Various social and cultural factors can impact the use of veterinary care among different groups of pet owners. Communication is key, and practices may need improved strategies to overcome language barriers with existing and potential clients.

After English, Spanish is the most common language spoken in the United States. In 2011, 38.3 million Spanish speakers comprised more than 63% of non-English speakers, more than 5 times greater than any other non-English language.

 An estimated 16.1 million US Spanish speakers over 5 years of age speak English less than very well, and among all US adults with poor English proficiency, 63% speak Spanish.

Latino individuals currently comprise 18.5% of the US population and are projected to increase to 31% by 2060.

 The United States had the second-largest Latino population in the world, after Mexico, in 2010.

Hispanic individuals are the largest and fastest-growing minority group in the United States, and Latino individuals are the largest minority group in 21 US states.

An estimated 36% to 38% of US Latino individuals own a pet, and within this group, 6 million are Spanish speakers who speak English less than very well.

 About 43% of Hispanic individuals are monolingual Spanish speakers. Of farm workers, 29% said they could not speak English “at all,” and 39% said they could speak “somewhat/a little bit” of English.

Veterinary professionals in minority groups

In 2000, 2251 doctorate degrees in veterinary medicine were granted in the United States.

 Of these, 2064 were awarded to White non-Hispanic individuals, 49 to Black individuals, 74 to Hispanic individuals, 14 to Native American individuals, 38 to Asian American individuals, and 12 to nonresidents.

 In 2001, only 2% of students graduating from veterinary school were Black, and only 3% were Latino.

Until 2016, only 5% of US small animal veterinarians self-identified as Latino or Hispanic, and fewer than 20% of veterinary students nationally described themselves as able to provide medical information to a client in Spanish.

 In 2018, 86% of veterinarians in the United States were White and non‐Hispanic.

Overall, this low percentage of minority representation in the veterinary field may hinder ethnic groups from obtaining veterinary services if they only seek veterinarians who share their culture. Understanding and addressing the needs of potential clients should be the ongoing priority in initiating new strategies to develop a broader‐based inclusive environment. The veterinary profession may benefit from fostering an environment that actively addresses these considerations, creating a more comprehensive and accessible approach to pet care.

In 1 study, dog and cat owners with limited English proficiency were not significantly different from owners with English proficiency regarding their satisfaction with the communication and care at veterinary practices. However, pet owners with limited English-language proficiency were substantially more likely to notice the presence of Spanish-speaking veterinarians and staff members and to want written information in Spanish than owners with English proficiency.

In the study, the most common responses from pet owners when faced with a lack of Spanish-speaking veterinarians at an animal hospital were that they would call a friend or relative to help translate (29.1%); communicate with body language, gestures, or drawing (16.5%); or go somewhere else where staff members spoke Spanish (12.0%). Significantly more dog owners with poor English proficiency said they would sign a consent form even if they did not understand it, ask for telephone interpreter services or an on-site interpreter, or go elsewhere than owners with English proficiency.

More practices in states with large established Latino populations were likely to have Spanish-speaking staff to help in an emergency than those in states with fastgrowing Latino populations. Significantly more veterinarians from states with large established Latino populations were very satisfied or extremely satisfied with their communication with Spanish-speaking clients with poor English proficiency than were veterinarians from states with fastgrowing Latino populations.

Access to veterinary care for Spanishspeaking pet owners and caretakers, as well as other non-English speakers in the US, can be improved. Human medicine and veterinary medicine reports have numerous suggestions and actions about increasing access to care as it relates to language barriers and minority pet ownership, as follows:

Veterinary staff can ask their clients which language they prefer to receive their pet’s health information in.

Bilingual veterinarians and veterinarians with an appreciation for Latino culture will greatly help the Latino clientele.1 Data have shown that across all participating practices, the median number of Spanish-speaking personnel per practice for every position was 0.2 Further, among practices in 1 study, 89% had Spanish-speaking clients with poor English proficiency, and 52% received such clients weekly.

