Posts Tagged ‘mites’

How to get rid of mites
There are many types of skin mites that affect both us and our pets during our lifetimes, and these resilient and annoying parasites often prove very difficult to get rid of. Indeed, how to get rid of mites is a discussion that often enters into controversial territory, given that the various methods may involve the use of dangerous chemicals.
First, a brief description of what mites are: skin mites are tiny – often practically invisible – creatures of the arachnid family that choose to live on our skin and feed off our blood. In the case of the common scabies mite – otherwise known as the itch mite and found on cats, dogs and humans – it burrows under the upper layer of the skin and lays its eggs, while the ear mite – commonly found as mites and dogs and one of the mites cats have to endure regularly – likes to live in the ear canal, but is also found elsewhere.
There are other types of mites – house dust mites and harvest mites – that are equally annoying, yet the house dust mite does not live on our skin but in bedding and soft furnishing; how to get rid of mites of this type is to rid the house of carpets and as much in the way of soft furnishings as you can, although eliminating them completely is considered impossible.
Scabies mites, and other types, are often treated with insecticide lotions and creams, and this is where the controversy arises; permethrin, the insecticide used in common itch mite treatments, is a powerful insecticide that is synthetically made and may have minor side effects – skin irritation and so on – while Lindane, the second of the common insecticides, is banned in many countries and should be used with great caution and, if unsure, not at all. For cats and dogs there are similar treatments, yet you must check with a qualified professional before use as some may not be suitable for certain animals.
Washing with tea tree oil shampoo – an essential oil drawn from the leaves of the Australian tea tree plant and known to have medicinal properties of some sort – is a popular natural remedy, and shampooing regularly, plus keeping the house and furnishings clean and well vacuumed, is also a step towards ridding yourself of the mites.
Whatever you do, it is essential that sufficient treatment is commenced quickly as leaving the mites to spread can cause greater problems in quite a short time.

Mites Cats  – don’t confuse with Bed Bugs
When it comes to mites cats do not have it easy; our feline companions are prone to suffering from a number of different types of skin mites, and can be quite badly affected should the condition be left to escalate.
Let’s get something clear before we go on: mites are not fleas, which are another common parasite found on cats, but members of the arachnid family that come in many forms and, like fleas, drink blood to survive.
Mites cats may have to suffer are widely found and come in many forms: the harvest mite is one that is often found on cats that roam outdoors, while the ear mite is a common mite that – as the name suggests – likes to live in the ear where it is warm, moist and cosy, but will also exist anywhere eon the cats body, and scabies mite – or itch mite – is perhaps the most troublesome of the three and also occurs on humans. All three, too, can also be found as skin mites on dogs with similar worrying results.
Dealing with the scabies mite first, this little creature is one that has a disgusting habit: feeding off our blood is one thing, but actually burrowing under our skin to lay its eggs is quite another. This makes it difficult to find when present on cats, and as a result the best indication of mites – as it is with all – is the appearance of irregular scratching in a particular area, and possible hair loss as a result.
Indeed, it is the scabies mite that is the cause of the serious skin condition we know as mange, and this occurs when an infection is allowed to get out of control and the colony to multiply, resulting in a lot of burrowing in one area and the attendant scratching. In people, this condition is known as scabies, and has much the same results.
Ear mites may be indicated by an animal repeatedly shaking its head as if to get rid of something attached; appropriately so, as that is exactly the case. Ear mites are more prevalent in cats than dogs, but can affect canines too.
Treating ear mites is different to treating scabies mites and harvest mites, and any indication of mites on cats should be followed by a proper examination by a vet, after which either the appropriate insecticide lotion or cream or, if preferred, a natural based remedy can be applied.

Mites on Dogs

Dogs are loved the world over as loyal and rewarding pets, and we put up with their propensity to be affected by skin mites and fleas as we enjoy their company to a great degree. Indeed, where mites on dogs are concerned there are two very common varieties, and while they are easy to treat it is equally easy to miss their presence and inadvertently allow the colony to grow beyond all expectation.

While know primarily as dog mites cats are also prone to the same sort of mites, although the ear mite is relatively uncommon as an infection found on dogs.
Looking at the two most common mites on dogs brings us to the subject of mange; mange is a condition that is not uncommon in dogs and cats (and also occurs in humans where it is more commonly known as scabies) and is caused by one of two types of mite that likes to live on dogs. Mites feed off the blood and, in doing so, have to pierce the skin, and where this causes irritation it can be exaggerated by the animals desire to scratch, something that we often succumb to.

The scabies mite, otherwise known as the itch mite, is a common cause of mange in dogs; this irritating little parasite – like all mites a member of the arachnid family – actually burrows into the skin to lay its eggs, and it is this action, when occurring with many mites in the same place, that helps to bring about the onset of sarcoptic mange, to give the variety its full title.
Demodectic mange is the second type, and is caused by a mite known as demodex canis which is unique to dogs and, in fact, occurs naturally among the hair follicles. For most dogs the mites cause no problem at all and the two exist happily together, but should the animal be weak or suffer from a damaged immune system the reaction to the mites presence induces a mange that is caused by these tiny parasites.

Treatment for both types of mange mite is generally by insecticide lotion and shampoo, which helps to soothe the skin while killing the mites, or by a number of ‘natural’ remedies that are said to have the same effect. The choice of which method to follow is up to the owner of the suffering pet, but a vet’s opinion is highly recommended in order that the correct affliction is treated.

