Mite Treatments

Ear Mites

• If you suspect your pet has ear mites, get treatment for them as soon as possible. Ear mites are contagious and can jump from pet to pet, going in a circle and becoming difficult to treat. However, they cannot be transmitted to humans.

  Many veterinarians will offer a discount for you to bring in multiple pets infected with ear mites. This allows you to treat all of your pets at the same time, ensuring the ear mites don't simply jump hosts.

  Ear mites are most often treated with prescription ear drops. In most cases, only one application will be needed, and it will be applied by your veterinarian at his office. In severe cases, your vet may also prescribe oral antibiotics to combat any illness or infections the mites may have caused.

Mange Mites

• There are three types of mange mites: demodectic, cheyletiella and sarcoptic. Fortunately, all three types require similar approaches to treatment. Mange mites live in and around the skin, causing mild to severe reactions such as itching, hair loss or skin lesions.

  To treat and remove mange mites, most veterinarians will recommend a week or bi-weekly dip treatment or shampoo. Specifically, these shampoos will contain an insecticide that will kill the mange mites. Shampoos and dip treatments will be prescribed based on your pet's specific type of mange mites. Some pets may only require as little as four treatments, while others may require several additional weeks of treatments to fully remove the mite infestation.

  After three to four treatments, your veterinarian will begin to take weekly or bi-weekly skin scrapings to determine whether your pet still has a mite infestation. This will continue until your pet's skin scrapings have come back negative for mites at least twice.

  Aside from dips or shampoos, some veterinarians will recommend daily topical creams. These creams will also vary based on your pet's type of mange. In addition to these, an oral medication may also be prescribed to help prevent additional infections from occurring.

Additional Treatments

• If your pet does not have a monthly flea and tick prevention treatment, your vet may also prescribe one of these. Many monthly flea and tick applications are also formulated to help prevent ear mites and some may also help prevent mange mites. Your veterinarian will alert you to what your specific pet needs and what the monthly medications will protect against.

  In addition to any prescribed treatments, it will be important for you to follow through with a rigorous daily cleaning of your home. This includes vacuuming all areas that your pet may come in contact with (such as beneath the couch), vacuuming all rooms and wiping up excess pet hairs.

  Last, you must clean out your vacuum every day. This means emptying your canister in an outside trash and cleaning out your filter daily. Otherwise, the mites have an opportunity to crawl back into the home. In extreme cases, it may also be beneficial to wash all clothes or contain them within a plastic bag until laundry day.