How to tell if a dog has mites

Recognising and Treating Dog Mites

Demodectic mange is a serious skin complaint that causes hair loss, reddening, sore areas, scaling, crusting, lesions and the darkening of chronically affected skin. It usually affects younger dogs and can be very serious if left untreated.

Can dog mites affect humans?

Mites typically only prefer one species; however, some can also infect humans if they come within close contact with the mite. The most common dog mites which can affect humans are sarcoptic dog mites, these are highly contagious and can cause itchiness and inflammation.

Dog mite symptoms

If you notice the following symptoms in your dog, they may have mites:

• Hair loss (either in patches, or all over their coat).
• Dandruff.
• Excessive scratching.
• Visible irritation, such as red skin.
• You may even be able to see mites on their skin part the fur and look closely.

Diagnosing mites in dogs

You might get clues as to whether your dog has mites by carefully studying their skin. If theyre scratching, biting, or chewing themselves excessively you might suspect they have mites, and take a closer look.

Your vet, however, is the best person to diagnose mites in your dog. They will be able to tell what kind of mites your dog has, and how they should be treated.

Your vet will usually diagnose mites by studying a piece of skin or hair under the microscope. Taking samples is a quick and usually pain-free procedure. This will help your vet identify the type of mite affecting your dog.

Dog mites treatment

The good news is that most mite infestations can be effectively treated.

Your vet may prescribe medicine or a spot-on to help get rid of the infestation, or sometimes a wash or shampoo. Sometimes more than one dog mite treatment will be used at a time, and they may have to be administered for a while. The best thing you can do is be patient and persevere and soon your dog will be mite-free!

How do dogs get mites?

Dogs can pick up mites from a number of places. They are often passed from dog to dog, but they can come from their environment too.The precise why in which they are transmitted depends on the type of mite.

Your dog may catch mites if they come into contact with another dog who has them. Typicallythis will be another dog in the household, but can also bein places such as an animal shelter or grooming establishment. Your dog may also pick them up from another dog when youre out and about on a walk.

Dog mites may also continue to live in the environment, such as in their bed or in the carpet, after they or another dog have been contaminated. Your dog can then pick them up again, which is why you should make sure everything is clean and mite-free after a known infestation.

How to prevent dog mites

The best way to prevent dog mites is to ensure they dont come into contact with a dog who has them. This can be tricky, as you wont always know, but keep an eye out if they come into contact with an unfamiliar dog.

If you dog has been treated for mites, wash their bedding and check that their surrounding environment has been cleaned, as this can help prevent re-infestation. And, of course, if your dog has mites make sure they dont pass them on usually by keeping them away from other dogs until theyve been treated.

If you'd like to know more about preventing and treating skin conditions in dogs, check out our easy guide to dog skin problems. Or find out more about treating ticks,fleas and other parasites on dogs.

Symptoms and Treatment of Mites in Dogs

What types of mites affect dogs?

The condition that the dog develops because of a mite infestation is mange. It can be either sarcoptic mange or demodectic mange. Dogs can also have cheyletiellosis (sometimes called walking dandruff) and trombiculosis (also known as a harvest mite infestation).

Common Signs That Your Dog Has Mites

Hair loss in patches or all over the coat

Dandruff

Scratching excessively

Red or irritated skin

You can see some mites on the skin if you part the fur.

Symptoms of Demodex Mites in Dogs

These mites cause demodicosis, and the infestation can be called demodex mange, demodectic mange, or red mange. They attach themselves to the hair follicles on the dog's coat, causing the associated symptoms.

A demodex mange infestation can often lead to thickened skin, hair loss, and other secondary infections, such as yeast or bacteria. Your vet may recommend medications that contain afoxolaner, fluralaner, lotilaner, and sarolaner. Another treatment commonly implemented is a lime-sulfur dip.

However, the treatment needs to be continued until a skin scraping reveals that all mites are gone.

Symptoms of Scabies Mites in Dogs

The Sarcoptes scabiei mites burrow into the dog's skin and cause intense itchy sensations. You will likely notice that the dog scratches more than usual, especially around the groin or armpits. Other symptoms are red skin and hair loss.

These mites are also sometimes called scabies or canine scabies, and they can be passed to humans.

In this case, your vet will prescribe a course of oral or topical treatments.

Symptoms of Ear Mites in Dogs

Otodectes cynotis mites attack the dog's ears and cause intense itchiness. These are most often found on puppies' ears and dogs who interact with outdoor cats.

Some symptoms of ear mites are intense scratching, head shaking, and dark dirt-like debris on the inside flaps of both ears.

Since shaking the head and pawing at the ears can also be a sign of an ear infection, you should check with your vet to determine the cause of the dog's discomfort.

Common treatments for ear mites include prescription ear drops or other types of topical medication.

Symptoms of Cheyletiella Mites (Walking Dandruff) in Dogs

Cheyletiella yasguri mites cause cheyletiellosis, a mite infestation that is often called walking dandruff. At first glance, it looks like dandruff, but examination under a microscope reveals the presence of mites and not dry skin cells.

Treatment for cheyletiellosis includes oral medication, topical medication, and/or medicated shampoos.