 Eight percent of practices had veterinary personnel who were conversant or fluent in spoken Spanish. Of note, 4% of veterinarians described themselves as Latino, and 3% spoke Spanish as their first language. Among practices, 17% of veterinarians described themselves as conversant or fluent in Spanish or a native Spanish speaker. Fifteen percent of Caucasian and 31% of non-Caucasian veterinarians reported that they could converse in Spanish with their clients with poor English proficiency.

Trained interpreters can be used, especially for medical translation, and this is considered the gold standard in human medicine.

 Additionally, using a toll-free telephone service to provide a trained medical interpreter (pay-as-you-go telephone interpreters) is a cost-effective means of adding professional interpretation to the veterinary clinic.

The promotion of Spanishspeaking training for veterinary professionals who don’t speak the language can include peer-assisted learning; veterinary schools introducing medical Spanish into the doctorate of veterinary medicine (DVM) core curriculum; a “needs analysis” or “languages for specific purposes” (for language teaching and syllabus design, whereby a systematic process of inquiry about the language needs of learners takes place before the program is designed); “Spanish for specific purposes” or a “Spanish for veterinarians language program” courses; and online Spanish-language courses, Spanish-English dictionaries, and Spanish phrase books.

 More than three-fourths of all respondents in a study of small animal veterinary practices agreed or strongly agreed that such a course should be offered as an elective in the registered veterinary technician and DVM curricula.

The following commonly used items in veterinary practice should be available in Spanish: consent forms, discharge instructions, pill cards, client-education materials, industry-generated educational and product brochures, and practice-generated handouts.

 In 1 study, findings showed that 42% of respondents wanted written Spanish information despite being proficient in English.

 Industry- and practice-generated Spanish-language materials were offered at 32% and 21% (81/383) of practices, respectively.

Spanish text can be pasted into translation software or apps on a smartphone, tablet, or computer, then played back (in Spanish) for the client to relay information before they sign any forms.

Various agricultural agencies and land grant universities have developed culturally sensitive education, translation, and training tools.

Leveraging ad hoc interpreters (untrained individuals such as a family member or a bilingual staff member who can provide interpretation) is perhaps the most common method that veterinary clinics use. However, such individuals could inaccurately interpret the conversation or cause bias. In human medicine, federal law requires hospitals to ensure the competence of individuals who provide interpretation.

Among practices, 61% of all veterinarians would ask a client’s friend or family member to translate if confronted with an emergency in which a new Spanish-speaking client with poor English proficiency arrived with a sick dog. Veterinarians who depended on clients’ friends or family to translate were significantly less satisfied with client communication than those who could converse in Spanish with clients directly. With regard to Spanish-speaking pet owners, 44% of owner veterinarians and 61% of associate veterinarians indicated that they believed the quality of care had been compromised because of a language gap. Practices with the highest probability of a veterinarian believing that they communicated satisfactorily with Spanish-speaking pet owners with poor English proficiency were those in which the veterinarian was at least conversant in Spanish, at least 1 Spanish-speaking registered veterinary technician was on staff, clients’ friends and family were not relied upon to translate, and gesturing or drawing was not relied upon to communicate.

Telehealth platforms that provide monolingual and bilingual Spanish speaking veterinarians for any species offer a powerful means of increasing access and the spectrum of care for underserved communities. Additional languages, including French and Arabic, are also available on the market.

Acknowledging and addressing language barriers, socioeconomic status, and cultural beliefs is vital for accessing veterinary services and influences pet ownership. The veterinary profession can enhance inclusiveness and diversity by expanding and enriching its veterinarian teams to reflect their communities’ age group, race, and ethnicity trends.

Landau RE, Beck A, Glickman LT, Litster A, Widmar NJ, Moore GE. Preparedness of small animal veterinary practices to communicate with Spanish-speaking pet owners with limited proficiency in 

. 2016;248(6):690-699. doi:10.2460/javma.248.6.690

Landau RE, Beck A, Glickman LT, Litster A, Widmar NJ, Moore GE. Use of veterinary services by Latino dog and cat owners with various degrees of English-language proficiency. 

