How are ear mites primarily transmitted?

Ear mites are primarily transmitted by direct contact between animals. These parasitic mites thrive in the ears of dogs and cats, and they can easily spread from one animal to another through close interactions, such as playing, grooming, or sharing resting areas. When animals clean each other or engage in social behaviors, the potential for the transmission of ear mites increases significantly.

While sharing grooming tools can pose a risk of spreading various parasites or pathogens, ear mites specifically require direct skin contact for transmission. This is due to their life cycle and behavior, which revolves around infesting the ears of hosts. Contaminated food and air transmission are not methods that would typically facilitate the spread of ear mites, as these parasites do not survive long outside a host environment.