Ear mites, as their name suggests, live in the ear and are the commonest mite affecting dogs and cats.
Infected animals tend to have large amounts of brown, crusty wax in the ear canal. Bacterial infection may follow, leading to a build-up of pus that is difficult to shift.
What to look for:
- Your pet may shake its head frequently
- They may scratch their ears or hold their head to one side
- You may see wax in the ear canal
Excessive head shaking can lead to the formation of an aural haematoma – a condition where ruptured blood vessels in the ear lead to a pocket or bubble of blood forming underneath the ear flap skin. This usually requires veterinary attention and draining.
The vet will look down your pet’s ear using an auroscope. Sometimes the mites can be seen, but often the only evidence of infestation is the excessive wax production.
This is fairly straightforward.
If the ears are very waxy, the wax must be loosened and broken down with an ear cleaner. Afterwards, the medicated drops can be applied.
At Bicester Vets we often also use a spot-on product (which also treats fleas). If you have several pets, it is advisable to treat them all at the same time, as some pets can carry the mites and pass them to others without showing any signs themselves.