. 2016;248(6):681-689. doi:10.2460/javma.248.6.681

Aguiriano AJM, Salazar L, Pietrosemoli S, Schmidt M, Awosile B, Garcia A. Understanding communication barriers: demographic variables and language needs in the interaction between English-speaking animal professionals and Spanish-speaking animal caretakers. 

. 2024;14(4):624. doi:10.3390/ani14040624

Treviño FM. The representation of Hispanics in the health professions. 

Asare A. The attitudes of minority junior high and high school students toward veterinary medicine. 

. 2007;34(2):47-50. doi:10.3138/jvme.34.2.47

Tayce JD, Burnham S, Mays G, et al. Developing cultural competence through the introduction of medical Spanish into the veterinary cur

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Zhang X, House L, Salois MJ. An examination of US pet owners’ use of veterinary services, 2006–2018. 

. 2024;10(3):e1370. doi:10.1002/vms3.1370

Poss JE, Bader JO. Attitudes toward companion animals among Hispanic residents of a Texas border community. J A

. 2007;10(3):243-253. doi:10.1080/10888700701353717

Articles

There are a number of ways practitioners and hospitals can better assist Spanish-speaking pet owners and caretakers

Increasing veterinary access by mitigating language barriers

The North American Veterinary Community (NAVC) recently announced a grassroots program that offers support to individuals, groups, and organizations worldwide that have positively impacted the global veterinary community and animal welfare, as the recipient of its 2024 NAVC Gives grant award.

NAVC Gives accepts applications year-round and has awarded $55,000 since granting its first awards in January 2023. This year, the NAVC granted the award to the Veterinary Industry Giving Tree (VIGT), a program that provides financial help to veterinary professionals and their families during the winter holiday season. As part of its support of VIGT’s contributions to the veterinary community, the NAVC is granting the program $10,000.

The VIGT program was founded in 2020 by 3 veterinary technicians: Beckie Mossor, MPA, RVT; Lily Preston, RVT; and Crystal Vaquera, CVT. VIGT invites anonymous nominations for veterinary professionals who are struggling financially due to accidents, unforeseen illnesses, or other factors. The initiative seeks to alleviate financial strain during particularly challenging periods, like the holiday season, when expenses can accumulate, and extra support can significantly impact families. It also encourages veterinary professionals to help one another during difficult times.

“The entire team at The Veterinary Industry Giving Tree is deeply honored and profoundly grateful to have received this award,” said Mossor, in the release.

“The unwavering support from our profession and community has been the driving force behind our mission. It is the collective effort of those who have stepped forward to give, as well as those who have nominated themselves or others, that has made this achievement possible. We sincerely appreciate every individual who has supported us, from planting the initial seed to nurturing the growth of our tree.”

Since its launch, VIGT has assisted approximately 150 families and individuals, including veterinary professionals dealing with unexpected cancer diagnoses, the challenges of single parenting, and the struggle to manage rising costs for essential needs. According to the program's founders, the NAVC Gives award will help VIGT achieve its goal of supporting a record of 50 families this year.

“Everyone knows the feeling of leaning on a veterinary professional for strength, reassurance or even emotional support when their pet faces a medical issue. But these individuals are sometimes facing their own medical or financial challenges while focusing their attention on others,” Gene O’Neill, CEO of NAVC, said in a news release.

 “The Veterinary Industry Giving Tree is a perfect example of a grassroots program that gives back to these professionals when they need it most, and with the devastating impact Hurricane Helene has had on so many people, this extra support is especially needed now.”

VIGT’s priority this year is to help families or individuals in Western North Carolina and other regions impacted by Hurricane Helene,

 joining other organizations’ efforts to help the veterinary world following the effects of Hurricane Helene.

Earlier this month, dozens of members from the 

 traveled to North Carolina to provide care for search and rescue working dogs while these canines worked in difficult conditions.

of $25,000 to Greater Good Charities to help provide food, medical supplies, hygiene kits, and transportation to safety for pets affected by the hurricane.

