Mites in the ears of dogs. Topical treatment to remove ear mites

As the disease develops, the pet simply tears its ears, moans, and begins to rub them on the floor or sofa. The owner should not neglect the disease and should conduct a thorough examination of the pet. Complications of this disease can be otitis media, meningitis, and inflammatory processes in the eardrum.

It is not uncommon for a dog diagnosed with ear mites to lean toward the affected ear. In advanced cases, the eyeball may fall inward. The consequences of this disease are quite serious. They can threaten your pet with hearing loss or even lead to his death. If the disease is not treated, then purulent discharge with a characteristic odor begins from the animal’s ears, and the outer side of the ears begins to go bald.

As the disease progresses, the infected surface hardens and becomes crusty. From the outside it can be mistaken for dirt. If treatment is not treated in a timely manner, a secondary infection may accompany the inflammation.

Symptoms of otodectosis in dogs

The dog begins to eat poorly, and sometimes even loses its appetite. She becomes restless and tilts her head towards the affected surface. In order to understand the causes of concern, it is necessary to examine the ear by cleaning it with a cotton swab. After this, the cotton swab is brought to a veterinary clinic, where it is examined under a microscope. Diagnosis of the disease can only be carried out by a veterinarian.

Consequences of otodectosis

Causes of the disease

Treatment of ear scabies in dogs

After this, measures are taken to soak and remove crusts. If the disease is in an advanced stage, this procedure may cause pain in the dog. After this, the medicine is injected into the cleaned ear. Medicines are prescribed by a doctor individually for each specific animal. As additional measures, the veterinarian may prescribe ointments for fungal infections, a course of vitamins, and anti-inflammatory drugs. A course of physiotherapy will be beneficial for the dog.

Most often, Aurican and Amitrazine are used for treatment. Additionally, the ears must be treated with ointments that eliminate the inflammatory process. The procedures are carried out only after the ears have been treated and cleared of dried crusts. To soak the crusts, you can use Mixstream spray. The dogs spray one ear at a time, then wait a few minutes and remove the scales with gauze treated with an antiseptic.

Processing procedure

Cleaning the auricle from wax, pus and crusts can be done by moistening a piece of bandage with furatsilin or hydrogen peroxide and wrapping it around the index finger. The inner surface of the ear is wiped with gauze. But it is impossible for the antiseptic drug to flow inside the ear canal.

You can also treat your ears with warm vegetable oil or drinking tea. This procedure is best carried out using cotton swabs. It is worth remembering that two ears are treated at once, regardless of whether there is a lesion on them or not. When cleaning the ear, use a new bandage or gauze each time. It is recommended to pour drops of “Tsipam”, “Bars”, “Surolan” into the pet’s ear.

The outer surface of the auricle is smeared with sulfur ointment, Vishnevsky ointment. The medication is first heated, lightly massaged, and applied to the affected surface. Medicines can only remove adult ticks. Therefore, the treatment must be repeated 7–10 days after the initial course of treatment.

It is worth noting that a contraindication for many medications is under 2 months of age. Therefore, treatment of a puppy should be trusted only to professionals.

Preventive measures

From time to time, the owner needs to carry out hygienic treatment of the dog's ears. If you do not know how to do this, then you need to contact a veterinarian who will check the correctness of the procedure. Once every 6 months, the animal should be examined by a doctor in a specialized clinic.

If the dog does not want to have his ears treated

Of course, procedures and treatment are not the most pleasant event for any pet. Therefore, the owner needs to be nearby at this time and treat the dog with treats. During the procedure, it is recommended to stroke and praise her. Thus, the dog will treat the treatment much more simply and will not pay attention to painful sensations. To absorb the medicine more quickly, you can lightly massage the ears and pet the dog so that it does not shake its head and the medicine does not spill out.

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Veterinary practice shows that ear mites in cats can only appear through contact with other animals on the street. The disease is transmitted from the mother to the kittens. There is a high risk of infection for those animals whose owners often turn to specialized hotels. This is due to the fact that they are kept in group rooms there. It is this factor that does not guarantee that there will not be an infected animal among them.

