Mites are annoying parasites that hide in many places. They do not transmit disease, but they can cause annoying symptoms such as severe itching or bald patches in the coat. If a dog is infected with mites, treatment is urgently needed.
Mites On Dogs
- There are mite diseases that are harmless and without symptoms. Some are highly contagious and can cause severe discomfort;
- If you suspect your dog has mites, you should go to a veterinarian immediately and have this cleared up. Home remedies are ineffective against most mites;
- Mites in dogs are widespread;
- Mites are particularly common in young dogs;
- Some species of mites can also spread to humans.
Definition of mite infestation in dogs
Mites are arachnids just like ticks. There are wild species and numerous parasitic species. The latter live as so-called ectoparasites on the body surface and often lead to skin changes. There are mites that live on a host animal during their entire life cycle, i.e. from oviposition to development and further to reproduction. There are also mites that only occasionally need a host animal. Some of these mites are host-specific, that is, they live exclusively on one animal species, for example on the dog. Others are cross-host, which means they can switch to other mammals and sometimes pass to humans.
What types of mites are there and how they can be recognized
The symptoms of a mite infestation can vary depending on the type of mite. Some mite diseases are absolutely harmless and do not cause any discomfort, others can seriously affect the animals and cause severe pain. You then definitely need to be treated by a veterinarian.
The autumn grass mite
The autumn grass mite, in Latin Trombicula autumnalis, is only the size of a pinhead. It is of a striking orange-red color. In the affected areas, it occurs mainly in summer and autumn. As the name suggests, it lurks in the grass for a host. This parasite develops from an egg to a larva, then a nymph, and finally an adult. The larva needs lymph fluid from its host animal for its development in order to survive. In the other stages, plant material is sufficient for nutrition. When dogs are attacked by the autumn grass mite, the parasite is mainly found on the paws, especially between the toes, on the stomach, and head. If the mite larva bites its host animal, this can cause severe allergic reactions with enormous skin irritations and severe itching in sensitive animals. The skin changes can still exist after the parasite has long been eliminated.
The ear mite
Ear mites, lat. Otodectes cynotis, preferentially settle in the outer auditory canal of your dog, and less often they also colonize the surrounding skin. This mite develops completely in the host animal’s ear canal. The ear mite feeds on dead skin cells and superficial tissue fluids in every stage of development from egg to larva and nymph to adult animal. The transmission to another host animal takes place through direct contact with the sick animal, usually already with the puppies. Adult animals are rarely affected. The ear mite infestation shows typical symptoms that you can easily recognize. Your dog has sore ears that are very itchy. A crumbly secretion of brown-black color is created in the ear canal, which is reminiscent of coffee grounds. Sometimes even the tiny, moving mites can be seen if you shine into your ear canal. The veterinarian can make a reliable diagnosis with the help of a swab from the ears.
The predatory mite
The predatory mite, Latin Cheyletiella spp., Is not host-specific and very contagious. It affects all types of pets and can spread to humans. The entire development takes place on a host animal. Mites are transmitted to other animals through direct contact. The female mites can also survive in the vicinity of dogs and other pets so that transmission through contaminated objects is also conceivable. This mite lives on the surface of the skin and moves between the hairs. It feeds on tissue fluids. Your animal gets itching, which is noticeable to different degrees. This particular parasite is characterized by small, dry scales, whereby the animals look very similar to small scales. They are mainly found on their host’s back. The diagnosis can be made by scraping skin – a veterinary method for diagnosis – or the adhesive tape technique. The samples obtained in this way can be identified under the microscope.
The mange mite
The mange or grave mite, Latin Sarcoptes scabiei var. Canis, occurs primarily in dogs. It can also attack foxes and martens. These mites are extremely contagious. They are transmitted through direct contact with an infected animal or indirectly via the environment. If your dog comes into contact with an infected animal, it is very unlikely that he will not become infected. This mite burrows tunnels in the keratin layer of the skin where it lays eggs and feces. This causes unbearable itching, red spots, hairlessness, scales, and thickening of the skin in the host animal. It is not always possible to detect this mite, as a very small number can trigger severe symptoms.
The hair follicle mite
Hair follicle mites, Latin Demodex canis, live on the skin of many hairy mammals. They feed on hair follicles and sebum glands, cell waste, and tissue fluids. Hair follicle mites cannot survive without a host animal. The pests usually do not trigger an immunological or allergic reaction because they store their feces in their own cells. The transmission occurs immediately after the puppies are born, while the animals are suckling the mother animal. If these mites reproduce excessively, they can cause demodicosis, a skin-irritating disease that can develop into a purulent inflammation. Certain breeds have a genetic predisposition for this disease, such as the pug or the English or French bulldog, the Shar-Pei or Doberman, and the German shepherd.
The dog has these symptoms with a mite infestation
Mite infestation causes some very typical symptoms that primarily affect the animal’s skin. Depending on the type of mite, they can cause flaking, wrinkling, and itching. Hair loss, crusting, eczema, and increased production of skin oil can also occur. Either very limited individual areas or the whole body can be affected. In addition, secondary bacterial infections can occur, which manifest themselves in the form of increased development of boils. Boils are deep inflammations of the skin, usually the hair follicles, that fester strongly and cause severe pain.