Symptoms of Trombiculosis in Dogs

Finally, trombiculosis is another type of mange caused by the parasitic stage of mites of the family of Trombiculidae. Nymphs and adults can live on rotting material, and dogs may acquire them by lying on the ground or going for a walk.

Diagnosis is based on history and signs, and the treatment is the same as it is for mange.

How do dogs get mites?

There are many ways dogs can pick up mites. They can be passed from dog to dog, but they can also get them from the environment.

Animal shelters or grooming establishments are common places to get mites. Even if the animal is checked before being allowed into these places, accidents happen. Your dog may even get them when going for a walk and getting close to another dog.

If your dog gets a mite infestation, you should wash their bedding and clean the places he usually spends time in to avoid reinfection.

How to Prevent Dog Mites

There are several ways to protect your dog from mites. The first one is to avoid coming into contact with a dog who has them. If you often go on walks, try not to get close to unfamiliar dogs.

As mentioned, if youve recently treated your dog for mites, wash their bedding and clean the environment where he spends the most time. This way, you can prevent re-infestation. While the dog is on treatment, keep him away from your other pets.

You may also want to ask your vet about supplements to boost the dog's immune system. Supplements do not prevent mites but can help with the pet's overall health. It is believed that a weak immune system can create the perfect breeding ground for demodex mange.

Even though preventing an infestation is difficult, the most helpful approach is to keep your pets away from areas known to harbor mites, such as dog parks, boarding kennels, and grooming facilities. Because many of these places are nearly unavoidable, its a great idea to speak to your vet about medications that can prevent mite infections. For example, many flea and tick preventatives are used off-label with good success in preventing mite infections in dogs. Your vet will know what works best in your region.

Read more:

Lice In Dogs and Cats

Symptoms and Treatment of Lice in Dogs

Common Skin Parasites in Dogs

Need to speak with a veterinarian regarding mites on your dog or another condition?

Click here to schedule a video consult to speak to one of our vets. You can also download the FirstVet app from the Apple App Store and Google Play Stores.

How to Get Rid of Mites on Dogs: A Vets Guide to Dog Mite Infestations

Fleas and worms are often the first things we think of when it comes to parasites in dogs. However, they arent the only critters who can cause trouble for your pet. In this article well guide you on dog mites, signs of mites, how to keep your dog protected, and mite treatment.

Mites cause a range of problems in dogs, and some species of mitescan also be transmitted to other pets and our pet parents! So, lets find out everything you need to know about mites on dogs.

Highlights

• Dog mites can cause skin problems and can be passed to other pets and humans.
• There are various types of mites, each requiring specific treatment plans.
• Intense itching and skin irritation are common signs of a dog mite infestation.
• A vet can diagnose mites using a skin scraping and provide effective treatments.
• Preventing mites involves cleanliness and regular pet care routines.

The information provided herein is for informational purposes only. Please refer to our disclaimer for more details..

What is a dog mite?

Image credits: Pixabay

Dog mites are tiny creatures that can live in a few places on your dogs body, such as their ear canal, skin, and in their fur. Some species even burrow into your dogs skin.

Depending on the species, they can be passed from one dog to another or they can be transmitted through the environment.

This means, that if your dog has contact with another dog who is infested, you have good reason to suspect that your dog is also infested.

Mites are very small and can be hard to see, depending on the species,and your dogs coat. However, dont worry, there are a few things to know about dog mites, to help you understand the symptoms ofmite infestations and when to act.

Are there different types of mites?

There are several species of mites, which have their own preferred place to live on your dog, different manifestations, and specificities when it comes to treatment and diagnosis.

Well go through them in detail now and have included a summary table at the end of the article.

Ear mite

Otodectes cynotis mites can live in your dogs ear and are especially irritating. This means that your dog is likely to itch, scratch, or shake their ear to try and relieve itself.

Its good to know that this speciescan also infect cats, so if your vet diagnoses your dog with ear mites, its best to ask them about getting some treatment for your cat too if needed.

Sarcoptic mange

Sarcoptic mange is also known as scabies and these mites cause sarcoptic mange. The females of the species that cause it (Sarcoptes scabiei), lay eggs in the tunnels they make in a dogs skin.

The poop from the mites is what is thought to cause the strong urge to itch that is often associated with these kindsof mites. Such intense itching can lead to irritation of the skin and secondary bacterial or fungal infections. However, it doesnt always show symptoms.

Its good to know that thesemites can cause pet parents and other animals in the household to become infected.

It must be diagnosed and treated by a veterinarian, who will ask you lots of questions about your pet and then perform a clinical examination.

They may also perform a skin scrape to help confirm the presence of these mite speciesbased on their appearance under the microscope.

The treatment for these mites includes special shampoo and medication. Its important to give the medication to all the animals in the household.

Cheyletiellosis mite

These mites are sometimes called walking dandruff for two reasons:

• They often cause your dogs skin to become flakey.
• They are white and look like tiny moving white dots.

Aside from this, chyletiella yasguri mites cause your dog to itch. Its also good to know that cheyletiella yasguri mitescan also infect humans, although its not very serious and pretty easily treated.