Ear mites feel equally comfortable on cats of any breed, regardless of the size of their fur and their preferred habitat.

Diagnostics

The difference is that during notoedrosis, the outer side of the auricle of animals is affected. Therefore, the animal, feeling severe itching, begins to literally tear at the affected area, as a result of which severe scratching can be observed. If, when infected with otodectosis, an animal may not show its disease in any way for several years, then notoedrosis will be visible immediately due to the fact that the sick animal will rip its ears until they bleed.

A cat can become infected with notoedrosis not only through contact with a sick animal (cats, dogs and rodents are carriers), but also through interaction with common objects - a bowl, bedding, etc. This disease is also dangerous for humans; it goes away within a month even without drug treatment .

Clinical picture

At the initial stage, the disease can be cured quite easily, without complications such as sepsis. Failure to take medications in a timely manner leads to pathogenic bacteria settling at the site of scratching, causing suppuration.

Next, damage occurs to the blood vessels, which become overfilled with blood, causing swelling and redness of the tissue.
Moist discharge - exudate - is observed on damaged skin.
As a result of the death of skin cells and the suspension of the regeneration process, dark brown scabs are formed.
In some cases, putrefactive microflora develops.
Scabs and crusts form plugs that impair the animal’s hearing.

The main complication of ear mites is damage, rupture or inflammation of the eardrum.

Observe your pet's behavior carefully. And if signs of crooked head begin to appear (an animal with its head turned 90-120°), emergency measures should be taken. This pathological process negatively affects the brain and can lead to death.

How to treat a pet

If you choose the right medicine for ear mites in cats, then it is possible to heal the animal even in the most advanced cases. When starting treatment, you should understand that ticks lay up to 5 eggs per day, despite the fact that the development of an individual can last 21 days.

The minimum course of treatment is 30-35 days, during which it is possible to eliminate not only adults, but also larvae.

In order for ear mites in cats to cease to exist, the following rules should be followed during treatment:

maintaining animal hygiene - try to isolate it from other cats or dogs;
if the treatment procedure takes place at home, then you need to strictly follow the recommendations of the veterinarian, who will prescribe medications for a successful recovery;
You should thoroughly clean your ears of plaque. To do this, use a cotton swab, which will be soaked in hydrogen peroxide; a special disinfectant lotion is allowed;
for severe scratching, a special collar should be used;
You can relieve itching with the help of special antihistamines;
To maintain the animal, you should create comfortable and calm conditions for it.

Carefully read the side effect section to avoid the risk of further injury to the animal.

VIDEO: How to clean a cat’s ears and treat otodectosis

Which drugs are most effective?

A remedy for ear mites in cats, like ear drops, helps to achieve great success. Thanks to the large assortment, it is possible to effectively treat both kittens and pregnant cats.

Insecticidal injections are prohibited for kittens under 6 months of age and pregnant cats.

Preparations such as drops applied to the withers can be successfully used. This makes it possible to fight against those ticks that have moved onto the body.

The following types of drops are used:

"Decta Forte", approximate cost 95 rubles;
“Otovedin” is a more budget option at a price of 35-40 rubles;
"Aurikan" is one of the most effective, but also expensive - 450 rubles.

To treat fungus you can use:

“Otibiovet” - at a price of 135 rubles;
"Oricin" is an effective, but more expensive drug - 470 rubles.

Thanks to sprays, it is possible to carry out a complete treatment of not only the cat’s entire body, but also its bedding, which reduces the likelihood of re-infection through personal items.

Of the sprays, pay attention to “Akaromectin”, the price of which will fluctuate between 75-85 rubles.

In a veterinary pharmacy you should pay attention to Aversectin ointment at a price of 35-50 rubles

To treat the disease at an early stage, only narrow-spectrum anti-mite ear drops for cats are prescribed.

It is mandatory to use medications that strengthen and support the immune system. This will make it easier for the animal to tolerate the disease itself, and also help prevent complications.

VIDEO: Ear mites in a cat

Ear scabies or otodectosis is an invasive disease of dogs, cats and others caused by the activity of Otodektos cynotis mites. These insects are located on the inner surface of the auricle and in the external auditory canal, feeding on particles of the epidermis, blood and earwax of animals.

