Are ear mites on a dog contagious to other animals in my home?

Question

I have a 6 year old Huskie/ shepard mix that just moved into my home and I think she has ear mites , is this contagious to my other dog and cat?

Answer 1

If your daughter is a vet, there's NO WAY she would have said no. Ask her again. Either you misunderstood, or she's not really a DVM.

Earmites are indeed highly contagious between fur-bearing animals in contact with each other....so much so, that when we diagnose them in one pet, we automatically treat ALL the pets in the household whether they are showing signs or not. If you don't, just as soon as one clears up, another one will have them....and when that one clears up, the first one will have them again. (The life cycle of the mites takes 3 weeks to complete.)

The problem is that many people waste their time and effort (and money) treating earmites that don't exist in their pet. Bacterial/yeast infections are just as likely...and show the same symptoms. The only way to tell is to look into the ear with a special instrument we use (called an otoscope), and to look at the ear debris under a microscope. If earmites are confirmed, we have a medication that is 99% effective with a single application (the company says 100%, but every once in awhile we have to retreat 3-4 weeks later.) If it's a bacterial/yeast infection, he might need a deep ear flush, followed by appropriate prescription medications. Sometimes, we'll find a tumor or foreign object (like an embedded grass seed or thorn) down in the ear canal.

If proper treatment is delayed, permanent damage to the eardrum and middle ear can develop, resulting in deafness.

Answer 2

Are Ear Mites Contagious

Answer 3

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
Are ear mites on a dog contagious to other animals in my home?
I have a 6 year old Huskie/ shepard mix that just moved into my home and I think she has ear mites , is this contagious to my other dog and cat?

Answer 4

YES..ear mites are contagious to other dogs and cats. How did you determine that the huskie mix has ear mites? Normally a vet looks for the ear mites with a microscope by obtaining a sample of the "dirt" in the dogs ear to confirm mites.


You can usually see some tell tale signs of an ear mite infestation.....the "dirt" in the dogs ears will have a "coffee ground" appearance.

A dog who has ear mites will shake his head and even scratch and paw at his ears, but those symptoms alone can also indicate an ear infection or yeast infection of the ear.

Have the vet check the dog for mites and prescribe an otic miticide to kill the mites. They are drops and you will have to follow the directions and use them the required number of days to completely rid your dog of the mites....

Also....your other dog and cat may need treatment as well, but talk to the vet before having a mass medication!

Yeah....Like GitEmGang said....that OTC stuff is CRAP and unreliable.

Answer 5

I adopted a cat a few months ago for our daughter, and he had ear mites. Our vet says that they are contagious to other animals in the home, but not to people. They get on furniture, bedding, you, and then are carried to other pets. Call your vet for ear mite drops. We have 3 dogs, and 2 cats. Getting rid of the mites was a night mare, and took us 2 months.

Answer 6

You need to take him back to the Vet. it is not uncommon for the dog to develop an ear infection with or after having ear mites. Mites can only be killed with prescription ear medicine. The ear infection can actually blow out his ear drum which will leave him with hearing loss. It is also extremely painful for the dog and Benadryl does not take away the pain in a dogs ear. Please take him to the Vet asap.

Answer 7

Hi, I understand that you are looking for some advice or resources to help fully train your dog or fix behavior problems. If a professional dog trainer is not an option at this time, or if you want to trt training your dog on your own (a great way to bond), I'd suggest you https://biturl.im/aU7JO

A friend recommened it to me a few years ago, and I was amazed how quickly it worked, which is why I recommend it to others. The dog training academy also has as an excellent home training course.

Answer 8

Ear Mites

Ear mites, (Otodectes cynotis) is the most common ear mite of cats but can be a problem for dogs. It usually lives in the ears and on the head of affected cats or dogs but it can sometimes live on the body of the cat or dog. It is contagious and the presence of the mites can cause severe inflammation in affected cat or dog's ears.

Answer 9

Yes

Answer 10

If you're not sure, don't treat her until you have her examined. Ear infections can make a dog shake their head and scratch at the ears as well.