Quick Answers
Ear mites are microscopic parasites that can infect the ears of cats, dogs, rabbits, and other animals. While ear mites mainly live on the surface of the ear canal, they can sometimes burrow into the skin in more severe infestations. Ear mites tunnel into the skin to lay their eggs, causing irritation, inflammation, and crusty lesions. However, ear mites do not actually burrow deeply into the skin and they do not spread through the body. Their burrowing is limited to the skin of the outer ear canal. With proper treatment, ear mites can be eliminated before they cause extensive damage from burrowing.
What are Ear Mites?
Ear mites, scientifically known as Otodectes cynotis, are tiny arachnid parasites that live on the surface of the skin and ear canal. They affect cats, dogs, ferrets, rabbits, and other animals worldwide. Ear mites are highly contagious and easily spread between animals in close contact. They cause an inflammatory condition called ear mite infestation or otodectic mange.
Ear mites range from 0.3 to 0.6 mm in length and have eight legs. They appear white to greyish-brown in color. Under a microscope, their oval bodies are transparent. Ear mites survive by feeding on skin oils, epithelial debris, and earwax. The mites crawl on the surface of the ear canal, laying eggs and burrowing into the skin to feed.
The life cycle of ear mites is around 3 weeks. Adult female mites can lay up to 20 eggs over a 3 week period. Eggs hatch into larvae, which mature into nymphs, then adults. Mites spread rapidly between hosts through direct contact. They cannot survive for long off of a host body.
Signs of Ear Mite Infestation
Common symptoms of an ear mite infestation include:
- Intense itchiness in the ears
- Excessive head shaking and ear scratching
- Redness, inflammation, and swelling of the ear
- Dark brown or black ear discharge – often resembling coffee grounds
- Crusty, scabby lesions on the ear flaps and canal
- Hair loss around the ears
- Ear odor
- Head tilting or unbalanced posture
These signs develop as the mites crawl over the surface of the ear canal, causing irritation and allergic reactions. The mites’ saliva, eggs, waste material, and decaying bodies trigger inflammation. As the infestation worsens, the inside of the ears become raw, infected, and increasingly painful.
Do Ear Mites Burrow into the Skin?
While ear mites mostly crawl on the surface of the skin, they can sometimes burrow into the outer layers in a severe infestation. Here’s more about ear mites burrowing:
- Female ear mites tunnel into the skin to lay their eggs. The eggs are deposited in clusters in tiny burrows.
- The burrowing causes irritation, welts, scabs, and crusty lesions.
- The mites may burrow to feed on skin oils, fluids, and debris.
- Their burrowing is limited to the epidermis – the outermost layer of skin in the ear canal.
- They do not dig through into the deeper dermis layer.
- The burrows are not usually more than 1-2 mm deep.
- In very severe, chronic cases, the lesions from burrowing can extend down the ear canal.
So in summary, while ear mites mostly live on the surface of the skin, they can burrow into the outermost layers in some circumstances. Their burrowing is focused on the ears and does not extend deeper into the body.
Why Do Ear Mites Burrow?
Ear mites burrow into the skin for two main reasons:
- To lay eggs – Female mites burrow to deposit clusters of eggs. This allows their eggs to be protected from the environment.
- For feeding – Mites may burrow to access skin oils, fluids, and epithelial debris. Burrowing helps them feed on material deeper in the skin.
By burrowing for egg-laying and feeding, the mites can access more resources and protections. However, this burrowing causes damage to the skin and provokes reactions.
Do Ear Mites Spread through the Body when Burrowing?
Ear mites stay localized in the ears when burrowing and do not spread through the body or into the bloodstream. Some key points:
- The mites only burrow superficially into the outer ear canal skin.
- They cannot dig deeper to reach blood vessels, lymph, or other areas.
- Ear mites lack the anatomy needed to circulate through the body.
- There is no evidence of ear mites spreading to other parts of the body.
