What does a tick on a dog's ear look like? Symptoms and treatment of ear mites in dogs

Is an otoacariasis infection. The disease is caused by the parasite Otodectes cynotis. It is also called "ear mite". It lives on the inner surface of the ears of dogs and other animals, such as cats and ferrets. A person is not susceptible to this defeat. Of course, this is not the only insect that can parasitize here, but it is the most common.

Ear mites are also the cause of nine out of ten cases of subsequent infectious diseases, dog ears. Here are several photos of treating ear mites in dogs at various stages of the process.

Ear mites, nature of the disease

General life cycle It takes about twenty-eight days for an individual tick to survive. Females reach sexual maturity in seventeen to twenty days. The eggs mature and hatch into larvae three to four days after laying. Initially appears this pathology severe itching in the ear canals and shells. The highest risk group includes dogs with closed and big ears With long hair. In conditions of pollution and high humidity, insects develop more actively. As a rule, the lesion is bilateral. We must keep this in mind, even when symptoms appear on only one side. The following outlines the main causes of ear mites in dogs, symptoms and treatment of this disease.

Possible routes of infection

Dogs become infected mainly from physical contact from their sick relatives or cats. Cats very often become carriers of ear mites. Therefore, if both animals live in the house, treatment of ear mites in cats and dogs should be carried out simultaneously.

Initial detection of symptoms

Discover primary symptoms diseases are not difficult. The first signs of illness in your pet will be severe itching in the ears. If your dog is constantly scratching his ears, this is a good reason to worry. The presence of itching in the ears can be determined by the reflex reactions of the animal. If, when palpating, pressing, or massaging the base of the auricle, the animal jerks its hind paw on the side corresponding to the irritated ear, as if trying to itch, there is itching inside the ears. It is most likely caused by otoacariasis.

Ear invasion is also accompanied by visual changes skin. The formation of a characteristic dark coating, damage and wounds on the skin of the ears and adjacent areas from the intense impact of claws when scratching. Presence around the edges damaged areas crust tissue caused by repeated infection. Possible inflammation caused by exposure to open wounds dirt and staphylococci.

Detailed diagnostics

If the animal is seriously injured and there are obvious complications, you should not rely only on a visual inspection. Also, if after self-administering a course of treatment to your pet, its symptoms remain or reoccur, to identify the pathology and its exact reasons, you should contact veterinary clinic. Carrying out laboratory tests will give a complete picture of the infection. In addition, veterinarians have more effective medicines. Experts can correctly prescribe complex therapy, and thereby significantly reduce recovery time.

Ear mites in dogs, treatment with drugs

Treatment of otacariasis consists of several stages.

Next, you need to rid the animal of the effects of ticks. In case of serious damage and the occurrence of wounds and ulcers, you should use antiseptics and antibiotics. Healing ointments and restorative preparations are also recommended. When treating, it is necessary to exclude as much as possible the poisoning of the animal upon contact with poisonous agents inside. After treatment, the dog will continue to scratch and lick its paws. Here you should use a special collar. It will protect you from additional injuries and prevent poisons from entering the animal’s stomach. After four to five days after the first treatment, the process of treating ear mites in a dog must be repeated. The fact is that most drugs are unable to destroy already ripe eggs, but when repeat procedure The hatched larvae will be destroyed.

Folk remedies for treating ear mites in dogs

The first drug is drops, which are one percent oil solution. They are inserted into the ear canal followed by massage of the concha to uniform distribution facilities. It is worth paying attention to caution in use this drug in Collies and some other breeds, due to possible complications.

If treatment for ear mites in a dog was started late, or in an animal reduced immunity, complications of the disease may occur. It should be noted that otodectosis is very often the cause of the development of a whole set of infectious diseases in dogs. In such cases, treatment must be approached comprehensively. Application required antiseptic drugs and antibiotics wide range. If an infection develops inside the ear canal, otitis media may occur. Here it is better to contact a veterinarian, since similar diseases difficult to treat at home, but can lead to serious problems up to the transition of otitis to chronic and deafness of the animal.

It is also possible to distribute skin infections to other parts of the dog's body. The neck, back, and head are primarily affected. The animal becomes covered with abscesses and ulcers. Here, too, you definitely need to seek help from professionals. Traumatic complications are also possible. The occurrence of hematomas and lymphatic extravasation. Treatment is also best carried out surgically in a clinic.

