Pets can be afflicted by a number of parasites. These include fleas, ticks, heart worms, tapeworms and ear mites. Hopefully, this will allow one to know the symptoms and learn how to treat ear mites.

What are these things? They are organisms that can live in the ear canal and elsewhere on the pet. They are microscopic so they cannot be seen by the naked eye. They can be contracted by other animals through touch. Humans are not afflicted by them and cannot get them through contact with an infected pet though.

It is a good idea to frequently clean the ears of a pet. This can be done by using a solution of equal parts water and hydrogen peroxide. Dip a cotton swab into the solution and gently clean the insides of the pet ears. Make sure to use a separate swab on each ear. This will help prevent the spread of an ear infection from one ear to the other. Cleaning ears also helps to see if any discolored discharge or build up is in the ears.

The symptoms of an ear mite infection include scratching ears, shaking head, being off balance, and not walking in a straight line. These parasites live in the ear canal and cause itching. This is why the animal will itch or shake its head. Like humans with inner ear problems, mites can cause imbalance and throw off equilibrium in an animal. The amount of itching and head shaking is dependant on the severity of the infestation. A discharge of fresh or dried blood will also be seen in the ears. The dried blood looks like coffee grounds. This is generally a sign of infestation. If the mites are somewhere other than the ear canal, the pet may or may not scratch at the area.

There are serious problems that can arise from no treating an infestation. These include skin disease, ear infection and permanent hearing loss from damage to the ear canal and drum.

Non prescription medication is available. This does take twenty one to thirty days of treatment though. This is due to the fact that it does not kill mite eggs. It is most often in a liquid form.

Prescription medications are available at a veterinary hospital. These have a shorter treatment time of ten to fourteen days. These do have mite egg killing medication in them. They come in liquid drop form or can be injected.

If the pet has mites outside the ear canal, flea and tick medications will get rid of these. If your pet is on a regular flea treatment, external mites are not a problem.

When treatment is required to rid the pet of a mite infestation, if there are multiple pets, all pets must be treated at the same time. This prevents repeat infestations.

There are certain times a pet should be taken to the veterinarian. These include if the symptoms are extremely severe, if there are recurring infections or if prescription mite medication is needed. Otherwise, mite treatment is simple and can be done in home without veterinary consultation.

It is important to treat ear mites at the first signs of infestation. This will prevent the problem from worsening. Learn to treat ear mites and know the symptoms to help keep pets healthy.