Mites on Dogs
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.
How to get rid of 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 pictures
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.