NAVC Gives awards $10,000 to the Veterinary Industry Giving Tree. News release. North American Veterinary Community. October 8, 2024. Accessed October 17, 2024. 

https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/news-releases/navc-gives-awards-10-000-to-the-veterinary-industry-giving-tree-302270525.html

Coppock K. Veterinary Emergency Team deploys to North Carolina in the wake of Hurricane Helene. 

. October 3, 2024. Accessed October 17, 2024. 

https://www.dvm360.com/view/veterinary-emergency-team-deploys-to-north-carolina-in-the-wake-of-hurricane-helene

Littrell A. Pet care brands provide support for pets impacted by Hurricane Helene. 

. October 4, 2024. Accessed October 17, 2024. 

https://www.dvm360.com/view/pet-care-brands-provide-support-for-pets-impacted-by-hurricane-helene

Veterinary Industry Giving Tree is receiving the 2024 NAVC Gives award for its efforts in supporting veterinary professionals facing financial hardships

Award grants $10,000 to grassroots financial aid program

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM), which serves as an opportunity to show support for domestic violence survivors and for advocates and others to unite in their work to end domestic abuse. But what are its origins?

In October 1981, the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (now merged with the National Domestic Violence Hotline) declared a national Day of Unity on October 17 to raise awareness about domestic violence and support survivors, adopting purple as the movement’s official color. That day would expand into a week before the first DVAM was observed in October 1987. Two years later, Congress officially designated October as DVAM (Public Law 101-112).

Purple Thursday, which was established shortly later, is observed on the third Thursday of October. It is a day when you can show your support for domestic violence survivors by wearing purple clothing. On this day, social media is often filled with posts of supporters donning purple shirts, socks, ties, hats, scarves, nail polish, and more.

For veterinary industry professionals, recognizing the link between domestic violence and animal abuse is crucial, and October is the perfect time to show your support for individuals in your communities.

The mission of RedRover and Purina’s Purple Leash Project is to help more domestic violence shelters build pet-friendly spaces through Purple Leash Project grants so that survivors and their pets can escape abuse together. Leading up to DVAM, RedRover and Purina participate in Pet Night on Capitol Hill, a night in September to celebrate pets’ vital role in clients’ lives and the human-animal bond. On September 11, the event brought together members of Congress and their staff with leaders in the pet community to discuss pet-friendly programs and policies.

The Purple Leash Project uses a variety of media and voices to call attention to the lack of pet-friendly domestic violence shelters each October, with special events and a range of brand activations.

Earlier this year, Purina commissioned and unveiled a new statue, 

, created by artist Kristen Visbal, best known for her 

statue across the street from the New York Stock Exchange Building. The sculpture depicts a woman holding a duffle bag on her shoulder and her dog linked together by a purple leash and represents the bond between domestic violence survivors and beloved pets and the brave action of taking the first step toward healing. The statue will appear at Variety’s Power of Women event in Los Angeles on October 24, 2024, and will continue touring the nation through 2025.

Numerous activities take place each October to help raise awareness of domestic violence survivors, including the following:

DVAM virtual and in-person walks and runs

Walk a Mile in Her Shoes: The International Men’s March to Stop Rape, Sexual Assault & Gender Violence

The Clothesline Project events: This survivor project features a clothesline on which survivors hang a shirt they have decorated or one by someone who has helped a survivor.

You can help support and promote DVAM in October and beyond in many ways, including the following:

Add a purple ribbon to your professional and social media pages.

Wear a purple ribbon during office hours.

Organize a clothing, food, or pet supplies drive for a local domestic violence shelter.

Visit 25by2025.org and join the pet-friendly movement.

Hold a moment of silence for survivors inside the office with colleagues or outside the office with friends and family

Like and share social media posts about DVAM and a web link.

 Consider following these organizations on social media: 

National Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-799-SAFE)

DomesticShelters.org: Includes a comprehensive database for domestic violence shelters with pet-friendly programs

Reach out to your local domestic violence organizations to see how you can learn more.

