What are ear mites?

What are ear mites? Ear mites can affect a dog at any age, however they're more common in puppies because puppies haven't built up immunity to them. Ear mites are tiny crab-like parasites that live in the ear canals, and sometimes on the body, of dogs. They feed on earwax and other secretions in the ear canal. They rarely bite but they can cause a severe inflammation in affected dog's ears. Excessive shaking of the head or scratching of the ears or an odor coming from your puppy's ears may be signs that ear mites have moved into his ear canal. You can check for ear mites by looking inside your puppy's ear. If you see a thick crusty substance that looks similar to ground coffee this is usually a sign that ear mites are there. Treating ear mites Ear mites are one of the most common causes of canine ear troubles and can be persistent, however they're easy to diagnose and you can treat them at home. If you suspect your puppy is suffering from ear mites visit your veterinarian. Your veterinarian will check to make sure your puppy's ear irritation is a result of ear mites and not an infection of some kind. Because the signs indicating ear mites are similar to other ear problems it's important to check with your veterinarian. If you misdiagnosed your puppy's problem and treated an infection with ear mite medication it could make the infection worse. Your veterinarian will clean out your puppy's ears and prescribe anti- mite eardrops. It usually takes 4-6 weeks of treatment to get rid of the mites. Once treatment starts the mites may decide to move somewhere else on your puppy's body, usually to the base of his tail. To prevent this use a flea powder or spray on your puppy's whole body at the same time treatment of his ears is going on. Ear mites are very contagious and can be passed from any furry animal to your puppy. Because of this it's necessary to treat all furry animals that share a home with the affected puppy.