Ear Mites in Ferrets

Ear mites are highly contagious and many people don't know that their ferret can catch ear mites from their dog, their cat or other ferrets. In fact, veterinarian Judith Bell of PetEducation.com states that the majority of ferrets will have ear mites at some point or another during their lifetime.

About Ear Mites & Ferrets

Ear mites are relatively easy to recognize in a ferret. Ferrets who have an ear mite infestation will likely be noticeably shaking their heads or scratching and pawing at their ears.

Upon closer examination, the owner or veterinarian will see a dark discharge in the ear. The discharge may be wax-like or it may be dark brown to dark red in color. While this is often indicative of ear mites, the veterinarian will take a sample of the discharge for examination beneath a microscope to confirm the presence of ear mites.

Ear Mite Treatment for Ferrets

Once ear mites have been confirmed, the veterinarian will proceed with treatment.

Owners should be aware that it is generally not possible to kill off all of the mites and the eggs in a single treatment. A good veterinarian will recommend two treatments spaced one to three weeks apart for optimal effectiveness. The first treatment is used to kill off the mature mites and the second treatment is aimed at killing off the hatched mites.

Even if the ferret has been treated, it may be necessary to apply an all-over flea control product. This is because ferrets sleep with their tails touching their ears and the ear mites can live on the tail and spread back into the ear following treatment.

Furthermore, households that feature multiple pets: dogs, cats and other ferrets; should seek ear mite treatment for all of the pets. Even if the other pets are not showing symptoms of ear mites, it is not guaranteed that there are not eggs present that will hatch. Without proper treatment, the ear mites can continually circle through your pets and re-infest not only your ferret but your other pets as well.

Proper Ear Cleaning for Ferrets

It is normal for ferrets to produce large amounts of reddish brown wax. Therefore, it is important that their ears are regularly cleaned to prevent infection or to detect ear mite infestations.

First, never put a cotton tipped applicator (such as a q-tip) into the ferret's ear. This will only push the ear wax further down, making the issue worse. Plus, you could potentially damage your ferret's hearing.

Ask your veterinarian for a recommendation on what ear cleaning solution is best for your ferret. Use the solution as recommended by your veterinarian and keep in mind that it may require two people to clean your ferret's ears out. This is because it is unlikely that your ferret will hold still and allow you to clean his ears.

Additional Information:

Pet Education: Ear Mites

Pet Education: Ferret Ear Care: Cleaning, Treatment and Infections

Cypress Keep: Ferret Hearing and Ears