Ear Mites Etiology, Effects And Medicines
Small bugs that look like minute ticks, ear mites are rarely seen without the aid of a microscope. These appear much like tiny white dots on the inner ear, and your vet will get a ear wax sample to look at for a diagnosis in most all cases.
Ear mites cause an infection that looks much like coffee grounds in the ear, having a dry black discharge. This is normally used for diagnosis because the insects are not always in the samples of ear wax that are taken.
These bugs move from one host to another by simple close physical contact. The insects can come from any animal that your animal has been around for a period of time. Since they are so easily transmitted, treatment for one animal in the home means all animals in the home have to be treated as well.
These bugs can cause major ear infections and other skin diseases due to their tiny but numerous bites. This condition can be seen as intense itching and redness in and around the ear that the animal cannot control.
These bugs are contagious to any animal that is near by, and is prevalent in those that stay outside. The most common cases are in outside cats and those that are left outside for periods of time. In rare cases, humans will see the red skin rash but for most all people there are no symptoms at all when their animal is affected.
There are a few products and treatments that can be used for about 3 weeks or longer that are said to work well for this condition. Many of the over the counter medicines have insecticides but do not kill eggs of the bugs, so they have to be used for at least 3 weeks in order to kill all bugs that are in gestation at the time of the first application.
There is one medicine that vets like to give called Tresaderm. This includes cortisone for itching, antibiotic for infections and thiabendazole that is the insecticide that kills the insects and the yeast they put off. It is used more often than others because it will kill all eggs and adults in all stages of life. Treatment time is 2 weeks and the product generally has an ear cleaner included. Although still a favorite to veterinarians, there are newer medications available causing this one to fall to a lower shelf for use.
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