VetSkill PCA Lab and Diagnostics Practice Test

Ear mites inhabit the ear canal and cause otitis externa, with Otodectes cynotis being the organism most commonly involved. These mites live in the ear crust and debris, leading to itching, head shaking, and dark, coffee-ground looking discharge. Demodex stays in hair follicles and sebaceous glands rather than the ear canal, Sarcoptes scabiei burrows in the outer skin causing body mange, and Cheyletiella yasguri is a fur mite that affects the coat, not the ears. So, the ear mite is Otodectes cynotis.