Ear mites in dogs: home treatment, photos, preparations

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

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

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

Ear mites, the nature of the disease

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

Possible routes of infection

Dogs become infected mainly through 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 at the same time.

Other carnivorous mammals, such as ferrets, are also susceptible to this disease. In the ears of infected animals, a dark plaque is formed, containing a large number of eggs of the parasite. Struggling with itching, animals actively scatter it around them. Accordingly, the entire environment that surrounds a sick dog is abundantly filled with live insects and eggs. A he althy animal, getting into it, is very quickly affected by them. The most contaminated, usually, is the bedding in place of the dog. People almost never get this infection.

Initial detection of symptoms

It is not difficult to detect the primary symptoms of the disease. The first signs of a pet’s illness will be severe itching in the ears. If your dog is constantly scratching his ears, this is a good reason.get worried. The presence of itching in the auricles can be determined by the reflex reactions of the animal. If, when feeling, pressing, massaging the base of the auricle, the animal pulls the hind paw from the side corresponding to the irritated ear, as if trying to itch, itching is present inside the ears. Otoacariasis is highly likely to be the cause.

Also, ear invasion is accompanied by visual changes in the skin. The formation of a characteristic dark plaque, damage and wounds on the skin of the ears and adjacent areas from the intense impact of the claws during scratching. The presence along the edges of the damaged tissue areas of the crust caused by re-infection. Perhaps the formation of inflammation caused by the entry of dirt and staphylococci into open wounds.

A characteristic feature is a change in the position of the ears themselves. The infected ear drops. Also, on closer inspection, you can see the parasites themselves. Small white dots inside the auricles against a dark coating. For convenience, you can use a magnifying glass and a sheet of black paper. Insects live on the surface, not inside the skin. No need for deep scrapings.

Detailed diagnostics

In case of serious damage to the animal and obvious complications, you should not rely only on visual inspection. Also, if after an independent course of treatment for your pet, his symptoms remain or recur, to identify the pathology and its exact causes, you should contact the veterinary clinic. Holdinglaboratory tests will give a complete picture of the infection. In addition, veterinarians have more effective drugs at their disposal. Specialists can correctly prescribe complex therapy, and thereby significantly reduce the recovery time.

Ear mites in dogs, drug treatment

Treatment of otacariasis consists of several stages.

First of all, it is necessary to destroy the parasites. This is possible with the help of special remedies for otocariasis, or any available acaricidal preparations. Such funds are very widely represented on sale in veterinary clinics and pet stores. The animal will feel relief within a few hours after applying the medicine, but numerous allergic reactions can last up to a month.

Next, you need to rid the animal of the consequences of exposure to ticks. In case of serious damage and the occurrence of wounds and abscesses, antiseptics and antibiotics should be used. Healing ointments and restorative preparations are also recommended. When treating, it is necessary to exclude as much as possible the poisoning of the animal when toxic agents enter the inside. After treatment, the dog will continue to itch and lick its paws. Here you should use a special collar. It will protect against additional injuries and will not allow poisons to enter the stomach of the animal. 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 ripened eggs, but during the repeated procedure they will be destroyed.hatched larvae.

Folk remedies for treating ear mites in dogs

At home, you can use the available funds from the first aid kit. First you need to clean your ear. To do this, you can use a two percent solution of hydrogen peroxide, furatsilin or even vegetable oil. With the help of cotton swabs, the surface of the skin is thoroughly cleaned. Then a few drops of an antiparasitic, or acaricidal drug are injected inside. Next, the ear must be thoroughly massaged so that the product gets to all the affected areas. Even if there are no visible signs of the disease on the second ear, it must also be processed. Repeat the procedure after five to seven days. But you need to understand that when an ear mite appears in dogs, home treatment is possible only if the disease is in the initial stage.

Antiparasitic drugs

Also, antiparasitic agents such as Ivermectin and Selamectin are actively used to treat ear mites in dogs.

The first drug is drops, which are a one percent oil solution. They are inserted into the ear canal, followed by a shell massage to evenly distribute the product. It is worth paying attention to the caution of using this drug in Collies and some other breeds, due to possible complications.

"Selamectin" is a more powerful remedy. Suitable for use in the clinicfor the treatment of advanced cases with large populations of parasites, for example, in animals that have lived for a long time on the street. Both products are effective not only in the treatment of ear mites in dogs, but also against a wide range of other parasites.

Complications and consequences

If the treatment of ear mites in a dog was started late, or the animal has 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 range of infectious diseases in dogs. In such cases, treatment should be approached comprehensively. It is necessary to use antiseptic drugs and broad-spectrum antibiotics. If the infection develops inside the ear canal, then otitis media may occur. Here it is better to contact a veterinarian, since such diseases are difficult to treat at home, but can lead to serious problems up to the transition of otitis into chronic and deafness of the animal.

It is also possible for skin infections to spread to other parts of the dog's body. First of all, the neck, back, and head suffer. The animal is 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 lymphoextravasate. Treatment is also best done in the clinic in an operable way.

Therefore, it is impossible to ignore the symptoms of ear mites in dogs. If these are detected, treatment should be started as soon as possible. Not carried out in time to rid the dog of ticks can lead to perforation of the eardrum,meningitis, hearing loss and in some cases death of the animal.

Prevention

It is always better to prevent an infection than to treat its consequences later. In the prevention of the treatment of ear mites in dogs, hygiene of the auricles is important. The likelihood that parasites will have time to develop and multiply is reduced by several times with regular cleaning of the dog's ears. The main cause of contamination is the plaque formed in the animal. This is sulfur, which serves to protect the surface of the hearing organs. Therefore, it is not necessary to remove it every day. It is enough to perform this procedure once or twice a month, depending on the size of the dog and the length of its coat. Dogs with closed large ears, such as spaniels, may have more.

Cleansing is done with a dry cotton swab. You can use oil or a weak solution of hydrogen peroxide. It is not recommended to use antiparasitic drugs for prophylaxis in a he althy dog. Both ears need to be cleaned. Tampons can only be used once to avoid re-infection.

In addition to cleaning, you must carefully monitor the contact of the pet with other animals. Contact with stray dogs and cats should be avoided. Even short-term contact is sufficient for the transfer of parasites. We recommend regular preventive treatment against fleas and ticks. We must not forget to monitor the cleanliness of the bedding on which the dog rests.

Essential additions

Otodectosis is a dangerous and widespread disease. To avoid infecting your pet with this parasite, do not forget about prevention. It is also important to maintain the immunity of the animal. To do this, it must eat right, get the necessary vitamins and minerals. It is very important that the dog spends enough time outdoors and does not feel a lack of movement. If it was not possible to avoid invasion, you should not postpone treatment. In case of serious injuries, you should definitely contact the specialists.