Ear Mites: Uncovering, Treating, and Preventing Infestations

Today's Vet Pract. Jul-Aug 2021;11(4):26-31. 32 Refs

Susan Little¹

¹ College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA.

Author Abstract

Routine diagnostic tests can miss Otodectes cynotis infestations, but safe treatment is readily available for both dogs and cats.

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Factors Associated with Medication Noncompliance in Dogs in New Zealand.
Medication noncompliance was recorded for 47% (71/151) of owners. Increasing dog age was associated with better owner compliance. Forty-seven percent (71/151) of owners reported that "nobody" showed them how to administer the medication. One-third of dog owners (47/151) reported challenges in medicating their pets. The most common reason cited by clients reporting challenges was a resistant pet.

Adjuvant Chemotherapy Is Associated With Prolonged Survival Time in Small-Breed Dogs Undergoing Amputation for Appendicular Osteosarcoma.
The median time to distant progression for all dogs was 265 days, with no significant difference between treatment groups. The median overall survival for all dogs was 270 days, and it was significantly different between amputated dogs (150 days) and those also receiving adjuvant chemotherapy (353 days). In our cohort, osteosarcoma in small breeds behaved as aggressive as in large breeds.

Investigating the Reasons behind Companion Animal Relinquishment: A Systematic Content Analysis of Shelter Records for Cats and Dogs, 2018-2023.
The most frequent reasons cited were Behavior Issues (28%), Housing/Moving (18%), Unable to Care (16%), Too Many Pets (10%), Financial (6%), and Owner Allergies (5%). The most common behavioral reasons reported were Aggression (32% of behavioral surrenders), Social Conflict (28%), and Soiling (13%).

A public health campaign to increase awareness of the risk of dog bites in South Australia.
Over one third (36-37%) of dog owners and 25-29% of non-dog owners had been previously bitten by a dog, although most did not require medical attention. Approximately 70% of dog owners believed it was safe for strangers to approach their dog, 34-37% allowed children or other people to pat their dog without permission, and less than half separated their dog from visitors or delivery people. In contrast, few of the non-dog owners allowed their children to pat a dog without the owner's permission and only 2% allowed them to play with dogs without supervision.

'Transmission Tracker - Dirofilaria'- a public dashboard to assess in real-time the temperature-bounded transmissibility of canine heartworm across Australia.
'Transmission Tracker - Dirofilaria' processes near real-time temperature records across Australia and allows users to enquire about historical and current weather suitability for canine heartworm transmission at any Australian postcode of their interest. This information allows veterinarians to access when, and for how long, heartworm may be transmitted at a specific location, assess the associated risk of infection, and advise on a patient-dependent dirofilariosis prevention plan for their canine patients and guardians.