resolved quite easily. Among the most well-known medicines that allow you to defeat tick disease in dogs quickly and independently are Otibiovin, Anandin Plus, Demos, Dana, Fipronil, Amitrazine, Bars.

The initial stage of treatment for otodectosis in dogs involves preliminary soaking of dry crusts inside the ear. This can be done using baby oil, special ear lotion, or hydrogen peroxide. The selected liquid must be applied to the crust and wait a few minutes. Most dogs experience this procedure extremely painfully, and the owner may need additional assistance from a stranger. Next, you should thoroughly clean the ear canal with a cotton swab. It is advisable to repeat the procedure at least twice, since the medicine may settle on the crusts and not reach the mites themselves. Drops against ear mites in dogs will work effectively if, immediately after instillation, you close the animal’s ear with your hand and massage it for 2-3 minutes. When the drops hit the market, a strong burning sensation occurs, and the pet begins to struggle, growl and scratch. It is necessary to restrain the animal by carrying out the procedure on the second ear too. It is recommended to repeat the treatment after a couple of weeks, since the drops help eliminate only adult ear mites, but have practically no effect on eggs. For long-haired dogs, it is recommended to pre-pluck the hair around the ears.

Treatment of ear mites in rabbits at home is carried out mainly using effective folk remedies. Experienced owners of such pets know that a solution of turpentine with vegetable oil has a good effect in the fight against ear mites. They irrigate the entire inner surface of the ear using a syringe without a needle. A similar procedure should be repeated after 2-3 weeks to consolidate the result of the treatment and drive away the remaining mites that emerge from the eggs during this time.

Another good remedy for treating ear scabies in rabbits is camphor oil. Unlike turpentine, you don’t need to dilute it with anything, just use the same syringe without a needle to treat the entire inner surface of the affected ear. It is, of course, advisable to carry out such processing as early as possible.

With the help of veterinary clinics

In a veterinary clinic, treatment of ear mites in pets occurs with severe lesions and even complications. Doctors use only proven medications to expel ticks from a pet’s ears. For example, the most effective remedy for ear mites in cats is insecticidal drops. Among them, the most effective are: “Bars”, “Amitrazine”, “Tsipam”. They should be dropped into the ear with a pipette, and then a small massage should be done, folding the ear in half. When performing the procedure, the animal must be held tightly, since the cat will inevitably growl and scratch in pain. For purulent inflammation of the ears, veterinarians also recommend the use of antimicrobial drugs. It is very important for the owner to understand how to treat the ears of cats when ticks are found in them. Even if the parasite lives in only one ear, treatment with medications should be carried out in both ear canals for the purpose of prevention.

Regarding the question of how to cure a dog with severe ear mite infestation, in this case you should also immediately visit a veterinarian. Instilling a solution into the ear is often an unpleasant and painful procedure for the animal. If you do not want to cause pain to your beloved pet, then, on the advice of veterinarians, you can use special anti-tick injections. Tick injections for dogs are, for the most part, universal, and help not only against ticks, but also against worms. But they also have one drawback - excessive toxicity. That is why all injection dosages for animals should be prescribed by an experienced veterinarian. An incorrect choice of injection dosage will be indicated by increased salivation, convulsions, lethargy and vomiting in the pet. Similar drugs (Otodectin) are contraindicated for use on certain breeds of dogs (collies, bobtails). They should not be used if the dog is pregnant or has diseases of its internal organs. To treat ear mites in puppies, these drugs are used only as recommended by a veterinarian. For prevention purposes, you can also use anti-tick tablets for dogs.

How to prepare a dog's ear for treatment

Before instilling ear mite drops, you need to clear your pet's ears of any accumulated mass. If the dog resists (not all animals tolerate this procedure stoically, especially if they experience pain), it is better to carry out the procedure together. For small sizes, you can throw a blanket over it or wrap it in a towel. If the pet is large, you should use a muzzle.

During the cleaning process, you must adhere to the following recommendations.

You need to use sticks, not cotton swabs or disks, as there is a risk of pushing the accumulated mass deeper into the ear canal.
You should start cleaning from areas located close to the edges of the ear, gradually moving deeper.
The movements of the wand should be outward.
If the masses are dry, you can wet the cotton end with peroxide or chlorhexidine. You can't put them in your ear.
It is advisable to use lotions specifically designed for this purpose to clean your ears.
If your dog has long hair growing on his ears, it will need to be cut off during treatment.

How to treat ear mites in dogs at home?

If symptoms of the disease appear, you should visit a veterinary clinic. It is not worth making a diagnosis yourself, since otodectosis can be confused with another pathology. Applying the product without prior consultation can be very dangerous. A doctor can easily identify ear mites using an otoscope. It will magnify and highlight the parasite, which will allow you to distinguish it from other insects and sulfur.

Since scabies is contagious, all pets living in the house should be examined. You will need to undergo tests, after which a specialist will select a treatment method.

