Dogs are susceptible to mite infection. How to effectively prevent mite infection is common sense that pet owners should understand. Dogs infected with mites can cause skin allergies, itching, scratching, and biting, and then edema, papules, nodules, and pustules may appear, often leading to skin damage. If not treated in time, it may cause secondary infections of skin bacteria and fungi, leading to serious skin diseases. Therefore, early detection and early treatment are very important. Mites on dogs or cats can also infect people, so it is important to prevent all types of mite infections.

Common types of mites

Scabies mites: Canine scabies mites live in the skin of dogs and are a contagious skin disease. Observed under a microscope, the canine scabies mite is nearly round, yellowish white, with a raised back and a flat ventral surface. The body is divided into two parts, the head and the body. There are four pairs of stubby legs on the ventral surface. The infection is mainly transmitted through contact. The mites live in the epidermis of the dog body, where they lay eggs and grow and develop. This disease mostly occurs in autumn, winter and early spring, and spreads easily during rainy seasons and when feeding and management hygiene conditions are poor.

Scabies mites belong to the order Acaridae. The scabies family is a permanent parasitic mite that can also parasitize in the skin epidermis of humans and other mammals, causing a stubborn skin disease with severe itching in humans. The life cycle of scabies mites is divided into five stages: eggs, larvae, pronymphs, metanymphs and adults. Scabies mites parasitize between the cuticles of human skin, eat cutin tissue, and use their claws at the ends of their chelicerae and tarsi to dig a tunnel parallel to the body surface and tortuous under the skin, where the female lays eggs.

Demodex: Demodex is a common and stubborn skin disease caused by parasitic mites in the hair follicles and sebaceous glands of dogs. Among dog and cat infection cases, dogs are more common and the harm is serious. Dogs are spread through direct or indirect contact. Puppies aged 3 to 6 months are most susceptible. When infected with Demodex mites, the following symptoms will occur: increased dandruff, and it feels like there is always a lot of dandruff on the dog's body. No matter whether the dog bathes more or less frequently, there will be a lot of dandruff; hair falls off. When the number of Demodex mites increases, it destroys hair follicles, leading to hair follicle necrosis and hair loss; skin redness and pustules; skin thickening; and itching.

Otoitch mites: Otoitch mites mostly live in the external auditory canals of dogs and cats and are common ear canal parasites in cats and dogs. Under the microscope, it is oval in shape, with short conical mouthparts and 4 pairs of legs. The main infection is transmitted through direct contact, and dogs and cats can also be transmitted to each other. Ear mites are highly contagious between cats and dogs and can be passed on through close contact. If one cat or dog in your home is infected with ear mites, all cats and dogs may be infected, so they need to be treated at the same time. Although dogs and cats of any age may be infected with ear itch mites, clinically, young dogs and cats are most commonly affected, and cats are more likely to be infected than dogs.

Chelicarial mites: Chelicarial mites are mites that live on the surface of the skin. They parasitize in the epidermal stratum corneum of the host. They move quickly in the false tunnels formed by dander. They regularly pierce the epidermis with their chelicerae needles, firmly fixing themselves on the skin, and absorb colorless and transparent body fluids. The eggs of Chrysalis mites are similar in shape to those of lice eggs. Both are connected to the hair shaft. The difference is that the eggs of Chrysalis mites are smaller and are bound to the hair shaft of the host by thin fiber bundles; while the eggs of lice are larger and are glued to the hair shaft. Chelicarial mites are highly contagious parasites, especially among young animals. .

How to effectively prevent mite infection?

Strengthening feeding management and cleaning and hygiene are effective ways to prevent mite disease. Daily use of mite-removing medicated shampoo can not only cleanse coat dirt, but also prevent and treat various skin diseases and ectoparasites. Use antiparasitic drops in spring to prevent fleas and mites.

Mites will produce eggs. Many acaricides have poor killing effect on eggs, so the application should be repeated 1 to 2 times. Note that mites can infect humans, and veterinarians and pet owners should also pay attention to personal protection.

Common methods for treating mites

If various mite infections are found, they should be treated promptly. During treatment, the hair of the affected area should be clipped first, and the affected area should be washed with warm soapy water to remove dirt and scabs. Then, local application, spraying, or oral or injection of relevant anti-mite drugs should be applied. When itching occurs all over the body, acaricides and anti-allergic drugs should be used at the same time. If pustules or abscesses occur, antibiotics should be used together with the pet's vitamin and mineral supplement. For possible mite contamination of the environment, various acaricide products should also be used to treat the environment to prevent long-term mite survival in the environment.