Therefore, the symptoms of ear mites in dogs cannot be ignored. If these are detected, it is necessary to begin treatment as quickly as possible. Failure to remove ticks from your dog in a timely manner can lead to perforation. eardrum, meningitis, hearing loss and in some cases the death of the animal.

Ear mite visible only when magnified under a microscope.

External signs and symptoms of ear mites in dogs

The dog has constant itching.

Dry black discharge is observed in the ears.

A dog with otodectosis shakes its head, scratches its ears, and rubs against objects.

Multiple scratches and sores can be found around the ears.

The dog may be lethargic and refuse food.

The head is tilted towards the affected ear.

Otodectosis can be complicated by otitis media. Overlay of fungal microflora, brain damage, nervous disorders, deafness.

Treatment of ear mites in dogs

If the disease is not complicated by anything, then it is quite simple.

Daily mechanical cleaning of the auricle is carried out. Acaricidal agents are prescribed. In some cases, antibiotic therapy and immunomodulators are necessary.

Despite standard scheme treatment, drugs are selected individually veterinarian. Repeated scraping is given after full course treatment prescribed by a veterinarian. To prevent reinfection it is necessary to treat rugs, beds, combs by special means. When there are several animals in the house, treatment and prevention should be carried out simultaneously

Prevention of otodectosis in dogs

In order to prevent the occurrence of otodectosis in your pet, you should adhere to the following: simple rules:

• observe hygiene measures;
• preventive examinations at the veterinarian;
• preventive treatment with acaricidal agents, for example, stronghold drops.

This article explains which medications are best to use and what not to do. In addition, here is information about what needs to be done to prevent ear mites, which are also called skin beetles, from appearing in your dog.

On the official medical language The problem is called otodectosis and is an infection of the dog with ear mites. The carpet beetle is a representative of the class of arachnids and belongs to the subclass of arthropods. This is a fairly small insect that settles in the ear canal of dogs. The leather beetle grows to a length of no more than 1 mm and affects animals, regardless of gender or age, although young individuals suffer more from ear mites.

Often, advanced cases of the disease lead not only to hearing loss in the dog, but also to its death. To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to diagnose the problem in a timely manner and begin its treatment.

If there are other animals in the house, they should also be inspected for ear mites. Cats are the most sensitive and often affected, so they should be examined first. If necessary, the procedures must be carried out with other animals. In any case, preventive measures never hurt.

On a note! Before starting treatment, you must carefully study the instructions for the drug, and if necessary, consult your doctor. It is very important to take into account all the nuances so as not to harm the animal. If, after using the drug, an animal develops adverse reactions, then use of this drug should be discontinued.

The most commonly used:

• Strong black tea.
• Olive oil and grated garlic, mixed in equal quantities. This mixture is used to treat the dog's ear canals.
• A mixture of kerosene and sunflower oil in equal proportions.
• Iodine and sunflower oil, combined in a ratio of 1:4.

After applying the products, you must wash your hands thoroughly. At the same time, it is necessary to ensure that the animal cannot lick the substance, although it is unlikely to get it in the ears.

About half of pet owners experience this problem. Its causative agent is the mite Otodectes cynotis, which parasitizes the animal's ear. This is a tiny insect (0.3-0.5 mm) with a gnawing proboscis and suckers on its legs.

Mostly otodectosis occurs among puppies aged 1.5 to 6 months, regardless of the season.

Symptoms of otodectosis in dogs

• The first symptom is that the dog becomes restless. She tries to rub her ears on various items, shakes his head, tries to scratch his ears with his paws, injuring him until he bleeds auricle. As a result, scratches, abrasions, and suppuration appear in the ears.
• When examining the ear it is clear that ear canal clogged with crusts of dried exudate. If the disease becomes more complicated, then inflammatory process spreads to the inner and middle ear and further to the meninges.
• The dog looks depressed, has nervous attacks, body temperature rises, the animal refuses food, tilts its head towards the sore ear.

The dog is necessary to clarify the diagnosis. To do this, the doctor takes a scraping from the inner surface of the ear.

