What are Storage Mites Allergies?
Similar to humans, your dog can become allergic to anything. A storage mite allergy is not the worst thing for your dog to have, though some cases of these allergies can cause distressing symptoms. It may be annoying, but it is not generally life-threatening. The problem with storage mites is that they are almost impossible to get rid of, making the allergy difficult to treat as well. A storage mite allergy is caused by tiny spider-like creatures that live in our homes to eat food, such as grain, flour, and dry dog food (kibble). The mite is so common and hard to kill that just one tenth of a gram of flour or other dry food can hold approximately 200 storage mites and over 600 dust mites. It is not just the mites that are allergens, but their waste and body parts when they die. They are too small to see, but under a microscope they look similar to a white or tan flea, but they have eight legs as they are related to the spider.
Storage mite allergies in dogs are similar to dust mite allergies, The two are very closely related and it is impossible to tell the difference if you are not a professional. Both allergies present the same signs, such as atopic dermatitis symptoms, which are itching, redness, inflammation and sometimes respiratory symptoms, like sneezing and watery eyes. The main difference in these microscopic pests is where they live. While dust mites live in carpeting, beds, furniture, and drapes; the storage mites live in food such as flour, grains, and dog food.
The storage mite and dust mite both have several species and subspecies which are all so similar that you cannot tell the difference unless you are an expert. It is not important to know which one is causing your dog’s allergy symptoms because they all have the same symptoms, diagnostic tests, and treatment. Almost every household has mites in their home of many species, so an allergic reaction to mites can be caused by any of these species and subspecies.
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Symptoms of Storage Mites Allergies in Dogs
Symptoms of storage mite allergy can vary from dog to dog, depending on the amount of mites in the home (and in the food) as well as your dog’s immune system. The most often reported symptoms are:
- Crusty skin
- Excessive licking
- Hives
- Red and watery eyes
- Runny nose
- Scratching (anus, ears, eyes, groin, muzzle, paws, underarms)
- Sneezing
- Snoring caused by an inflamed throat
- Gasping for air
- Wheezing
Types
There are many species, subspecies, and types of storage mites with several different names.
- Acarus siro
- Blomia tropicalis
- Cheese mites
- Dermatophagoides farina
- Dermatophagoides microceras
- Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus
- Euroglyphus maynei
- Flour mites
- Glycyphagus domesticus
- Grain mites
- House mites
- Lepidoglyphus destructor
- Mold mites
- Storage mites
- Tyrophagus putrescentiae
Causes of Storage Mites Allergies in Dogs
Storage mite allergies in dogs are caused by dust mites and their dead bodies, body parts, and waste. If your dog has been having symptoms the entire year and seems to breathe better outdoors, you should suspect mite allergies. This includes house mites, dust mites, and storage mites. Any dog can have an allergy to storage mites, but it is more frequently seen in:
- Dogs over three months old
- Basset Hound
- Bichon Frisé
- Boxer
- Bull Terrier
- Bulldog
- Chinese Shar-Pei
- Dalmatian
- English Springer Spaniel
- French Bulldog
- German Shepherd
- Golden Retriever
- Labrador Retriever
- Miniature Schnauzer
- Pug
- Tibetan Terrier
- Vizsla
- West Highland White Terrier
Diagnosis of Storage Mites Allergies in Dogs
Because the mites are so small, there is no evidence that they are the culprit making your dog ill. Your veterinarian will want to give your dog a thorough physical examination including skin and coat condition, vital signs, general health, as well as some laboratory tests. Some of the tests your veterinarian may suggest are a complete blood count, blood chemistry profile, bacterial and fungal swab, urinalysis, and fecal examination.
Even with a physical examination, the veterinarian may not suspect an allergy to mites because skin afflictions, such as dry skin or chronic dermatitis, are so common. Give the veterinarian as much detail as possible about the symptoms you have noticed and any new foods, toys, treats, or shampoos you have tried. Share your opinion if you believe your dog may be suffering from storage mite allergies and explain why. The veterinarian can do a serum allergy test to look for the presence of IgE antibodies or an intradermal skin test. However, be sure to let your veterinarian know if you have given your dog anything, such as antihistamine, because that can affect the results of the test.
