February 7, 2010

Everything You Need to Know About Pet Ear Mites

by Wendell Ruben

Ear mites might affect many pets, and are a common problem that can be very distressing for the animal concerned. Furthermore, if left unhindered ear mites can lead to more distressing and serious illnesses and an unhappy feeling for a cat or dog. For this reason it is vital that the pet owner knows what ear mites are, how to kill them, and what to look for to spot them.

What are Ear Mites? Ear mites are miniature insects that feast on the blood and nutrients found in an animal’s skin; they appear as, when magnified, crabs and have legs that latch on to the host with some strength. Very difficult to remove, the mite is a supremely distasteful creature that can bring discomfort to a much-loved family pet.

They live on the upper edges of the ear canal and thrive on the debris that is left there, and are very much contagious, moving from animal to animal very rapidly indeed. In fact, ear mites may also be passed to human sufferers, but are more likely to be seen on domestic pets and farm animals. It must be remembered they can spread between species - a cat may pass to a dog, or vice versa - and that individual animals react in various ways to the presence of mites. Ear mites are a very regular cause of illness in cats and dogs, primarily young kittens and puppies, and can cause the animal to hurt frequently.

This can cause illness later, as incessant scratching - particularly in cats - might mean causing blood vessels to break, bringing about unwanted infection and a more worrying level of suffering as well as the possibility of lifelong disfigurement. In addition, if left to spread the mites can lead to bacterial illnesses and more, and this has been proven to lead to a rupturing of the eardrum - a painful affliction that leads to deafness in the animal. How to Spot Ear Mites There are several symptoms that give clues to the presence of ear mites in cats and dogs.

The first is the usual increase in scratching of the infected area that accompanies the onset of mites, and this can also be indicated by an exaggerated and violent shaking of the head, as if trying to dislodge something that is clinging on (which is, of course, exactly what the animal is trying to do.) The ear produces wax as a matter of course, and the presence of mites might cause this to be done.

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