Treatment of otodecosis in dogs, medications

• First you need to clean the ear from crusts, scales and exudate.
• After this, drug treatment is prescribed. First of all, many acaricides are used to treat the auricle and canal. For example, the drug “Tsipam” destroys adult forms of ticks after three treatments with an interval of 5-7 days.
• The drops are heated to body temperature and, using a syringe equipped with a rubber tube with a diameter of 1-1.5 mm, are injected into the external auditory canal. The auricle is thoroughly massaged to distribute the medication evenly. The outside of the auricle is also carefully processed.
• Liniments and ointments are applied using a tampon, thoroughly coating both the external and inner surface auricle.

There are also special powders that are poured into the auricle and then massaged. It is quite convenient to use in aerosol packages based on alphamethrin. Often in Lately Ivermectin injections are used.

Ear mites in dogs are highly contagious and quickly developing disease. Primary diagnosis carried out on the basis primary signs. What are the features of treatment at home, how to choose drops, ointments or sprays, how effective are folk remedies.

Note! The risk of infection with ear mites increases significantly if your pet has been in contact with carrion.

Are ear mites transmitted to humans from dogs?

Ear mites require certain conditions (humidity, temperature, amount of food) to live and reproduce. Are pet ear mites transmitted to humans? Usually, no... but there are nuances.

Preventing ear mite infection in dogs

Most reliable way To protect your pet from an extremely unpleasant, rapidly developing infestation is timely and regular prevention.

Read also: Staphylococcus in dogs: what causes it and how it manifests itself

Diagnosis of the disease - symptoms and signs of ear mites in dogs

Diagnosis of ear mite infestation is based on symptoms and signs that become obvious fairly quickly. However, there is a risk of confusing ear mite infestation with acute otitis media. How to make the correct diagnosis and select adequate treatment?

Naturally, the most reliable option is to go to a veterinary clinic. To confirm the diagnosis, a number of procedures are performed:

To clarify the situation, several repeated scrapings are taken at intervals of 1–2 days. The problem is that on early stages infection, the population of ear mites may be too small to detect.

Important! Dogs with short muzzles may experience conjunctivitis, rhinitis, breathing problems and other ailments caused by swelling of the mucous membranes due to infection with ear mites.

What does a tick look like and can you see it?

Without special equipment, you will not be able to find out what a tick looks like, or rather, you will not be able to examine it in small details. At the stage when ear canals If your dog starts to accumulate a brown mass, the algorithm below will help confirm an ear mite infestation.

You will need a black sheet of paper, a hygienic cotton swab, disposable gloves, a magnifying glass and good lighting. The algorithm of actions is as follows:

• Gently hold the dog's head and take a sample. earwax. You need to try to capture as much as possible brown discharge at once. If it doesn’t work the first time, you need to use a clean one for the second try. cotton swab.

• Place the cotton swab containing the ear discharge sample over the black paper and gently tap it with your finger.

• Examine the sheet carefully with a magnifying glass.

If very small white specks were found on the paper, these are ear mites. With a massive infestation, you may notice that the grains are moving around. After confirming the diagnosis, be sure to destroy the paper and all hygiene items that came into contact with the dog’s ear secretions.

Read also: Rheumatism in dogs: causes, manifestations and treatment

How to distinguish otitis media from ear mites?

If you do not have the opportunity to see a veterinarian, it is important not to make a mistake in the diagnosis and prescribe adequate treatment. How to distinguish otitis media from ear mites in a dog? The task is indeed not easy, since both diseases cause significant discomfort in the pet, leading to constant itching of the ears.

An exception is a sluggish form of otitis, in which the dog experiences sharp pain, but there is no discharge from the ears.

Home treatment for ear mites in dogs

If ear mites in a dog are diagnosed in time, the disease is not life-threatening. Usually, treatment is carried out at home. In advanced stages of the disease, when there is a threat of effusion of pus in the ear canals and perforation of the eardrum, it is wiser to treat the animal in a hospital setting.

When treating at home, it is important to follow a number of rules:

Important! Do not use antibiotics to treat ear mites unless prescribed by a veterinarian. Antibiotics only affect bacteria and germs, so they are used only in cases of infection of scratches and ear canals.

Drops

Drops must be used strictly according to the instructions. Carefully read the contraindications and duration of the treatment course. Many medications are contraindicated for puppies under the recommended age or weight.

The following medications are commonly used to treat ear mites:

• Otovedin.
• Amit Forte.
• Bars Forte.
• Otoferonol Gold.
• Akarostop (ProVet).
• Demos.
• Decta.
• Amitrazine or Amitrazine Plus.
• Oricin.