It is quite erroneous to believe that ear mites are found only in stray animals. Even if your pet lives in an apartment and does not happen on the street, this does not guarantee that he will not become infected with such an unpleasant illness as otodectosis, also called "ear scabies". Most susceptible to this disease are young individuals aged 1 month to 6 months, but it happens that an adult cat is infected with an ear mite.
Who are ear mites?
Otodectes cynotis is a parasite with an oval yellow-gray body with developed limbs, settling in the external hearing aid. The size of the tick is very small, they reach 0.2-0.6 mm - male, 0.3-0.75 mm - female. The insect parasitizes on the tympanic membrane, on the skin of the auricle, and also in the external auditory canal. It is worth noting that in the ear of a healthy animal mites do not appear, there will be no favorable habitat, so pay attention to the general health of your pet.
If the cat constantly rubs his ears about objects, scratches them, tilts his head to one side or does not allow himself to pat on the head, probably the disease is already progressing. In appearance, the ear mite is defined as dark accumulations in the auricle, crusts and peeling. This is because the insect feeds on the upper layer of the skin, and the products of its vital activity, mixing with earwax, form a brown mass that can provoke ear plugs. The veterinarian will make the final diagnosis by taking a scraping of the skin of the cat's auricle for research.
How to get rid of an ear mite?
Before removing the ear mite, it is necessary to thoroughly wash the ears of the cat, using a cotton swab and a solution of any antiseptic, for example, chlorhexidine. An animal, in an effort to get rid of parasites, can only make itself worse by combing the skin, which contributes to the appearance of wounds and suppuration. Effective remedy for ear mites - acaricide, but the definition of the form and dosage of the drug is best entrusted to a specialist. The medicine can be in liquid form, injectable, aerosol or powder. It is also possible to use ointments or drops on the withers. And although veterinary pharmacies offer a wide range of medicines and even give the necessary recommendations for use and dosage, it is worthwhile to show the animal to a vet. Often the result of neglect of the disease can be any inflammatory process, which also needs to be treated. The consequences of an ear mite are treated more difficultly than the parasite itself. After excision of ticks, additional treatment of otitis or wound healing on the inner surface of the auricle is possible. In rare cases, the consequence of a neglected disease can be perforation of the tympanic membrane and even meningitis. That is why it is so important to regularly inspect the ears of a pet and notice adverse changes in the behavior of the animal at an early stage of the disease.
Prevention of disease
The most likely way to infect a cat with otodectomy is to contact sick animals. If the pet spends a lot of time on the street, it is possible that he will get parasites from stray animals. The disease is easily transmitted from the cat to the kittens, from flies or fleas. It should be noted that a weakened animal is easier to get infected with a tick than a healthy well-groomed cat, so pay special attention to the immunity of puffy, balanced nutrition and the presence of necessary vitamins and minerals in it.
Watch your pet, regularly clean your ears with cotton swabs, try to avoid "dating" your cat with extraneous homeless cousins, and then she will be a healthy and cheerful favorite of the whole family.