Ear Mites

Ear mites are a common occurrence in pets and animals. Due to their ease and speed of spread, they can be transmitted extremely quickly between animals.

Cats and ferrets are the most likely pets to contract ear mites, however they can also occur in dogs and rabbits. There have been some known cases of human ear mite contraction as well, although this is quite rare.

One of the first signs of an ear mite infected animal is that he will be scratching and shaking his head around quite a bit. This is due to having thousands of tiny ear mites in the ear canal - the ear canal is extremely sensitive and any movement in there will cause extreme irritation and itchiness.

The next sign to look for is a brown crusty matter that will be noticeable when you look into the ear. This is caused by the serum from the ear lining which builds up. If not treated, this can turn into a fungal or bacterial infection, therefore it is mandatory that your pet is taken to a vet as soon as you suspect he may have contracted ear mites.

Sometimes you may be able to see very small white mites in the crusty debris. This is because these ear mites do not actually burrow into the ear, they simply live in the ear canal. Obviously if you can see white spots, your pet has ear mites and must be treated as soon as possible.

Your vet will advise on what action to take, however usually an injection or medication is given. Ivermectin is either injected or taken orally. There are special ear mite treatment products for cats as an alternative. These are used on the skin are effective for a month or so.

Ear mites need to be taken seriously and if you notice your pet displaying any sort of strange behavior relating to its ears, please see a vet as soon as possible.

Your Dog, Fleas, and Other Parasites

Your Dog, Fleas, and Other Parasites

Fleas and other parasites need to be given priority by the dog owners. The common incidences of flea bite allergy in case of dogs cause worries among the dog owners. Flea bite induces allergic reactions in the concerned area bitten by the fleas. Hence, the affected area looks like hairless area and the animal starts scratching.

Fleas cause severe dermatitis in dogs with severe flea infestations. Many times, the flea bite causes allergic reactions in the dogs. In many occasions, dogs experience severe discomforts due to these allergic reactions. Medicated collars are available to treat and prevent the infestation with external parasites like ticks or fleas.

Other parasites like ticks, lice in addition to the internal parasites like hook worms, round worms, whip worms etc. cause affections in the health status of the animal. For example, if hookworm affects the animal, most of the times, the dog has anemia. The anemic signs become more prominent depending on the degree of affection by the hookworm.

Hookworm larvae can pass directly through the skin and cause problems in the affected ones. Such dogs may reveal lesions pertaining to the dermatitis in the feet region and in the skin areas. Skin rashes may be seen frequently in such cases and the affected animal passes loose stool, which is of red tinged and mixed with blood material.

If the round worms are seen in more numbers, the affected puppies reveal a potbelly condition, which is easily recognized by the dog owners themselves. Piperazine salts are given by oral route for the treatment of this problem. However, broad-spectrum anthelmintics like pyrantel pamoate, fenbendazole etc. are given to treat these conditions.

Many drugs have come in market to treat the fleas and other parasites. Nowadays, the medical agent called as ivermectin is highly preferred by many dog owners to treat the fleas and other parasites in dogs. This drug is available in injection form and oral form. Even the drug is available for the external application also.