What Are Ear Mites?

The common ear mite is a parasite called Otodectes cynotis.  Their host is our dogs and cats, and they infest their ear canal.  They are found world wide, and are transmitted from animal to animal.  Eggs are laid and hatch to the "lymph" stage, and then males and females go through another stage before maturing to adults and breeding.  It takes just under 2 weeks for this life cycle.

I can assure you from personal experience that these mites can look a lot like "regular" ear gunk.  Any excess of material buildup in your pets' ears is of concern.  Either ear mites or an infection, this condition is not normal.  A small amount of build up is normal in everyone's ears.. but I think we can all agree we understand the difference!

Symptoms of ear mite infestation includes head shaking, head tilt, and discharge.  This condition can cause inner ear damage if left untreated too long.  Your vet and their techs will take an ear swab and look under the microscope to determine if it's mites.  It's very treatable, and your vet will send you home with meds to clear it up.  Never think mites will go away by themselves, or that a small amount of mites isn't such a bad thing. 

Every animal (namely my cats) that I adopted with a background as being birthed from a stray momma' all had ear mites.  On the whole, they had mites, fleas, and ticks!  If your new baby looks healthy, don't skip the vet visit, especially if they have a stray or feral mom background.