How to Diagnose Ear Mites
Ear mites are little parasites that live in a dog or cat's ear canals. They feed off of wax in the ears and can cause severe damage to the animal's ears if not treated. Ear mites are not contagious from pet to human, but they are contagious from pet to pet. Ear mites can live up to 21 days, and there are several treatements available such as Acarexx and Tresaderm. Before treating, you must be able to diagnose that your pet has ear mites.
Instructions
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1
Notice if your dog or cat is shaking her head. If an animal has ear mites this is typically the first reaction they will have. Ear mites make the ears itch.
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2
Watch the dog or cat scratch his ears. If shaking the head doesn't get rid of the itch, then the animal will try using his paws to scratch. Scracthing can cause blood vessels to break, causing bleeding.
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3
Look inside the ears. Your pet may whimper when the ears are touched from being sensitive from the ear mite infection. Notice the brownish red debris inside with white spots. The tiny white spots are the ear mites.
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4
Smell the ears. There will be a bad odor that will come from the ears, indicating there is an infection caused by ear mites.
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5
Notice a build-up of wax inside the ears. There will be crusty dark debris and wax that occurs when the animal has ear mites.
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Take your pet to the veterinarian for diagnosis. They will place an otoscope in the ear to see if there are mites moving. A sample will be taken onto a cotton swab and placed under a microscope to give the final diagnosis. The veterinarian will then recommend immediate treatment.
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Tips & Warnings
If you recognize your pet shaking his head often and scratching, it is recommended to take him to the veterinarian to get an immediate diagnosis and treatment.
Ear mites can move to the body of the animal if she is infested with ear mites, causing hair to fall out and for scabs to form.
