Q: EAR MITES

Answered by Karen Peak on 12/6/01, 4:31 am

A: EAR MITES

If you do not know it is ear mites, you cannto properly treat. Part of responsible pet owning is knowing and accepting vet bills and unforseen medical things above and beyond the annual exam. Ear problems can be caused by mites, yeasts, bacteria, etc and it is not uncommon for there to be a couple things going on at once.

If it is a yeast and you treat for mites, the problem well continue. Improperly treated or untreated ear problems can lead to serious problems and even deafness. Some stores like PetsMart and PetCo have vet care there (many have actual clinics that do more than just shots) and you can get care cheaper at times than a local clinic. But you have to know if she has mites or another problem or a combination of problems. If not, the ear proboems will persist and could cost a lot more to treat than if you get them properly treated now.

I know people say to look for a black crud with ear mites but this is not always accurate. I have seen dogs with a lot of crud from other infection and no mites. You need a proper diagnosis.