Mites pictures
There is a family of creatures that have been a pest to both us and to animals – domestic and otherwise – since time immemorial, and they continue to be so even today, in the days of advanced technology and 21st century living; these are parasites known as mites, and they – members of the arachnid family like spiders – live on our skin, or the skin of our pet dogs and cats, and can cause untold problems if left unchallenged.
Thanks to modern photography methods, and the advances in computer technology in recent years, we have the ability to look at mites pictures on a variety of websites, and in books, in glorious magnified detail and with astonishing accuracy; whereas, 100 years ago, the only knowledge we had of any of these skin mites would come thanks to a fine artist drawing a detailed illustration using a microscope and his or her copious talent, these days an electron microscope can take a fantastic picture of one of these quite fascinating and minute creatures, magnify it several thousand times and present it to us for our perusal.
Mites pictures are no made in the name of art but in that of science, for being able to examine these microscopic creatures in greater detail than ever before; mites on dogs are examined both in their habitat and otherwise and the greatest sufferers of mites cats are helped to live more comfortable lives as we learn more about ear mites, scabies mites, Demodectic mites and all other members of this annoying selection of tiny pests with which we share our daily lives.
Indeed, some mites are so prevalent and tiny that it is considered impossible to eradicate them completely – the house dust mite being a prime example – and the subject of how to get rid of mites has become a topic much discussed by experts in the field.
Thanks to mites pictures we have been able to build up a definite picture of the life cycle of these tiny bugs, to understand how they breed and where and what they eat and how, and to uncover many unsavoury secrets about our minuscule companions, and most of all to understand better how and why certain remedies work while others have no effect whatsoever.
Mites pictures have become the cornerstone of all research – run an internet search for the term now and have a look at some quite stunning images – and have proved their worth beyond all doubt.

Mites or Bed Bugs?
Mites are a collection of tiny creatures that live as parasites on both humans and animals, and are members of the arachnid family along with spiders. They are a common pest all across the world and are very widely spread, and are particularly troublesome when found on domestic pets such as cats and dogs, and on us.
There are several types of mites that like to exert their parasitical living style, and among the most problematic is the scabies mite. One of the more disgusting facts about the scabies mite – which is not uncommon on humans – is that it burrows into the skin to lay its eggs; this action results in a tiny silvery line that appears to be on the skin, the giveaway sign of the scabies mite.
On animals the problems occur when large numbers of the creatures congregate, and create a condition that can be very nasty indeed called sarcoptic mange; this results in loss of hair and severe skin infection for the creature concerned and is particularly prevalent in dogs.
The problem in humans is known as scabies, and results in a very ugly and irritating rash that can spread to many parts of the body and become so severe it may affect the sleeping patterns of the infected.
Another very common type of mite that is found abundantly in our lives is the house dust mite, a particularly annoying creature that is difficult, if not impossible, to see. It lives among the dust that settles on household objects – it is that small – and affects us as it causes an allergenic reaction in the respiratory system; this can be very dangerous in some cases, and it is helpful for sufferers of such as asthma if they do everything to keep the chances of the dust mite affecting them down.
To get rid of dust mites entirely is thought to be impossible, for they are simply too small and too mobile; the best advice is to carry out regular hoovering and cleaning and to do away with as much carpet and soft furnishings – the mites chosen habitat – as you can. The subject of how to get rid of scabies mites is another thing entirely, and involves the application of insecticide lotions and creams that kill the insects and their eggs, and enable to the patient to live a normal life again.
Skin mites have been with us for millions of years and, as we are seeing, are unlikely to be eradicated during our lifetime or in the foreseeable future.

Skin Mites and Bed Bugs
There are a number of different types of mites that choose to live on our skin, or that of our pet cats and dogs and other animals, and they are widespread across the world. Most take up residence on animals, a few choose to live in our homes – often unnoticed – and some can result in rather nasty ailments that we should strive to avoid.
So what exactly are skin mites? Mites are not to be confused with lice, the creatures that affect children and live on our scalp, and are usually members of the arachnid family; some of the larger mites are just big enough to be seen while others are so minute they manage to live among thin layers of dust and not be noticed.
Great sufferers from mites, cats have to put up with several different types of skin mites, but in particular are prone to ear mites – which, of course, live in the ear – and to the scabies, or itch, mite which is also prevalent in people. Mites on dogs tend to be of these two types, two, although animals that are prone to roam can pick up harvest mites and some forms of tick – particularly the sheep tick – that live on other animals.
Ear mites, however, do not only live in the ear and can be found anywhere on the body of a cat or dog, yet it is the ear canal that provides food for the creatures; scabies mites cats suffer from actually burrow into the skin, as they do when they are present in humans and on dogs, and cause great problems as a result.
A proliferation of either mite on a cat or dog causes added aggravation and scratching which, in turn, leads to further irritation, while a congregation of scabies mites on cats or dogs can be the cause of the affliction known as mange (or scabies when it occurs in people.)
If you want to learn more about mites there are many websites that cover the subject, complete with mites pictures that are quite fascinating, from which you can learn a great deal about how these parasites live.
How to get rid of mites is a question that is often asked; the best method is to use one of the many insecticide mite and lice creams and lotions, or if you are not happy putting chemicals on your pet, to browse the internet and look up many of the home remedies that are said to the job equally well.