Ear Mites in Dogs: What Pet Parents Need To Know

4. The causes of ear mites

Ear mites can affect any dog, regardless of age or health status. The most common way that dogs get them is simply from exposure to another animal. This is often another dog, but ear mites are opportunistic bugs and also enjoy snacking on cats, rabbits, and even wild animals, such as foxes. Sometimes ear mites will also wait in foliage for a short time after leaving a host, so dogs can pick them up just by running through the wrong place at the wrong time.