Dust Mite

[stevie1ball]

A friend of mine has a young Blue Staff, over the last few days it has been rubbing it's ear with it paw, she thought it must have an itch and thought nothing of it.
This morning it was whining and seemed a little stressed and was still rubbing it's ear.
Upon examination there was a small amount of dry blood in it's ear and a little inflammation.
Having taken the dog to the vets it was discovered that it had a Dust Mite that had got in the ear and burrowed into the flesh and would have eventually burrowed through the soft tissue to the other ear.
£80 for a washout fluid, ear drops and steroids hopefully will sort it out but had it been left it could have cost near a thousand pounds or could have had to be put down.
Just shows you can never be to clean however much you clean if you have animals as pets there could always be a mite about.

 

[Captin]

Yip they are nasty little buggers.

The house dust mite (sometimes referred to by allergists as HDM) is a cosmopolitan guest in human habitation. Dust mites feed on organic detritus such as flakes of shed human skin and flourish in the stable environment of dwellings. House dust mites are a common cause of asthma and allergic symptoms worldwide. The mite's gut contains potent digestive enzymes (notably proteases) that persists in their feces and are major inducers of allergic reactions such as wheezing. The mite's exoskeleton can also contribute to allergic reactions.

The average life cycle for a male house dust mite is 10 to 19 days. A mated female house dust mite can last up to 70 days, laying 60 to 100 eggs in the last 5 weeks of her life. In a 10-week life span, a house dust mite will produce approximately 2,000 fecal particles and an even larger number of partially digested enzyme-covered dust particles.

The house dust mite survives in all climates, even at high altitude. House dust mites thrive in the indoor environment provided by homes, specifically in bedrooms and kitchens. Dust mites survive well in mattresses, carpets, furniture and bedding, with figures around 188 animals/g dust. Even in dry climates, house dust mites survive and reproduce easily in bedding (especially in pillows), deriving moisture from the humidity generated by human breathing, perspiration and saliva.

It is commonly believed that the accumulated detritus from dust mites can add significantly to the weight of mattresses and pillows. While it is true that the fecal matter of dust mites will increase over time, there is no scientific evidence for these claims.[8]

Allergy and asthma sufferers are also often advised to avoid feather pillows due to the presumed increased presence of the house dust mite allergen (Der p I). The reverse, however, is true. A 1996 study from the British Medical Journal has shown that polyester fibre pillows contained more than 8 times the total weight of Der p I and 3.57 times more micrograms of Der p I per gram of fine dust than feather pillows.

Disodium octaborate tetrahydrate powder is often used to eradicate house dust mites.[10]

A simple washing will remove most of the waste matter. Exposure to temperatures over 60 °C (140 °F) for a period of one hour or freezing, exposure to temperatures below 0 °C (32 °F),[11] will typically prove fatal to house dust mites; a relative humidity less than 50 percent may also be fatal.[12] Ten minutes in a household clothes dryer at lethal temperatures has been shown to be sufficient to kill all the dust mites in bedding.[13] House dust mites reproduce quickly enough that their effect on human health can be significant.

As dust mites like warm, fluffy furniture and materials, they are most likely to be found on beds, couches, carpets, toys and curtains. Washing will not completely remove all mites or their droppings, however it will remove at least 90%. It is best to have a carpet free house if dust mites or any house pests are dangerous for a person (e.g. because of their allergy), as flat surfaces are easier to clean and vacuum. If a person is allergic to dust mites, anti-mite mattresses or mattresses which prevent any house pests should be used. However, it is best to clean the house; wash, dry and vacuum, even though it might be costly.

House dust mite - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[stevie1ball]

And where does this help with the initial thread about a Blue Staffordshire Terrier and a Dust Mite embedded in it's ear.
Most people know about the House Dust Mite that wasn't the question.

 

[bod]

And where does this help with the initial thread about a Blue Staffordshire Terrier and a Dust Mite embedded in it's ear.
Most people know about the House Dust Mite that wasn't the question.

I dont see a question in the op....

But gained alot of info with the reply imo

 

[Evastar]

And where does this help with the initial thread about a Blue Staffordshire Terrier and a Dust Mite embedded in it's ear.
Most people know about the House Dust Mite that wasn't the question.

i assume the dust mite got into the dog's ear from the house somewhere.

i found both posts interesting, i didn't realise that the mites dogs get in their ears are actually dust mites

 

[miggy]

May not necessarily be dust mites could have been a yeast infection anyway have a look at this and see if it sheds some light on the subject

http://www.dogchatforum.com/ear-mites-dog.htm

 

[speedy1234]

my staff was the same last yr also a lot of her fur round her eye's was missing with the scratching.
wasnt a dust mite though.
took her the p.d.s.a give me some stuff to wash around were she was scratching. turned out she has an allergie to yeast