{"id":2200,"date":"2022-10-20T12:49:00","date_gmt":"2022-10-20T19:49:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rocklinranchvet.com\/blog\/?p=2200"},"modified":"2024-07-31T18:44:16","modified_gmt":"2024-08-01T01:44:16","slug":"what-are-ear-mites-in-dogs-and-cats","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rocklinranchvet.com\/blog\/what-are-ear-mites-in-dogs-and-cats\/","title":{"rendered":"What Are Ear Mites in Dogs and Cats?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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If constant head twitching and ear scratching has the fur flying in your house, ear mites could be to blame. These teeny weeny creepy crawlies feast on ear wax (ew!) and are highly contagious between dogs, cats, rabbits, and ferrets. Your pet can pick up this pest outdoors, at the kennel or groomer, or from another pet in the house. Read on for the nitty gritty on ear mites, plus treatment tips from our team at Rocklin Ranch Veterinary Hospital.<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Ear Mites Up Close<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you could keep your cat from squirming long enough to hold a powerful magnifying glass up to her ear, you might be able to spot an ear mite\u2014the most common of which is called Otodectes cyanotis<\/em>. These tiny creatures are virtually invisible to the naked eye and may look like white dots. A definitive diagnosis requires a microscope, but there are many telltale signs to watch for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Symptoms of Ear Mites<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ear mites make pets extremely uncomfortable, which results in many outward symptoms of ear mites in dogs and cats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Watch for these signs that your pet is having ear problems<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n