How to distinguish earwax from ear mites

1. If it is ear mites, the dirt is not easily crushed, a bit like the oily dirt in a bicycle. If it is earwax, it should be Dust accumulates, dries easily, and breaks into pieces as soon as it is crushed. It also depends on whether he scratches his ears frequently. If so, it's basically ear mites.

2. Is it still smelly just after taking a shower? And the stench is not the fishy smell of GG itself, but a stench. GG still likes to scratch his ears? If so, it would be almost the same!

3. Symptoms: The sick dog shakes its head, scratches or rubs the affected ear. There is a dark brown wax and exudate in the ear canal, sometimes with a phosphorus-like crust. Examining the ear canal with an otoscope can reveal tiny white or flesh-colored ear itch mites moving on the dark brown exudate. Examination of the exudate with a magnifying glass or under a low-power microscope can prove that it is dog ear itch mites. If the meninges are invaded, the sick dog will show symptoms of madness.

When you have the symptoms of frequent ear scratching and shaking your head, and there is a peculiar smell (sour smell) in the ear canal, you should be vigilant.

1. Check the ear canal. If there are multiple red rash-like nodules, this is caused by the stimulation of ear mite saliva, which makes the external auditory canal red, swollen and inflamed.

2. The waxy substance secreted by the sebaceous glands of the external auditory canal accumulates in the ear. The color and appearance are like ground coffee beans (brown dirt).

3. The auricle is extensively infected, with obvious scales and hyperkeratosis.

Check the ear canal in a well-lit place and you will find small, white or flesh-colored mites moving on the brown exudate, and tiny white dots less than half a millimeter moving on the earwax and skin) At this time You can diagnose ear mites.

Usually, people suffering from ear mites will have obvious pain and tenderness in their ears, and they refuse to check their ears.

Ear mites live on the surface of the ear canal skin and do not enter the inner layer of the skin. They have tough horny epidermis and are highly resistant.

Sucks lymph fluid and skin cells, and lives on tissue residue and tissue nourishment.

It can survive for more than 2 months under the conditions of 6~8℃ and air humidity of 85~100. The development process includes four stages: eggs, larvae, nymphs and adults

Dirty ears are not necessarily ear mites

Many people cannot tell the difference between earwax and ear mites. A healthy dog's ears will be very clean. Even if there is earwax, it will be a thin layer of light yellow oil, very little. Therefore, if brown dirt appears in the ear canal, one thing that is certain is that there is an ear disease.

However, ear disease does not necessarily mean ear mites. It may also be caused by fungi and Malassezia infection.

Now let’s talk about the difference between ear mites and fungal infections based on my observations:

1. People with ear mites usually experience severe itching, which is manifested by frequent scratching with their hind legs. Ears that keep shaking their heads

People infected with fungus will not show very strong ear itching symptoms no matter how dirty the ears are. They will occasionally scratch their ears and shake their heads.

2. There will be white scurf-like growths (like large flakes of dandruff) in the ears affected by ear mites. The color of the ear mite affected area is dark brown or dark reddish brown, and small insects can be seen under a magnifying glass. When crawling, use a dry cotton swab to probe into the ear canal, and reddish-brown liquid and brown scab-like secretions will stick out

There are no dandruff-like growths in and around the ear canal infected with fungus, which cannot be seen with a magnifying glass. When small insects crawl and a cotton swab is inserted into the ear, dark brown sludge-like dirt will stick to it. The dried dirt is also dark brown, in the form of scabs or flakes, and is difficult to crush.

3. People with ear mites usually have congested and swollen ears, severe hair loss around the ears, and the skin around the ears is usually dry, with obvious scratches or scratches.

Ears infected with fungus are mild. Highly congested but not swollen, hair loss around the ears is not obvious, and scratches are not visible.

4. The most important point: It is difficult to distinguish between ear mites and fungal infections in the early stages, so if you clean your ears according to the ear mite treatment method for more than a week and still have no effect (the secretions are not significantly reduced) , it is best to take it to the hospital for testing to find out what kind of fungus is causing trouble. Only by prescribing the right medicine can the disease be cured

In addition, when giving the medicine to the dog, comfort it well, talk to it in a low voice, and play some music.

My dog ??turned out to be quite noisy, and when I petted him while I was cleaning his ears, he became well-behaved.