These are just a few ideas on how you can show your support for survivors and pets during DVAM. We encourage you to connect with your domestic violence shelters to learn more ways to support them this month and beyond.

The History of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Connections for Abused Women and their Children. October 5, 2023. Accessed September 12, 2024. 

https://www.cawc.org/news/the-history-of-domestic-violence-awareness-month/

What is the Link. National Link Coalition. Accessed September 16, 2024. 

https://nationallinkcoalition.org/what-is-the-link

October’s awareness month highlights support for survivors and pet-friendly shelters.

How to get involved with Domestic Violence Awareness Month 

What kind of nutritional support should critically ill patients be receiving? In his lecture at the Fetch dvm360 Conference in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Walter L. Brown Jr, BS, RVTg, VTS (ECC), talked about how nutritional support, which may often fall in the hands of veterinary technicians, can be vital for the recovery of critical care patients.

“A lot of our patients that are critical patients are experiencing some type of malnutrition,” Brown said during his lecture.

 “And here's the thing about malnutrition: we don't even have a definition for it. That's how new nutrition is in veterinary medicine.”

Brown explained that patients who are critically ill will catabolize lean muscle, also known as ‘stress starvation,’ rather than using the body’s fats. In his lecture, Brown shared that studies show that 73% of critical care patients have a negative net protein loss. He explained that preserving lean muscle mass in these patients and reversing nutrient deterioration is essential for preventing malnutrition.

Three days of anorexia in patients is concerning. By the fifth day, it is considered urgent and requires nutritional intervention. “As quickly as we find out these patients are malnourished, we need to do some intervention,” emphasized Brown. According to Brown, the 3 key components of successful nutritional support are proper patient selection, a sound nutritional plan, and careful monitoring.

Before thinking about creating a nutrition plan however, veterinary professionals should first complete and/or consider the following

Identify, understand, and treat the underlying cause of the malnutrition

Stabilize the patient, correcting electrolyte imbalances and acid-base disturbances

Minimize metabolic derangement and catabolism of lean tissue

Know that offering nutritional support to replenish body weight is not a priority in replenishing body weight

Feeding an excessive number of calories to critically ill patients is not necessary, as this can lead to food aversion, metabolic complications, hepatic dysfunction, and increased carbon dioxide production.

“A nutritional plan does carry risk, ok?” Brown said during his session. As such, it is important to properly and consistently monitor patients.

“How are we monitoring [these patients]? “Are we giving food every few hours? Are we looking for food coming out of his nose?” posed Brown. He put forth the example of a patient with an esophagostomy (E) or a nasogastric (NG) tube who may have the tube coming out of their mouth due to vomiting or regurgitation, leading them to expel the tube. “These things happen, so we’ve got to monitor for that, right?” said Brown. 

“We have to keep in mind, as [veterinary] nurses and technicians, what we are actually monitoring for. What should we be looking for when resuscitating these patients, right?” said Brown. He emphasized that the most important thing patients should be doing is eating on their own. Moreover, veterinary technicians should monitor body weight daily, taking into account fluid shifts.

Monitoring for GI stasis is also crucial, according to Brown. If the patient has GI stasis, continuing to feed them may cause further problems until the stasis has been resolved.

In his lecture, Brown explained that veterinary technicians should choose an appropriate nutrient route, and begin feeding as soon as the patient is stable. Feedings should be administered gradually “with a target level of nutrient delivery achieved over 48 to 72 hours.”

Dogs should receive 4 to 6 g of protein per 100 kcal, accounting for 15% to 25% of their total energy requirements. Meanwhile, cats should receive a higher amount of protein, as 25% to 35% of their total energy requirements need to come from this source. According to Brown, 6 to 8 g per 100 kcal is the recommended amount. However, patients with a protein intolerance, such as those with hepatic encephalopathy, should receive less protein.

“RER should be used as a starting point for our critical patients,” said Brown. He explained that illness energy requirement (IER) is no longer being recommended as a starting point.