Signs of illness

At the beginning of infection, dogs experience mild itching, which intensifies as the disease progresses. They behave restlessly, shake their heads, rub their ears against various objects, scratch their ears with their claws, tearing them until they bleed. As a result, bald patches, scratches, wounds and ulcers form. Animals react painfully to scratching behind the ear; in advanced cases, they are not allowed to touch them.

The main sign of ear mites is brown or gray-brown discharge with an unpleasant odor. At the beginning of the disease, the discharge from the ears is serous, then mixed with pus. Mixing with the waste products of the tick (feces), the secretions dry out and form scabs and brown crusts.

Infection occurs from other carnivores, most often from cats and stray dogs. Often these insects are diagnosed in puppies aged 1 to 4 months. Their infection occurs in the mother's nest.

What is the danger

Incorrect or untimely treatment of otodectosis can have serious consequences. For example, such as perforation of the eardrum, inflammation of the middle ear (otitis), meningitis (inflammation of the membranes of the spinal cord and brain), Horner's syndrome and labyrinitis. With these diseases, a retraction of the eyeball into the orbit and a tilt of the head towards the diseased ear are noted. In addition, this can cause hearing loss or even death of the dog.

If the disease becomes chronic, ticks cannot be detected during this period, since after laying larvae they die. And all drugs are effective only in relation to adult animals. As a result, after 10-14 days, adults emerge from the eggs again and the cycle resumes. It is important during treatment not to miss this moment and not to allow the disease to develop into a chronic stage.

How to treat

First of all, you need to make sure that the disease is caused by ear mites. Why, at the first symptoms, you need to contact a veterinarian, who will conduct tests and prescribe the right treatment. It is better not to self-medicate dogs, because the wrong medicine or its dosage can lead to disastrous results - for example, deafness.

If it is not possible to take your pet to a veterinarian, you can take dried crusts of exudate or scabs for testing. To do this, you need to prepare a clean container (a small glass jar), pour boiling water over it, dry it and clean the dog’s ears with a cotton swab. All collected material is sent to the laboratory. The results will tell you quickly.

After you have been prescribed treatment, follow a number of recommendations in the future. Remember that any drops must be instilled into clean ears, otherwise the medicine will not work. To clean, we take cotton swabs and additionally wrap a layer of cotton wool, so as not to inadvertently damage the eardrum. We soak a cotton swab in hydrogen peroxide or an infusion of medicinal chamomile, or green tea (whoever has what) and carefully wipe the auricle with rotational movements, removing all crusts, plaque and other dirt.
A new stick is used for each ear to avoid re-infection of a healthy one.

Also, during treatment, drops are dripped into both ears strictly according to the instructions, even if only one is infected. The course is repeated after 10-14 days again at the same dose, because the drugs act only on adults, as mentioned earlier. It is important not to forget about this and prevent a new breeding cycle of insects.
If the mite appears again, it means that you applied the medicine to insufficiently clean ears, or it did not get in the right amount (shaking ears), or your dog has a weakened immune system and her ears are a very favorable environment for them.

Medicines

Otibiovin, Mastiet-Forte, Anandin Plus, Otoferonol Gold, Otovedin and many others, always warm and in both ears. Damaged skin around the auricle is lubricated with anti-inflammatory and acaricidal ointments (Konkov, Wilkinson, sulfuric and others).

Folk remedies for treatment

Take kerosene and sunflower oil in equal proportions, mix, dip a cotton swab in the resulting solution and lubricate the inner surface of the ear. After a day, positive changes are noted, the procedure is repeated 3-4 times.

Another method is to take 1 part iodine (alcohol solution) and 4 parts sunflower oil or glycerin. Lubricate the inner surface of the ear. A day later the procedure is repeated.

It is up to you to decide whether to use these methods; most likely, they are effective in the initial stages of infection and you should not neglect drug treatment, but if there is no veterinarian, then do not delay and urgently take the above measures.

