All dogs can get nose mites – regardless of age and breed of dog. The nasal mite thrives in the nose and sinuses of the dog and is harmless. But the small parasite can cause annoying symptoms such as sneezing and a runny nose. If your dog has nasal mites and goes untreated for a long time – this can also worsen the symptoms. Read more about nasal mites in dogs, these small parasites, how they are infected, symptoms and treatment methods.
Table of contents
What are nose mites?
Nose mites (Pneumonyssoides caninum) are small parasites that are white to light yellow in color. If you study your dog closely, you can spot the tiny nose mites by the nostrils. But it takes a bit of luck to spot nose mites as they rarely venture outside Fido's snout. Nose mites will look like crawling, tiny strawberry seeds with legs about 1–2 mm in size. Nose mites in dogs are not dangerous – but can cause problems – for example if you have a service dog or hunting dog that relies on using its sense of smell for work.
How do nasal mites infect dogs?
There is still some uncertainty about how nose mites spread between dogs. But it is highly likely that they are transmitted through both direct and indirect contact. This means that your dog can get nose mites when they sniff other dogs at the dog park or have been in contact with food bowls, dog beds or dog crates that other nose mites-infected noses have touched. Especially if your dog has a runny nose with a lot of bacteria. The parasite survives for quite a long time even if it has not found a dog's nose to live in - as long as the environment is slightly moist. In dry environments, they usually die quite quickly without a host.
Read about what to do if your dog is scratching his ear.
Symptoms of nose mite infection
Symptoms of nasal mites in dogs can vary – and some dogs have no symptoms. Common symptoms of nasal mites occur in the upper respiratory tract – but these can also resemble other infectious diseases and allergies in dogs. Therefore, it is important to contact a veterinarian for an assessment. If your dog has large amounts of nasal mites in their nose – the severity of the symptoms may increase.
Common symptoms of nasal mites:
- sneezing
- Reverse sneezing
- Itchy nose
- Runny nose and increased mucus production
- Reduced sense of smell
- Itchy face – rubs muzzle against the floor
- Head shaking and snorting
- Occasional nosebleeds or reddish-brown fluid
- Creeping nasal mites around external nostrils
How is the dog treated in case of nasal mites?
It can be difficult to determine whether nasal mites are actually causing your dog's respiratory problems. And there are several methods to determine if Fido has nasal mites—such as:
- Take a swab from your nose. (Since nasal mites can live far back in the nose and sinuses – this is not a completely reliable method of detecting mites.)
- The dog may be put under general anesthesia or sedated for a thorough nasal lavage. The fluid from the nose is then examined under a microscope.
- Use of an irritating gas to make the nose mite crawl out on its own.
Even if we do not find any nose mites with these methods – we still cannot rule out that they are there. Therefore, it is common to treat the symptoms of nose mites after a probable diagnosis. Nose mites can be treated using a parasiticide in tablet form or a spot-on treatment. These must be prescribed by a veterinarian. However, it is important to remember that you should not treat for nose mites for safety reasons as this can lead to resistance to the parasiticide.
Can I or other four-legged family members also get nose mites from the dog?
Nose mites will only live in dogs' noses and are not contagious to humans or other animals. If you have several dogs living together – you should treat all of them with a nose mite treatment even if they do not have any symptoms. Do not hesitate to contact your veterinarian for advice if you suspect that your pet has nose mites. If you live in Larvik – you are more than welcome to our A-Vet Veterinary Clinic!
