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The
Ear Mite's proper name is "Otodectes cyanotis" ( Latin
for "Picker of the Ear" ). This name tells it all. Ear
mites are extremely common. Greater than 50% of dogs, cats and
fox are carriers of ear mites. Most infestations are subclinical
and inapparent, but secondary bacterial and fungal infections
can cause a nasty external ear canal infection and much irritation
and discomfort for your pet.
"Ear Mites" drive pets "Buggy"
Can you imagine 1000's of little mites crawling around inside
your ear canals? Just the movement of these mites in this sensitive
area can drive a cat or dog buggy! As the mites crawl around inside
the ear canal they browse on cerumen (ear wax) and as the ear
becomes more irritated the lining begins to secrete serum (clear
component of blood). The serum, cerumen and ear mite frass combine
to form a thick, black, crusty substance that may nearly close
off the ear canal. The irritation and blockage of air flow can
set up the ear for a secondary bacterial or fungal infection.
Diagnosis
In many cases diagnosis is easy: Just take a peek with an otoscope
and you can see the little, white mites scurrying about. In other
cases, you may see the characteristic, black, crusty wax in the
ear canals and on the ear flaps, but not see the mites. In these
suspect cases, it is always wise to take a Q-tip full of the wax
and smear it into a drop of mineral oil and examine it under a
microscope. The presence of the mites or eggs confirms the diagnosis.
The life cycle of ear mites
Ear mites spend their entire life on the host. Adult mites mate
and lay eggs in the ear canals and on the surrounding fur. The
eggs hatch to form larvae which then molt to become nymphs, which
molt again to form adults. They never leave the animal. See the
illustration below.
How are Ear mites treated?
One of the biggest causes of treatment failure is not removing
the exudate BEFORE applying the medication. Every bit of the black,
crusty exudate must be removed from the ear canal before any medication
will work. This is best accomplished by gently flushing the ear
canal using an ear bulb (available from drug stores). Mix up a
solution of warm water and liquid dishwashing detergent (just
enough detergent to slightly color the water) and fill the ear
bulb. The tip of the bulb is held loosely in the ear and the water/soap
solution is gently squeezed in allowing it to bubble out carrying
the debris (Never block the free passage of the solution out of
the ear or you could rupture the ear drum). This process is repeated
three or four times until the ears are clean. The ears are then
rinsed with warm, clear water and dried. Q-tips are not recommended
because they carry the dirtiest contamination deeper into the
canal making the infection worse. If you do not feel comfortable
cleaning the ear, you should consult your veterinarian.
Ear mite medications commonly contain a pyrethrin insecticide
and vehicle such as mineral oil. These medications can be purchased
across-the-counter from many pet stores or veterinary hospitals.
Since ear mites are easily passed from one pet to another by
close contact, ALL animals in the household must be treated at
the same time to ensure success.
A second reason for treatment failure is not treating long enough.
The treatment schedule that has worked for me over the years is
as follows:
All ear exudate is cleaned from the ear canal.
Ear mite medication is instilled deeply into the ear canal and
massaged thoroughly to disperse. As you massage, a "gooshy"
sound should be heard as the medication is dispersed. The medication
is applied once a day for three days in a row.
A week is allowed to pass without treatment.
The ears are cleaned again and the medication is applied once
a day for three more days.
Another week is allowed to pass without treatment.
The ears are cleaned and the medication is applied once a day
for a final three days.
The reason for this schedule is to interrupt the entire life-cycle.
Each week more eggs will hatch and new mites will colonize the
ear. By the end of the third week we have killed all stages of
the ear mite life-cycle and we should see no more problems. Occasionally,
if bacterial or fungal infections have caused damage to the ear
canal, an antibiotic or antifungal cream or ointment may need
to be used.
Taken from an anticle written by Dr.
Dan
~
Animals and our pets can be a great way to reduce
our every day stresses and anxieties. It is not easy to deal with
our fears and anxieties, however, spending time with animals can
makes us feel better. Here is a list of ways of how animals can
help us to better cope with our fears, anxieties, and stresses.
Spending time with animals can be a great source
of companionship. Whether you have a pet or go to your local shelter,
spending time with an animal or pet can help us to feel better.
Also many people talk to their pets and this can help us to get
their problems out in the open. Animals can be of good company
to all of us and can prevent the fear of being alone during our
troubles.
Helping animals and other people through community service can
be a great way to overcome our anxieties. There are many animals
out there who could benefit from your time and talents. Doing
something that will help your pet or other animals can give you
a source of pride and accomplishment and also can lead to possible
friendships with others.
Sitting around and accomplishing nothing will not
make things any better whether its dealing with the fear of being
alone or something else. Animals can help us to be active and
to focus our energies on working with them instead of worrying
about things that may or may not happen. This will prevent us
from worrying about our current situation.
One of the ways to manage stress is to challenge
your negative thinking with positive thoughts. Animals can help
us to relax and help us to focus on the good things in our lives.
This will help us to focus positively on any situation. Playing
with animals can help reduce our fears and anxieties in any situation.
Animals can get our minds off of our problems. A person could
do an activity with their pet or other animals that will give
them a fresh perspective on things. Spending time with animals
will get your mind off of the problem and give you the energy
to do other things. Most importantly, playing with animals will
give you the self-confidence that you can cope and that you can
get through the day.
Remember that there are many ways that animals
can reduce the stresses of our every day life, however, they are
not a substitute of getting professional help. If your fears and
anxieties become overwhelming, then you will need to talk to a
counselor. The next time you feel stressed, spend some time with
your pet or other animals and you will be better able to cope
with your worries.
BIOGRAPHY:
Stan Popovich is the author of "A Layman's
Guide to Managing Fear Using Psychology, Christianity and Non
Resistant Methods" - an easy to read book that presents a
general overview of techniques that are effective in managing
persistent fears and anxieties.
For additional information go to: http://www.managingfear.com/
