Dog
and cat pet tips - on Pets.ca
Cat illness, dog is sick, behavior
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Tip - 31 - Dog has
ear mites - cat has ear mites - itchy ears
If your cat or dog is scratching a lot around the ear or neck,
along with repeated head shaking, and a possible bad smell coming from
the ear(s), a common cause might be ear mites. Ear mites are tiny parasites
that infest the ear canals of dogs and cats. Individually they look
like small white dots but are extremely difficult to see with the naked
eye.
If your dog or cat has
ear mites there will be a brownish to black colored crusty debris
(looks something like coffee grounds) located in and around the
pet's ear canal. Ear mites are treatable with a good ear cleaning
done only by your vet. Ear mite drops or injectable medication
will probably be prescribed by your vet. Follow the recommended
treatment since ear mites have a 3 week life cycle and stopping
treatment too early can result in a re infestation.
Although these ear mites
can't be transferred to humans, be warned that your cats and
dogs can easily pass these ear mites to one another. If one
of your pets has ear mites, treat all your pets, You may also
have to treat possible areas in your house with a topical anti-mite
cleaning solution. Talk to your vet about the severity of your
pet's ear infestation.
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