During therapy, various acaricides are usually used. Anti-tick agents come in the following varieties: powders, sprays, ointments, drops. These drugs are allowed to be used at home, but after consulting a doctor. First, the disease must be recognized, then it must be determined how advanced it is. Depending on this, the choice of medication and dosage depends. It is also often necessary to get rid of the concomitant pathology that develops due to otodectosis. There are several approaches to treatment, but they usually follow the same algorithm:

First, you should limit the interaction of an infected pet with healthy ones.
Water procedures must be thorough and regular. It is important to ensure that water does not enter the ears.
Before administering medications, it is necessary to remove crusts and discharge. Pour saline solution inside. They also use a cleansing lotion (for example, “Otfiri”), chlorhexidine solution, and peroxide. Leave for five minutes, then gently massage and remove the mixture from your ears with cotton wool. Care is necessary, as massaging an infected pet can cause severe pain.
You can then administer ear drops. A pipette is used for this. Then the base of the ear needs to be massaged a little again. You can treat your ears with ointment using cotton wool. The powder is carefully poured into the ear and distributed with a cotton swab. There is no need to go deep inside the passage. Sprays are very convenient to use. They are sprayed into the ear or onto the pet's fur. It is important to read the instructions carefully.

Many animals do not tolerate ear cleaning well, so you should restrain your dog. Representatives of small breeds are wrapped in a blanket so that only the head is exposed. A large dog will require the help of a second person to hold him down. The owner must sit down on a chair and try to place the animal's head between his legs. To prevent your pet from biting, you should tie a bandage around its face. The room should be well lit.

Some dogs are more afraid when they feel this pressure. Therefore, you should first try to clean without fixing. If your pet has severe itching, he may move his back legs during the process.

You need to treat your ears with cotton swabs or a disk wrapped around your finger. With your other hand, straighten your ear and begin cleansing. It is worth moving from top to bottom so that the contaminants come out and do not end up even deeper. Remove dry dirt with peroxide and special lotions. The latter products are more expensive, but they reduce itching and redness.

The most effective treatment options are sprays and drops for ear mites. They contain a large number of active substances that enter the source of pathology and help remove the parasite. Sometimes drugs are combined. For example, they immediately use ointment and spray.

The disease can be complicated due to concomitant microflora. In addition to external application of acapicides, injections with antibiotics are required.

For otodectosis, the most effective and fastest method of treatment is the use of drugs and tablets. Without medical advice, serious complications occur that cause hearing loss and death.

Folk remedies help only at the beginning of the disease; in advanced cases, they will alleviate the condition, but will not cure the pet. Dog owners usually use the following methods:

Strong black tea.
Garlic and olive oil. Pass the vegetable through a grater and mix in equal proportions with the oil. Apply to the ear canals.
Kerosene and sunflower oil. The product is used in a similar way, the ingredients are combined in 1:1 proportions.
Iodine and sunflower oil. The ratio of components is 1 to 4. Wipe the ear canals.

After the procedure, you will need to wash your hands well. It is important to ensure that the dog does not lick the medicine. You also need to act carefully so that the product does not get into your ears. If side effects such as irritation occur, you should stop using folk remedies.

Prevention

It is impossible to completely prevent your pet from becoming infected with ear mites. However, with the help of preventive measures, you can reduce the likelihood of developing the disease. To do this you need:

do not allow the dog to come into contact with unfamiliar relatives;
periodically carefully examine the animal;
If you find brown plaque in your four-legged friend’s ears, visit the clinic as soon as possible and undergo an examination;
periodically carry out preventive cleaning with special preparations, which are selected together with a veterinarian, taking into account contraindications and other nuances.

The disease has a favorable prognosis if detected early and treated correctly. At the very beginning of the development of otodectosis, it happens that the ear mites disappear after one cleansing procedure and use of the drug. In advanced cases, you need to be patient, follow the rules of hygiene for your pet’s ears, adhere to the treatment regimen, and increase the dog’s immunity.

Treatment in dogs

Treatment of the disease begins only after a clear diagnosis by a veterinarian. Only an examination by a specialist, as well as laboratory tests, can confirm or refute the fact of tick infection, and in accordance with the data obtained, the veterinarian will be able to formulate a course of treatment.

Sequence of actions during treatment:

The sink must be cleaned of dirt and accumulated exudate. In order to neutralize it from there, it is necessary to remove the contaminants using a bandage swab and a mixture of 2% solution of boric acid and furatsilin, or a solution of 2% hydrogen peroxide.
When cleaning, you must use a new cotton swab so as not to transfer the infection.
After the surface is thoroughly cleaned, you can directly apply medications that effectively fight the mite. They come in different forms - drops, ointment, gel, aerosol. You need to use them in accordance with the doctor’s recommendations, as well as based on the instructions. Before using the drug, you need to warm it up to body temperature and then apply it to the affected areas of the body.
It is important to follow the recommended dose.
Monitor the dog's condition after administration of the drug.
In severe cases, intramuscular injections are used , and in general the tick is treated with antibacterial and anti-inflammatory drugs.
It is important to administer all medications into the two ears so that the disease does not affect the healthy ear.