A very common disease in dogs is otoacariasis infection. Otodectes cynotis parasite disease is caused. It is also called the "ear tick". He lives on the inner surface of the ears of dogs or other animals, such as cats and ferrets. A person is not affected by this lesion. Of course, this is not the only insect that can parasitize here, but it is most common.
Also, an ear mite is the cause of nine out of ten cases of subsequent infectious diseases, canine ears. Here are some photos of the treatment of ear ticks in dogs at various stages of the process.
Ear tick, nature of the disease
The total life cycle of an individual tick takes about twenty-eight days. Females reach puberty in seventeen to twenty days. Eggs mature and larvae hatch from them three to four days after laying. Initially, this pathology manifests itself as severe itching in the ear canals and shells. Dogs with closed and large ears with long hair are at greatest risk. In conditions of pollution and high humidity, insects develop more actively. As a rule, the defeat is bilateral. This must be borne in mind, even when symptoms appear on one side only. The following are the main causes of the appearance of an ear tick in dogs, the symptoms and treatment of this disease.
Possible ways of infection
Dogs become infected mainly from physical contact from their sick relatives or cats. Cats very often become carriers of ear mites. Therefore, if both animals live in the house, treatment of the ear tick in cats and dogs should be carried out simultaneously.
Other predatory mammals, such as ferrets, are also affected. A dark coating is formed in the ears of infected animals, containing a large number of parasite eggs. Struggling with itching, animals actively scatter it around them. Accordingly, the entire environment that surrounds the sick dog is abundantly filled with live insects and eggs. A healthy animal, getting into it, is very quickly affected by them. The most contaminated is usually the litter in place of the dog. People almost never get this infection.
Primary symptom detection
It is not difficult to detect the primary symptoms of the disease. The first signs of a pet's disease will be severe itching in the ears. If your dog constantly scratches his ears, this is a good reason to be worried. The presence of itching in the auricles can be determined by the reflex reactions of the animal. If, when feeling, pressing, massaging the base of the auricle, the animal tugs with its hind paw on the side corresponding to the irritated ear, as if trying to itch, itching inside the ears is present. The cause of it with high probability may be otoacariasis.
Also, ear infestation is accompanied by visual changes in the skin. The formation of a characteristic dark plaque, damage and wounds on the skin of the ears and adjacent areas from the intense impact of claws when scratching. The presence at the edges of damaged areas of peel tissue caused by reinfection. The formation of inflammation is possible due to the ingress of dirt and staphylococci into open wounds.
A characteristic feature is a change in the position of the ears themselves. The infected ear drops. Also, upon close inspection, you can notice the parasites themselves. Small white dots inside the auricles against a dark plaque. For convenience, you can use a magnifier and a sheet of black paper. Insects live on the surface, not inside the skin. There is no need to do deep scrapings.
Detailed diagnostics
With serious damage to the animal and obvious complications, you should not rely only on visual inspection. Also, if after an independent course of treatment for his pet, his symptoms remain or reoccur, in order to identify the pathology and its exact causes, you should contact a veterinary clinic. Conducting laboratory tests will give a complete picture of the infection. In addition, veterinarians have more effective drugs at their disposal. Specialists can correctly prescribe complex therapy, and thereby significantly reduce the recovery time.
Ear tick in dogs, drug treatment
Treatment of otacariasis consists of several stages.
First of all, it is necessary to destroy parasites. This is possible with the help of special drugs for otocariases, or any available acaricidal drugs. Such products are very widely marketed in veterinary clinics and pet stores. The animal will feel relief within a few hours after the use of the medicine, but numerous allergic reactions can last up to a month.
Next, you need to rid the animal of the effects of ticks. In case of serious damage and the occurrence of wounds and abscesses, antiseptic agents and antibiotics should be used. Healing ointments and restorative drugs are also recommended. During treatment, it is necessary to exclude as much as possible poisoning of the animal when poisonous agents enter the inside. After treatment, the dog will continue to itch and lick its paws. Here you should use a special collar. It will protect against additional injuries and will not allow poisons to enter the animal’s stomach. After four to five days after the first treatment, the treatment of the ear tick in the dog must be repeated. The fact is that most drugs are unable to destroy already ripened eggs, but with the repeated procedure, hatching larvae will be destroyed.