He provided the formula to calculate patients’ resting energy requirement (RER): RER = 70 x (current body weight in kgs)

. During his lecture, Brown recommended writing the formula on a piece of paper and keeping it at the clinic. “This is [a] piece of paper I want you to leave around. …Do your RER for all your patients,” he emphasized.

“Nutrition, of course, is integral in the outcome of our critical patients. That nutritional support is essential for the treatment plan. Metabolic response places, critical ills plays critical ill patients at risk about malnutrition,” concluded Brown. “Nutrition is a big component of our vein theory world, whether it be a general practice or critical care, [it is] the biggest thing in critical care, [that] we are still learning.”

Brown W. Feeding the critical patient. Presented at: Fetch Coastal; October 14-16, 2024; Atlantic City, NJ.

Walter L Brown Jr, BS, RVTg, VTS (ECC), discussed monitoring critical care patients, their nutrient requirements, and how to calculate RER in his lecture at the Fetch dvm360 Conference in Atlantic City

Malnutrition in critical patients: Guidelines for veterinary technicians

Happy National Veterinary Technician Week to all of the amazing veterinary technicians out there! In recognition of this week, this week's episode takes a deeper dive into the world of speciality veterinary technicians (VTS), specifically the journey Sheena Davis, LVT, VTS (Dentistry),VCC, took to become a VTS in dentistry.

Throughout the episode, our host Adam Christman, DVM, MBA, and Davis go through the highs and lows of becoming a VTS, some misconceptions surrounding her role, and how she went from a general veterinary technician to a dental specialist. 

So you mentioned that this is really, you know, your passion, and you're enjoying it. Did it change a little bit when, as a veterinary technician, [you went] into veterinary technician specialty? Did you feel the need to, you know, pursue a specialty career? Or were you feeling fulfilled as a veterinary technician? Like, what was going through your mind, aside from saying, oh, yeah, I want to go for BTS and dentistry, but what, what were some other considerations that you took into account?

I was very, very fulfilled in my role, but I want to take on a challenge to say, you know, what, what more can I do? What more can I bring to the table to not only be an amazing advocate for my patients, but also to provide the best care I possibly can? Because again, I was telling myself, 'there has to be a better way,' not only for my personal pets, but for every pet that comes through that door, I think of everyone's animal as my own, so I want them to get top notch care. 

So by doing that, I was really going in, mostly just for my own educational purposes and to bring something more to the table for my clinic and my patients. But once I did that, it opened a lot more doors for me than I even thought what's possible, such as, lecturing and education and teaching, and not only teaching veterinary technicians, but also educating veterinarians, because unfortunately, there aren't a lot of education programs out there in schools, especially in technician and veterinary programs in which they're really getting a deep education in dentistry. So having somewhat of that Batman and Robin dynamic in clinic is wonderful. I love that synergy where you can work together as a team to accomplish something.

Podcasts

Sheena Davis, LVT, VTS (Dentistry),VCC, shares her journey into becoming a veterinary technician specialist , and how others can do the same

 Insights and challenges from a veterinary technician specialist

Richard Gerhold, DVM, MS, PhD, DACVM, associate professor of parasitology at the University of Tennessee’s College of Veterinary Medicine in Knoxville, provided attendees with an overview of common parasitic mites, how to identify them, and how to manage them, during his session, “Itchy Animals & Ectoparasites,” presented at the 2024 Fetch dvm360 Conference in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Generally, mites are diagnosed empirically, through their collection and direct identification. They are commonly collected through hair combs, brushes or skin scrapes, depending on what mites are suspected to be present. Diagnostics can also turn to skin biopsies or analysis of fecal samples. The best way to preserve a mite, once found, is to place it in 70% alcohol, to later be sent off to a lab for identification, Gerhold noted.

“So, this first [mite] is probably one of the itchiest ones that I’ve ever had,” Gerhold said. “Hopefully, no one else has had the unloving privilege of having chiggers, but if you have, you know what I’m talking about.”