Serum Allergy Test
A small amount of blood is looked at under a microscope for signs of IgE antibodies. If the test is positive, your veterinarian may send you to a veterinary dermatologist for intradermal allergy testing if they cannot do it there.
Intradermal Allergy Testing
The dermatologist uses a tiny needle to inject a small amount of the suspected allergens (different types of storage mites) and waits for a skin reaction. Redness and inflammation will be present if your dog is allergic to that specific allergen.
Treatment of Storage Mites Allergies in Dogs
Medications and Shampoos
The best treatment for an allergy is to get rid of the allergen. However, since getting rid of all storage mites is a long and difficult (almost impossible) process, the use of antihistamines, corticosteroids, and cortisone cream will help. In addition, a special shampoo may be prescribed to decrease the itching and an antibiotic to prevent infection.
Immunotherapy Shots
The veterinarian will show you how to give your dog a shot with a small amount of allergen (storage mite waste) daily, adding a bit more each day to desensitize your dog to storage mites gradually. This type of treatment can sometimes take several months before your dog is fully desensitized. As a matter of fact, in some cases, it may never work. Your veterinarian will give you further instructions of what else you can do in this case.
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Recovery of Storage Mites Allergies in Dogs
It is almost impossible to get rid of all the mites, but you can make a significant difference in the case of dust mites by removing carpet and replacing upholstered furniture with leather or vinyl, use mattress and pillow covers, and wash all bedding in hot water once a week. If you choose to keep your carpet, use a professional carpet cleaner every week as well.
Giving your pet a veterinarian recommended hypoallergenic canned food diet may be the answer to the storage mite problem as your pet will not be exposed to the storage mites commonly found in dry kibble, cereals, grains, and cheese.
Your dog should show improvement in a few months, but it can take up to a year or more in some dogs. Immunotherapy or skin creams do not cure the allergies, but it does make your dog more comfortable and can prevent a secondary infection from scratching. If you have questions or concerns, give your veterinarian a call right away.
Storage Mites Allergies Average Cost
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Storage Mites Allergies Questions and Advice from Veterinary Professionals
Bulldog
One Year
7 found this helpful
7 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Redness
We’ve been giving our dog flea and tick medicine for 5 months now. The reason being she developed scabs on her fur. We thought it was mites but it hasn’t gone away. Other than her flea and tick medicine we give her a bath once a week with anti fungal shampoo and spray her with a similar spray when she’s itchy. Please help.
Oct. 30, 2020
Answered by Dr. Linda S. MVB MRCVS
7 Recommendations
Scabs and itching can have many causes including atopic dermatitis, a flea allergy, pyoderma etc.
Ideally, we would have some tests run to determine the exact cause of the issue. This may include scrapes and swabs of the skin. Then, we can determine the most appropriate treatment.
Oct. 30, 2020
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Labrador Retriever
Gigi
7 Years
9 found this helpful
9 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Itching
Sneezing
Rash
Irritation
Hi, my dog is suffering with itchiness and her hair is falling out in certain areas on her back. I am wondering what we should do to cure and help Gigi get rid of her symptoms of mites and hopefully find something that will help her stop being so depressed from her horrible allergies. She has had her blood tested but we have not worked on finding something like wet food so mites wont get in it like they do with dry food. I just hope you can help me find something that will help my poor 7 year old Gigi!
March 3, 2018
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
9 Recommendations
Thank you for your email. It is very difficult to remove mites from the environment, and may be easier and better for Maggie to treat her for her allergies instead. There are many good medications for allergies available to help Maggie. it would be best to discuss possible treatments for any allergies that were found on her allergy blood tests. I hope that you are able to get relief for her.
March 4, 2018
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Springer/cocker Spaniel, collie, king charles
Millie
11 Years
37 found this helpful
37 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Itching
Smelly
Yellow Skin
Flaking
Hair Falling Out
Hi, My 11 year old dog has been suffering with an awful skin condition. Her skin is very flaky, yellow and smelly and her hair is easy to pull out near these flaky areas. She has been tested for allergies and was found to have a high allergy to dust mites and grains mites. We thought switching to grain free dog food would help, which it did for about a year. However, it has come back again and we are not sure what to do. And the medicin they prescribed for her haven't worked either. This condition is making her very depressed and the vets can't seem to find any solution. Any suggestions?