Alternative treatments for ear mites in dogs
At home, you can use the available funds from the first-aid kit. First you need to clean your ear. To do this, you can use a two percent solution of hydrogen peroxide, furatsilin or even vegetable oil. Using cotton swabs, the surface of the skin is thoroughly cleaned. Then, a few drops of an antiparasitic or acaricidal drug are injected inside. Next, the ear must be thoroughly massaged so that the product reaches all the affected areas. Even if there are no visible signs of the disease on the second ear, it must also be treated. Repeat the procedure after five to seven days. But you need to understand that with the appearance of an ear tick in dogs, treatment at home is only possible if the disease is in the initial stage.
Antiparasitic drugs
Also, antiparasitic drugs such as Ivermectin and Selamectin are actively used to treat ear mites in dogs.
The first drug is drops, which are a one percent oil solution. They are inserted into the ear canal followed by a massage of the conch to distribute the product evenly. It is worth paying attention to the caution of using this drug in Collie and some other breeds, due to possible complications.
"Selamectin" - a more powerful tool. Suitable for use in the clinic for the treatment of advanced cases in large populations of parasites, for example, in animals that have lived for a long time on the street. Both drugs are effective not only in the treatment of ear mites in dogs, but also against a wide range of other parasites.
Complications and consequences
If treatment of an ear tick in a dog is started late, or the animal has a reduced immunity, complications of the disease may occur. It should be noted that otodectosis is often the cause of the development of a whole set of infectious diseases in dogs. In such cases, treatment should be approached comprehensively. It is necessary to use antiseptic drugs and broad-spectrum antibiotics. If the infection develops inside the ear canal, then otitis media may occur. Here it is better to go to the veterinarian, since such diseases are difficult to treat at home, but can lead to serious problems until the transition from otitis media to chronic and deafness of the animal.
It is also possible to spread skin infections to other parts of the dog’s body. First of all, the neck, back, head suffer. The animal is covered with abscesses and ulcers. Here, too, you definitely need to seek help from professionals. Traumatic complications are also possible. The occurrence of hematomas and lymphoextravasate. Treatment is also best done in the clinic in an operable way.
Therefore, it is impossible to ignore the symptoms of manifestation of an ear tick in dogs. If these are found, it is necessary to begin treatment as soon as possible. Untimely disposal of the dog from ticks can lead to perforation of the eardrum, meningitis, hearing loss and, in some cases, death of the animal.
Prevention
It is always better to prevent infection than to treat its consequences later. In the prevention of treatment of ear mites in dogs, ear hygiene is important. The likelihood that the parasites have time to develop and multiply, decreases significantly at regular cleaning of the dog’s ears. The main cause of contamination is the plaque formed in the animal. This is sulfur, which serves to protect the surface of the organs of hearing. Therefore, you do not need to delete it every day. It is enough to perform this procedure once or twice a month, depending on the size of the dog and the length of its coat. In dogs with large ears closed, such as spaniels, perhaps more often.
Cleansing is done with a dry cotton swab. You can use oil or a weak solution of hydrogen peroxide. Antiparasitic drugs are not recommended for prophylaxis in a healthy dog. Both ears need to be cleaned. Tampons can be used only once to avoid repeated infections.
In addition to cleaning, you must carefully monitor the pet's contacts with other animals. Avoid contact with stray dogs and cats. For the transfer of parasites, even short-term contact is sufficient. We recommend regular preventative treatment for fleas and ticks. We must not forget to monitor the cleanliness of the litter on which the dog is resting.
Significant additions
Otodectosis is a dangerous and common disease. To avoid infection of your pet with this parasite, do not forget about prevention. It is also important to maintain the immunity of the animal. To do this, it must eat properly, receive the necessary vitamins and minerals. It is very important that the dog spend enough time outdoors and not feel a lack of movement. If the invasion could not be avoided, do not postpone treatment. In case of serious lesions, you should definitely contact a specialist.