Pet Tips
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.
my dog 8 months old seems to have ear mites. his ears are dark brown inside. we are cleaning them. would like to know if the other dog and cat would have them also, as their ears have no dark brown inside and are pink and clear.
Ear mites are very very contagious to other dogs and a “home cleaning” is NOT a good enough treatment, they need medication prescribed by a vet.
Please make an appointment asap.
Good luck!