There are many types of mites that can infest your pet’s ears, but the most common one is Otodectes cynotis. Ear mites can infest the ears of cats and dogs of any age, sex or breed, but are more commonly seen in cats and small dogs.
Ear mites are tiny, eight-legged parasites of approximately 0.4mm in length and are barely detectable with the naked eye. They live out the majority of their three-week life cycle inside your pet’s external ear canals, feeding on wax, oils and skin cells.
How are ear mites transmitted?
Ear mites are highly contagious and can be transmitted from one pet to another through casual contact. Humans are generally immune to ear mites.
Symptoms
- Excessive scratching and rubbing of the ears
- Head shaking
- Thick brown or black crusts inside the ear(s)
- Red and/or swollen ear(s)
- Unpleasant odour
- Scratches, scabs and hair loss behind or around the ear(s)
- Inflammation of the ear(s)
Diagnosis
Your veterinarian will perform an examination of your pet’s ears with a special instrument called an Otoscope and will take a swab to examine under the microscope.
Avoid self-diagnosing as certain types of bacterial ear infections can mimic the symptoms of ear mites.
Treatment
The good news is that ear mites are very treatable.
In most cases your veterinarian will need to clean you pet’s ears before treatment will be effective. Ear cleaners or ear drops, spot-on treatments (e.g. Revolution, Advocate), or a combination of both can be prescribed to treat the ear mite infestation.
Because ear mites are highly contagious it is important to treat all the pets in the household.
Complications
Sometimes with the intense head shaking and ear scratching a haematoma (blood pooling inside the ear flap due to broken blood 
vessels) of the ear can form. This can result in a painful and swollen ear that requires surgery to correct.
Excessive scratching of the ear may lead to injury of the ear, which could lead to permanent damage.
If an ear mite infestation is left untreated, it could severely damage the ear canals and eardrums and cause permanent hair loss.
If you suspect that your pet may have ear mites or an ear infection, please consult your veterinarian.