It can also lead to severe keratinization of the skin, a so-called hyperkeratosis. With ear mites, symptoms are usually limited to the ears and the surrounding skin. Itching occurs secondary illnesses from the strong scratching and secretion build-up.
How can the parasites be diagnosed?
Mites are an annoying topic in dogs, but they occur very often. If your dog scratches itself, there can be many reasons, including very harmless ones. However, parasite infestation is very widespread. Fleas, ticks, and mites are among the main triggers of scratch attacks. The mites sit on plants, in the grass, or on other four-legged friends and can be transmitted to a new host in passing. Depending on the type of mite, it nests on the hair follicle, in the ears, or on the skin. Infestation with grass mites is the most common, followed by the grave mite or mange mite. The hair follicle, predatory, and ear mites are also very common. The skin of the infected animal can show the following symptoms:
- Redness
- itching
- bald spots
- Flaking
- Wrinkling
- Skin wheals
- Ulcers
- dark crumbly secretion in the ear
- parchment-like or calloused skin
If you notice frequent scratching and shaking or a tilted head in your dog, then you should also think about mite infestations. Some of the pests can be seen with the naked eye. It is best to brush your dog’s fur with a flea comb against the direction of growth. Then tap the comb on a light-colored cloth. This makes it easy to identify the larvae that have fallen out.
Treat dogs with mites without fail
Young animals in particular can be infested with mites and show no symptoms at all. Nevertheless, they are contagious to their fellows. With some types of mite, it can also be uncomfortable for humans, this is especially true for the mange mite and scabies. Therefore, you must always do something if you suspect that your dog is infected with mites. The parasites can cause abnormal changes, especially if your dog’s immune system is already weakened. Possible secondary infections include:
- Allergies
- Fungal and bacterial inflammation
- Hearing problems
- Anemia
The hair follicle mite can also cause demodicosis. The bacteria can easily penetrate the skin and, in the worst case, cause life-threatening infections.
The veterinarian must treat mites
You shouldn’t treat mites yourself. Each species of mite requires its own treatment. The veterinarian can first determine the mite infestation without a doubt and also determine which nuisance it is. He then prescribes the appropriate means or initiates the appropriate therapy, as is necessary in the case of demodicosis. If your dog also suffers from secondary infections, treatment with antibiotics is unavoidable. If only local treatment is necessary, the vet may prescribe creams and ointments containing cortisone, for example. More harmless mites can be treated with antipruritic baths, powders, and sprays. The veterinarian fights the ear mite with mite-killing preparations and at the same time with local antibacterial preparations to counteract the inflammation that occurs. In any case, you should also remember to thoroughly disinfect the sleeping area, brushes, and other objects with which your dog has regular contact, parallel to the therapy. If you do not do this, your dog may become infected again with the parasites.
What should be done with Demodex mites?
In 90 percent of cases, the Demodex mite infestation heals spontaneously if the infestation is locally limited. The skin looks normal again after just one week. When the fur has grown back, hardly anything of the parasite infestation can be seen. In the case of a stubborn local infestation, the following measures can be very helpful.
First, you should wash the affected areas of the skin with lukewarm soapy water. Bathing the dog or puppy with a shampoo containing chlorhexidine also shows good results. You can also use home remedies, but you should discuss these with your veterinarian beforehand. For example, if your dog sleeps outdoors in a dog house, it will help if you line the house with dried fern. In addition, you can wash the affected areas of skin with colloidal silver and then apply an ointment with propolis. Changing the dog’s food can also help relieve symptoms. An unrecognized allergy to the food often has a negative effect on the skin barrier, which can promote a mite allergy.
Recommendations for action – what you can do preventively
Since not all animals infected with mites need therapy, preventive drug therapy is not advisable. If you suspect that your dog is infected with mites, you should definitely consult a veterinarian. This can make them a more precise diagnosis and tell you which mite is afflicting your dog. There are no effective home remedies, but you can very well take preventive measures – In principle, only prophylactic measures help to avoid mite infestation and the associated diseases.
- The most important measure to prevent mite infestation is a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. When you strengthen your dog’s immune system, you are also contributing to skin health.
- When walking your dog, you should absolutely avoid contact with stray animals, especially neglected animals. Because it is precisely these creatures that often have mites or other unwelcome fur inhabitants. This is how you can exclude a transfer.
- So-called spot-on products protect against grass mites. These are contact insecticides that you put on your dog’s skin using a pipette.
- If your dog suffers from these annoying parasites only sporadically, regular washing and combing of the fur can prevent or at least contain a strong infestation.
- Keeping your lawn short will reduce the risk of infection by grass mites.
- Don’t let your dog roam through tall grass.
- Regularly clean your dog’s sleeping area.
- Give your pet a balanced diet with high-quality dog food. This strengthens the immune system.
- Apply a so-called spot-on preparation to your dog’s coat. There are also drugs in tablet form that do the same thing.
- Avoid contact with infected animals.
- If your dog has inherited demodicosis, you should not breed with him. In this way, the disease is not passed on to the next generation.
