How do I know if my dog has bugs? Tips and Tricks

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In addition, some canine parasites can be transmitted to humans. Prevention is the best way to protect your dog, yourself, and your family.

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There are two main categories of parasites that affect dogs: external and internal. External parasites generally affect the skin and coat. Internal parasites live inside the body and can affect a variety of body systems including the gastrointestinal tract, blood vessels, heart, lungs, and brain.

All dogs are vulnerable to parasites. Learning more about the risks of parasites can help you protect your dog, yourself, and others.

Learn about the most common types of parasites that affect dogs in the U.S. and find out how to prevent them.

Preventing Mite Infestations

When it comes to dog mites, prevention is the best strategy. Along with adhering to your vet’s suggested flea and tick prevention medications, keep these tips in mind:

  • Groom your pet regularly (and report any skin changes to your vet)
  • Use pet-friendly shampoos
  • Offer grain-free, dairy-free organic dog food that to promote your dog’s overall health while strengthening his immune system
  • Use an ear cleaning solution to wash your dog’s ears
  • Support healthy skin and coat by including skin-healthy omega-3 fatty acids in your pup’s diet
  • Launder your pet’s bedding regularly to prevent infestation (or reinfestation)
  • Inspect your pet’s skin regularly to check for signs of mites, fleas, or ticks
  • Consider bathing your pet immediately after any boarding sessions at the kennel

    • How do I know if my dog has mites?

    Some of the symptoms you dog may have mites include:

  • Hair loss (either in patches, or all over their coat)
  • Dandruff
  • Excessive scratching
  • Visible irritation, such as red skin
  • Crusty patches of skin
  • You may be even able to spot the mites on their skin by parting the fur and looking closely
  • Secondary infections, either bacterial or fungal infections

    • Tip Tuesday Video – how to tell if your pets has mites or fleas

    A mite infestation can cause severe irritation to the skin and ears of your dog. This condition, known as mange, can significantly impact your dog’s quality of life. Take a look at what you need to know about mites on dogs.

    Mites are tiny external parasites. Mites are closely related to ticks, although mites are much smaller, so much so that many species of mites are only visible with a microscope. To give you an idea of their relative size, if you scaled up a Demodex mite to the same size as a fully engorged paralysis tick, a paralysis tick scaled up by the same amount would be the size of a basketball!

    The three mite species most commonly infesting dogs are Demodex mites, Sarcoptes mites and ear mites.