Ear mites are yet another health concern that you have to be very wary of. Household pets are very prone to this problem, especially small animals like dogs, cats, and rabbits. Ear mites are scientifically referred to as otodectes cynotis. They are minute organisms that thrive in your pet's ear canal.

Ear mites can transfer from one animal to another simply because of the fact that they are living creatures. These are parasites that feed on body fluids in order to survive. As such, they cause intense irritation in the lining of the ear canal and may even affect the glands that are positioned near it.

Ear mite infestation is very common in pets that don't receive proper hygiene. In worst cases, the infection will cause severe inflammation, redness, and open wounds. The presence of crusty discharges may also be observed among infected animals. If you know for a fact that one of your dogs has ear mites, it is best that you don't let it associate with your other pets as the problem may spread uncontrollably.

Veterinarians usually diagnose ear mite infection by performing an otospic exam on your dog. They will get a sample of the microbes present in the ears of your pet and study it under the microscope. Once they have determined that the problem is indeed caused by ear mites, proper treatment will be carried out. However, unlike mange or scabies, classifying the type of ear mites present inside the dog's ear is not necessary.

Right now, there are a lot of medications that can be used against ear mites. Some are oral treatments while others are supposed to be applied topically. Collectively, these treatment formulas are referred to as antiparasitic compounds. Examples are thiabendazole, pyrenthrins, ivermectin, and rotenone. As for natural treatments, specialized mineral oils can be used.

Ear mites can be very difficult to eliminate. Being so, pet owners are strongly advised to strictly follow the prescription of their doctors when it comes to the proper medication and cure of this condition. Complete elimination of ear mites may take a month. The goal is to keep decreasing the number of parasites in the ear up until they are wiped out. Ear mites can multiply rapidly. One day of skipped treatment may cause the condition to reoccur.

Also, if one of your dogs has ear mites, it is mandatory that the rest of your pets are treated for it, regardless of if they're showing symptoms or not. This is a good way of preventing ear mites from infesting all of your pets.