Some tips

If you have trouble putting drops into your dog's ears, you can prepare a water solution. Take 1 ampoule of Butox-50, dilute it in 1 liter of water, pour it into a spray bottle and spray it inside the ear twice. The procedure is painless for the animal and the advantage is that the solution evenly covers the entire affected surface. After 7-10 days we repeat spraying. You just need to avoid getting the composition on the mucous membranes of the eyes, nose, and mouth.

To prevent infection with ear scabies, you should avoid contact with stray animals and monitor your pet. You should check and clean your dog's ears regularly. Also use acaricidal collars on walks and when going into the forest.

Does your dog constantly shake its head? Does your animal have unnaturally drooping ears? Has your dog lost his appetite? It is more likely that your pet is suffering from ear mites. Of course, ideally, as soon as the first symptoms appear, you should contact a veterinarian. However, such an opportunity is not always available, but it is necessary to help the animal. In such a situation, you need to know what treatment can be used at home.

Ear mites can be diagnosed by black discharge

Dog ear mites are skin-eating mites, which means they feed on lymph. At the same time, in order to get food for itself, it gnaws passages on the inside of the ear. There it lays eggs and develops, going through different stages of development. Reaching sexual maturity occurs after 30 days.

This is how experts see otodectosis

Features of reproduction

The female lays eggs in the dog's ear, as well as on the hairy part of this organ. After four days, ear mite larvae hatch and feed on wax and other skin secretions for 7 days. Next comes two stages of molting:

protonymphs;
deutonymphs.

During the deutonymph stage, the insect is asexual and remains so until it mates with a male ear mite. The female will become fertilized and lay eggs, thereby continuing the family chain.

Ear scabies can spread to other areas of the body

Mite infestation has already caused ear inflammation

Diagnostics

In the clinic

In a clinical setting, the veterinarian makes the diagnosis using an otoscope, which includes a magnifying glass. A swab is also taken from the ear - the discharge is monitored under a microscope, where the mite is very clearly visible. Take a close look at what ear mites look like on dogs - the photo was taken by veterinary hospital specialists. Among other means of professional tick diagnosis it is worth noting:

bacterial culture and sensitivity tracking;
X-ray/CT;
scrapings from the skin;
allergy tests.

Ideally, diagnosis should be carried out by a veterinarian

On one's own

How to treat ear mites in dogs?

So, the diagnosis has been made and treatment must be prescribed. It all depends on the degree of damage to the animal’s ears. But, if we take a universal algorithm, the following activities will be required:

Cleaning the ear canals. The decisive factor at this stage is the quantity and nature of the discharge. If there are an abundance of them, it is better to contact a specialist, where sedation and rinsing will be performed. In any case, you should not use traditional cotton swabs, since there is a high risk of pushing the infection deep into the ear.
Special preparations are injected into clean channels. Typically, local treatment involves the use of special drops based on milbemycin or ivermectin. Thiabendazole is often prescribed to control ear mites in dogs. Selamectin is also used - it must be injected between the shoulder blades.
The drugs are dripped not only into the ear, but also applied to the affected areas of the skin. True, in the latter case, anti-flea agents are used.
The most common pharmaceuticals are Otibiovin, Oritsin, Anandin plus, Mastiet-forte, Otovedin, Otoferonol gold.

Oricin is an inexpensive but effective drug

Important! You need to pay close attention not only to a dog with obvious symptoms of otodecosis, but also to pay attention to the condition of other animals that come into contact with it. It is worth saying here that ear scabies are less common in dogs than in cats, so furry pets must be examined frequently and carefully so as not to miss the onset of infection.

Remedies from the traditional medicine box

Of course, in any case, the correct model of behavior for the owner of a sick dog is to go to the veterinarian. But there are situations in life when this is not possible. Then, you have to use folk remedies. Home-made “preparations” that are very popular among dog breeders are:

strongly brewed green tea;
a mixture of olive oil and garlic;
kerosene + sunflower oil - in equal proportions;
iodine + sunflower oil – proportion 1:4.

Please note that folk remedies are effective only at the initial stage of infection, when the tick population is not too large. At other stages, such treatment will be half measures that will not lead to complete recovery.