Commonly known as chiggers or harvest mites, the adults and nymphs are free-living, and the larvae are ectoparasitic on mammals, Aves, reptiles, and amphibians. Gerhold explained that chiggers firmly attach to their hosts, digesting a long and narrow tunnel down through the dermis. He went on to describe the small orange and red dots that appear throughout the area affected by chiggers, because of the skin’s reaction to the saliva material that they secrete. 

“So, they attach, and they produce this kind of cement material that causes this severe itching,” he said. “They’re usually transient on [humans], but they do cause that real severe itching, particularly on areas of tight clothing.” There are not many known treatment methods, but Gerhold recommended the use of lime sulfur dips.

Also known as sarcoptic mange mite, Gerhold explains that this is studied in several species, although it is not seen in cats. This parasitic mite causes scabies in humans and can result in a severe red reaction. Gerhold likens 

, in the way that there are specific sarcoptic serovars depending on the host species.

“Cattle have their own, horses have their own, sheep have their own,” he said. “So, most are pretty host specific, [but] a canine variety can cause a transient dermatitis on humans.”

 starts with a deep skin scrape, that should show blood. Adults are oval-shaped with rounded short-mouthparts, tarsal suckers on long, un-jointed pedicels, and they often burrow into the skin to carry out their life cycle. Larvae and nymphs are present closer to the surface of the skin and are transmitted to other hosts through either contact or potential fomites, Gerhold noted.

They are typically found where the hair coat is thin, and skin is tender (ie, elbows or ears). For treatment of 

, Gerhold recommended selamectin, isoxazolines, ivermectin, milbemycin oxime, or fipronil spray. 

 is rarely seen in dogs or humans. In impacted adults, it can closely resemble 

, although they do not have the dorsal spines that 

 have and they are smaller and rounder in shape. 

 burrow into the skin, starting at the tips of the ears, spreading to the face, head, and paws. They are commonly transmitted through direct contact, and they are relatively easy to find, according to Gerhold.

There are no approved drugs for the treatment of 

, although there are options that are both topical and systemic. Similarly to 

, Gerhold recommended the use of selamectin, moxidectin, ivermectin, or lime sulfur dips.

Primarily a parasite of rabbits, it has been recently recorded in alpacas, goats, and horses, as well. 

 are ear mites, resulting in severe scabbing of the ears. They have long, sharp mouthparts, their third and fourth legs extend beyond their body margin, and their tarsal suckers are on long, jointed pedicels—that joint in the pedicel helps distinguish them from 

. Gerhold advised treatment with ivermectin, and advises against cleaning the ears, and against the use of over-the-counter spot-ons, most dips, collars, and all natural flea products.

 is reportable to the state veterinarian’s office and federal veterinarian in the Animal Disease Eradication Division of the USDA. Identification of this parasite warrants quarantine. It can cause chunks of wool and flesh to exfoliate, and a secondary bacterial infection is often deadly to sheep populations.

Mostly found in cattle, it also causes chorioptic mange in sheep, goats, horses, and rabbits, and recognized as foot, leg, tail, and scrotal mange. The quality of semen in infected animals is notably worse, and it is noted to increase testicular temperature. The mites themselves have long legs, large tarsal suckers on short, unjointed pedicels, and they are compressed laterally.

 impacts dogs and cats, but is more common in cats. It is extremely contagious, often through direct contact. In physical examinations, brown debris in ears, reports of ear scratching, head shaking, or circling and tilting the head should all be red flags of 

. Gerhold advises the administration of selamectin and moxidectin in both affected animals, and just those in close contact. Approved ivermectin and milbemycin formulations have also shown positive results in cats, and ear cleansing with an appropriate cerumenolytic agent is also advised.

“You want to make sure you’re treating both the affected animals, as well as any in-contact animals for [

],” Gerhold said. “You also want to get rid of that wax in the ear as well, because that’s going to be a great hiding place for them and their eggs.”

Gerhold R. Itchy Animals & Ectoparasites. Presented at: Fetch dvm360 Conference; October 14-16, 2024; Atlantic City, NJ.

Diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of some common parasitic mites were covered in a session at the Fetch dvm360 Conference in Atlantic City