Cheyletiella Mites
A Brief Introduction to Cheyletiella Mites
Cheyletiella mites are found on the skin of animals such as dogs, cats and rabbits and sometimes on humans as well. These creatures, which are tiny, are sometimes referred to as “walking dandruff” as their appearance and movement has the look of a dandruff flake in motion. These mites cause skin irritation and itchiness and this is called Cheyletiellosis. These mites live on the skin but occasionally they may take up residence in the nasal passages.
Cheyletiella are mites, which are only .385 millimeters in length even are full-grown adults, do have a large mouth. These mites typically have a 21 day life cycle which is spent on one host. The mites cannot live away from a host for any great stretch of time. As the infestation tends to spread by contact, it can have a long cycle in an environment unless there is an aggressive effort to rid the whole space off all Cheyletiella mites. So, it is important to treat the infested animal and to clean all items, such as bedding, toys and clothing, which the animal may have been in contact with at any time.
Although occasionally Cheyletiella are also called "rabbit fur mites," there are several sub-species of the mite which prefer different animals as hosts. Veterinarians do point out that identifying the exact category of the mite is not very relevant as the symptoms and treatment tend to be the same.
There is variation in the signs that are apparent when an animal is infested with this mite. The signs of the mite are mostly found on the torso. While some animals show no outward sign, other have dandruff or flaky skin, tiny skin bumps, redness of the skin and are prone to scratching themselves. Scabs and mild hair loss may also be manifested by some animals. If the mites are in the nostrils, there may be sneezing and facial scratching as well.
Human beings are not likely to be infested with this mite although when it takes up residence it can cause itchiness and a rash. It tends to disappear in a matter of weeks as the mites do not reproduce on humans and so this is described as a transient infestation. Once the environment is cleared of the mites, human should stop experiencing any symptoms as well.
It is sometimes hard to isolate the Cheyletiella mites on animals to confirm diagnosis of a skin problem. A skin scraping or examination of the dandruff under the microscope may be needed to do this. However, if there is a strong indication of this mite infestation, a vet may decide to do a test treatment for this problem to rule it out before addressing other potential skin issues. Several topical treatments that work on mites tend to be effective against the Cheyletiella also. So using specially formulated creams, sprays and shampoos may be a good first step to rid your pets of the mites. Doctors may also recommend an oral parasite preventing medicine such as selamectin or milbemycin. Sometimes the medicines are also injected for optimal absorption.
Cheyletiella mites are more a nuisance than a health problem to fret about. Any signs of the mite in the household should be countered aggressively to limit its spread. Even if there is evidence of only one animal in the household being infested, it is best to treat all animals in the household. It is also a good idea to try and isolate the source of the mite to prevent any future contact. There is usually no long-term damage from exposure to these mites although the itchiness and redness during infestations can be difficult to deal with for animals and humans.