Feb. 6, 2018
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
37 Recommendations
Thank you for your email. Without knowing what medications she's on or being able to examine her, I don't know what might be going on with her skin. Allergies can be very difficult to manage, and dust mites can be hard to get rid of in the environment. It might be worth getting a referral to a dermatologist, as they specialize in skin conditions and may be able to shed some light on her condition. I hope that you are able to resolve her problems.
Feb. 6, 2018
We have a German short haired pointer that developed the same dry flaky skin that would develop into crusty pimple like areas and the fur would slowly fall out. It started in a small area on his back and grew larger to include his entire back. We visited our vet and antibiotics didn’t touch it but prednisone calmed it right down. Our vet assumed then it was an allergic reaction. We took him off all medications and the skin became the worst we had seen. The results were positive for storage and dust mites. We keep the dry food in the bag we purchased it in but then placed in plastic storage container. So that was it we got rid of everything. We made him home made dog food of canned veggies, hamburger and cooked rice. After 4 days we noticed a huge improvement. I gave him a bath every few days and slowly no more bumps and no more hair loss. We always purchased top brands dry dog food that was grain free / limited ingredients, holistic all weren’t cheap but no longer. Now we make him dog food sometimes add in canned dog food to give proper nutrition but no more dry stuff that develops those storage mites.
April 9, 2018
Lisa H.
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German Shepherd
Kailua
5 Months
7 found this helpful
7 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Itching
My 5 month old German Shepherd was just diagnosed as being allergic to both dust and storage mites. I was reading in the information above that storage mites can come from grain. Should I switch my dog to grain free food?
Sept. 17, 2017
7 Recommendations
Whilst you may think that changing food over to a grain free diet may help with storage mites, the truth is that storage mites are rarely found in bagged dog food but according to a study (Vet Dermatology, 2008) all food bags will develop storage mites after being opened in a person’s home:
“A popular misconception is that storage mites are present in bags of food or cereals from the manufacturer. In one study, out of 10 bags of dry dog food, one was found to have storage mites, but the rest developed the mites after being in the owners’ homes.”.
A dry dog food is best, but otherwise grain or grain-free will most likely develop storage mites once opened; there are some option to make your own food, but I would stick with a commercial dry dog food. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
http://veterinarynews.dvm360.com/faqs-about-house-dust-mite-and-storage-mite-allergies?id=&sk=&date=&%0A%09%09%09&pageID=2
Sept. 17, 2017
Hi, My 11 year old dog has been suffering with an awful skin condition. Her skin is very flaky, yellow and smelly and her hair is easy to pull out near these flaky areas. She has been tested for allergies and was found to have a high allergy to dust mites and grains mites. We thought switching to grain free dog food would help, which it did for about a year. However, it has come back again and we are not sure what to do. This condition is making her very depressed and the vets can't seem to find any solution. Any suggestions?
Feb. 6, 2018
Anna Kelly J.
Hi, My 11 year old dog has been suffering with an awful skin condition. Her skin is very flaky, yellow and smelly and her hair is easy to pull out near these flaky areas. She has been tested for allergies and was found to have a high allergy to dust mites and grains mites. We thought switching to grain free dog food would help, which it did for about a year. However, it has come back again and we are not sure what to do. This condition is making her very depressed and the vets can't seem to find any solution. Any suggestions?
Feb. 6, 2018
Anna Kelly J.
We are fighting MRSA following a second knee surgery for our Cheesie, big boy.He broke out in huge boils on his skin, first drug was not having any effect.Our vet suggested shipping testing to HESKA a vet. diagnostic Laboratories, in CO. They rest for every Allergan possible. The first [age was totally negitive, She honestly thought he would not make the night at that rate.She flipped the page and he certainly reacts to mites. I had already started making some home made food with veggie's. Next step we were going grain free had it order through Amazon. She told us to freeze all his treats, which we order grain free and and his kibble. Since making all those changes he is getting well coming back into coat and wants to play. I agree with you and your comment there are alternate ways.
Oct. 26, 2017
Cheryl M.
All food is still frozen and treats, he is on a grain free diet. MRSA is a evil devil to fight!
Dec. 28, 2017
Cheryl M.
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Storage Mites Allergies Average Cost
From 391 quotes ranging from $300 - $6,000
Average Cost
$2,500
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