- The infestation and associated damage stays confined to the ears.
So while ear mites cause irritation when burrowing, they do not spread internally or infect other areas of the body. Their burrowing range is limited to the epidermis of the external ear canal.
Can Ear Mites Burrow into the Inner Ear?
Ear mites cannot successfully burrow into the inner ear canal or inner ear structures like the eardrum or middle ear. Here’s why:
- The mites lack the physical ability to dig through the intact eardrum.
- The normal, healthy eardrum acts as a barrier, blocking mites from the middle and inner ear.
- If the eardrum is damaged, some mites may enter the middle ear but will not survive for long.
- The mites are adapted to live on the skin, not within the ear anatomy.
- There is very little evidence of mites burrowing past the ear canal even in severe cases.
So while the outer ear canal provides a suitable habitat, the inner ear anatomy prevents extensive burrowing. Mites may only reach the middle ear if the eardrum is already ruptured from other causes. Overall, burrowing past the ear canal is extremely rare.
Can Ear Mite Burrowing Cause Hearing Loss?
Ear mite burrowing does not directly impact hearing or cause deafness. However, secondary ear infections from scratching can potentially lead to some hearing loss.
- The superficial burrowing does not affect the inner ear mechanisms for hearing.
- But damage from scratching can allow bacterial infections that may impact hearing.
- Chronic infections may cause eardrum perforation, middle ear issues, or inner ear inflammation.
- Hearing loss is an uncommon complication and is usually reversible with treatment.
So the burrowing itself does not impair hearing. But the itching and subsequent scratching can lead to ear damage that may temporarily impact hearing in some cases.
Treatment and Prevention of Ear Mites Burrowing
While alarming, ear mite burrowing can be addressed and prevented through proper treatment:
Treatment
- Pesticide ear drops, like Tresaderm, Elimite or Acarexx – applied for 7-30 days.
- Oral medications, such as milbemycin oxime and selamectin.
- Thorough ear cleaning to remove debris and discharge.
- Antibiotics if secondary infections are present.
- Corticosteroid therapy to reduce inflammation and itching.
- Continue treatment for a few weeks after visible symptoms resolve.
With aggressive topical and oral treatments, ear mites can be fully eradicated. This will stop the itching and burrowing behavior.
Prevention
To prevent future ear mite infestations and burrowing:
- Treat all in-contact pets if one is infected.
- Quarantine and treat adopted pets before introducing them.
- Thoroughly clean bedding, housing items, and toys.
- Have a veterinarian examine pets’ ears periodically.
- Keep cats indoors and dogs on flea/mite prevention.
- Disinfect grooming tools after use on an infected animal.
With diligent treatment of the environment and close contacts, re-infestation can be avoided. This will stop the burrowing cycle. Monitoring and early treatment of any recurrence is key.
Summary
In summary, ear mites are microscopic parasites that live on the skin of the ear canal. In severe infestations, they may burrow into the superficial layers to access resources for feeding and egg-laying. However, mites cannot spread internally or dig deeply past the external ear. Their burrowing is limited and causes local irritation but not wider health issues. With proper acaricide treatment and environmental control, ear mite burrows can be eliminated and prevented from returning. While an unpleasant issue, their burrowing behavior is ultimately harmless and manageable. With veterinary guidance, your pet’s ears can return to a normal, healthy state again.
Key Points | Notes |
---|---|
Ear mites mainly live on the skin surface of the outer ear canal. | Their primary habitat is the lining of the external ear. |
In severe cases, they burrow into the epidermis to lay eggs and feed. | Superficial burrows in the outer layer of skin. |
Mites cannot successfully burrow past the intact eardrum. | Very rare for them to reach the middle/inner ear. |
Burrowing does not directly impact hearing or allow spread through body. | Limited to the local ear canal area. |
Pesticide drops, oral meds, thorough cleaning, and prevention can eliminate mites. | Treatment focused on topical and systemic acaricides. |