Demodex canis mites

Demodex canis mites mites live in your dogs hair and can be found under normal conditions. However, when their body is in balance, these mites dont usually cause a problem.

In young puppies or those with a weaker immune system, the number of mites can increase to a harmful level and cause symptoms such as hair loss.

This type of mite doesnt usually spread between dogs, the main factor which determines if it causes your dog problems, is the strength of their immune system.

Symptoms of mites

Image credits: Pixabay

The localization of dog mite symptoms can vary slightly depending on the species of mitebut usually cause similar symptoms such as itching and problems with skin or hair. The severity of the symptoms can vary depending on the number of mites and your dogs specific reaction to them.

Do mites on dogs mean a trip to the vet?

If you suspect your dog may have mites, its best to take them to your veterinarian to get a proper diagnosis. Many conditions in dogs can look like mites, so its best to rule out those conditions before starting treatment.

Dont worry, the diagnosis of mites in dogs is pretty straightforward and doesnt take much time (or money).

The process is likely to be as follows. Your veterinarian will take a brief medical history from you. This will involve asking about all aspects of your pets care routine, such as their food, exercise, and whether you treat them for parasites.

Dont be alarmed if they also ask you whether any other pets or people in the house are affected. Some species of mites can also be transmitted to humans. Dont worry, they are usually easily treatable.

After your vet has asked you for the above information, they will perform a clinical examination of your pet and look extra closely at any affected areas.

They may also take something called a skin scraping. This involves using a blade to take away some cells from the surface of your dogs skin (if they suspect scabies). They may also take a swab from inside your dogs ear (if they suspect earmites) or some of their hair and look at it under the microscope.

Skin scraping is nothing to worry about for pet parents. Its an unpainful procedure for your dog, and they wont require any sedation for this process.

A bonus of skin scraping is that the results are available as soon as the procedure. This is because your vet just needs to take a look under the microscope. They will look for their presence and what the mites look like.

Treatment for a dog with mites

Treatment for dogs with mites depends on the species of the critter involvedand the severity of the symptoms. Some examples of treatment are:

• Medicated shampoos
• Dips
• Oral medications.

The best choice in treatment for mites depends on the typeof mite, and your dogs condition. Its important to get a proper diagnosis and treatment plan from your veterinarian to effectively and safely get rid of mites in your dogs.

How to prevent mites and protect your dog

Since most mites are spread by close contact with other dogs, its pretty complicated to prevent them.

However, keeping your dogs coat in good condition and their environment and bedding clean is a good way to help reduce the chances of them getting mites.

Mites in your dog a summary

Name	Main signs	Diagnosis	Treatment	Dont forget
s
Sarcoptic mange	Itching	History, Clinical examination, Skin scraping	Bathing with a special shampoo	Can be passed on to humans and other pets
s
Ear mite	Itching, shaking, or scratching the ear	History, Clinical examination	Ear cleaning and medication	Cats can get it too
s
Cheyletiellosis mite	Flaky skin walking dandruff	History, Clinical examination	Shampoos
s
Demodex mite	Hair loss	History, Clinical examination	Shampoos, Medication

Diagnosis

History, Clinical examination, Skin scraping

Treatment

Bathing with a special shampoo

Dont forget

Can be passed on to humans and other pets

Main signs

Itching, shaking, or scratching the ear

Diagnosis

History, Clinical examination

Treatment

Ear cleaning and medication

Dont forget

Cats can get it too

Main signs

Flaky skin walking dandruff

Diagnosis

History, Clinical examination

Diagnosis

History, Clinical examination

Treatment

Shampoos, Medication

Frequently Asked Questions

In this section, well briefly answer the most common questions regarding the topic of dogs and mites.

How can I tell if my dog has mites?

If your dog is itching, scratching, or shaking their head they may have hairmites. However, these symptoms are not specific to mites and could be due to a range of other conditions. You wont be able to see the mites themselves without a microscope.

How did my dog get mites?

Most often, dogs pick up mites from other dogs who are infected with mites. This could mean, catching becoming infected by their other four-legged friends in the park, grooming parlor, or in kennels.

What kills mites on dogs instantly?

There are a variety of special shampoos and dips available on prescription from your veterinarian which are effective in killing mites. Its best to take your dog to a veterinarian for a proper diagnosis and treatment.

Never administer anything to your pet unless following advice from a veterinarian.

Can humans catch mites from dogs?

Some species of mite such as the sarcoptes scabei and Cheyletiella mite are transmissible from dogs to humans. If you think your dog may have mites, its important to take them to a veterinarian for proper diagnosis and treatment.

If you think that you may have caught mites from your pet, its best to book an appointment with your doctor for proper diagnosis and treatment.

Can dog mites infest your house?

If your veterinarian has confirmed that your dog is infected with mites, then its a good idea to thoroughly wash all bedding, blankets, and pillows theyve come into contact with.

Cleaning and thoroughly vacuuming areas also helps to remove mites and prevent your pet from becoming re-infested.

Conclusion

We hope youve enjoyed reading this guide on dog mites and that youve got the information you need to decide what to do to help cure your dog.