Eyes and ears

This page is reference information compiled from the cited sources. It is not medical advice. For any decision about health, diagnosis or care, consult a qualified professional.

What it is

Ear mites are mites that live in the ears of animals. The most commonly seen species in veterinary medicine is Otodectes cynotis. This species is responsible for 90% of ear mite infections in felines. The rabbit ear mite is Psoroptes cuniculi. Ear mites do not burrow as some mites do, but live within the ear canal. They spread rapidly and can be transmitted from even brief physical contact with other animals.

Key facts

The most common ear mite treatments currently use the antiparasitics ivermectin and selamectin. Ivermectin is available as a direct water-based liquid that is squeezed into the ear canal. Selamectin is available as a once-a-month preparation that can be applied to the animal's skin. A single treatment with a topical formulation containing fipronil, (S)-methoprene, eprinomectin and praziquantel was shown to be efficient for the prevention of Otodectes cynotis infestation in cats. The life cycle of an individual mite is about four weeks, with eggs hatching on the third or fourth day after laying. Infected animals have a large amount of crumbly dark brown material in their ears, and tiny white mites can barely be seen in the debris.

When to seek professional help

Professional help is associated with infections in pets, most commonly affecting cats, ferrets, and to a lesser extent dogs. Situations involve animals presenting with intense itching in one or both ears and scratching at the affected ear. An unusually dark colored ear wax may be produced. Animals may be seen with one or both ear pinnas held at an odd or flattened angle. The presence of an open or crusted skin wound at the back or base of the ear is a common lesion. Other situations include symptoms of scratching and shaking of the head in rabbits. More serious problems resulting from untreated infections, such as skin disease in areas other than the ear and deafness, are described.

Source: Ear mite (CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikipedia)), retrieved 2026-09-25.