Hello! I don’t think I belong to the category of inattentive people, but I didn’t watch a little bit for my beloved cat.
Well, think about it, she began to periodically shake her head and scratch a little in the ear area. At first, I did not attach any importance to this. But in vain!
The problems were aggravated, and the call to the veterinarian brought unpleasant news - the cat had otodectosis. As a result, the treatment was lengthy and costly. And everything could be different, I know the symptoms of otodectosis in cats. So that you would not make my mistake, now I will tell you in detail about these symptoms.
The content of the article:
Ear tick in cats: symptoms and treatment
Finally, the long-awaited summer has come - a wonderful time for relaxation and fun. And so that you and your pet do not spoil the holidays, be vigilant, since it is in the summer that such a problem as otodectosis or ear mite in cats, and other ear diseases appear. Let's see what it is.
Symptoms of ear scabies:
- pruritus is the most important symptom of ear mites in cats. Moreover, the itching is so strong that the animal becomes restless, constantly scratches its ears, shakes its head and often injures itself in the process of combing. This is an additional problem, as some infection can easily join. In advanced cases, the animals begin to fall out of hair at the site of the lesion.
- accumulations of discharge of dark brown color, having an unpleasant odor
- crusting in the ear canals
Mites from the ears can spread throughout the body of the animal. Ticks also affect all animals that have been in contact with the sick, so keep this in mind when treating your pets. It is almost impossible to infect an ear mite to a person from a cat.
Treatment
Only a veterinarian can prescribe adequate treatment after making the correct diagnosis. Therefore, I would not recommend self-medication to you, since you can begin to treat the wrong disease.
I repeat that, with intensive treatment, ear mites in cats can pass from the ears to the body of your puss, so regularly inspect your cat and be attentive to its behavior.
Home treatment:
- drip a few drops of an antiseptic
- with cotton buds to maximize remove accumulated discharge
- drip 3-4 drops of Bars or Amitrazin for 7 days
- continue to clean the ear canals with cotton buds
I also heard about treatments with kerosene, olive oil and so on. However, I highly advise you not to experiment with your pet.
Prevention
As a preventive measure, do not forget about your cat’s hygiene and regularly inspect and clean your ears with the help of specialized Bars hygienic drops and do not forget about the quarterly (at least every six months) treatment of the animal for fleas and ticks with preparations: Frontline, Advantix, etc. .d.
Otodectosis in cats: causes, symptoms
Cat otodectosis is a fairly common disease. The causative agent is the ear tick Otodectes cynotis.
It is an oblong yellow-gray insect, is approximately 0.2 - 0.5 mm in length. The basis of its nutrition is exfoliated or dead cells of the epidermis and crusts on the skin.
Causes of infection
At risk are animals up to a year. Often sick and kittens. Infection occurs through contact with sick pets (and especially with stray fur animals) or their care items, general hygiene items.
Such an ear tick does not bite a person, but people can carry it on clothes or hands and be a source of infection for cats.
Symptoms of the disease:
- Brown crusts and scabs in the ear canal or auricle.
- Combs and scratches of the auricle.
- The pet is restless.
- Severe itching and shaking of the head. The cat scratches his ear with his paw and rubs against the first household items that come across.
- Discharge from the ears with an unpleasant odor. At first they are serous, and then purulent.
- Scabs in the ear and scabs around the ear.
- Hearing impairment up to its loss.
- High temperature at the pet.
- "Crooked head": the cat turns its head so that the ear is below. In this case, the spread of the inflammatory process to the eardrum, middle and inner ear is likely.
- In the advanced stage - convulsions and seizures. During them, the pet may die. They happen when inflammation has passed from the ear to the meninges.
Course of the disease
Ticks exfoliate the upper layer of the skin, and brown tissue fluid begins to stand out at this point. It dries up, crusts form, which itch severely, and the animal tries to tear off their paw. Fungal and bacterial infections can enter through these small ulcers.
Scratches from combing the ear with claws also do not contribute to recovery. In advanced cases, the disease can spread to the whole body.
Visit to the vet
Before showing the animal to the doctor, do not clean the ears of the pet so that the veterinarian can make the correct diagnosis and prescribe the appropriate treatment. He will take an earwax scraping and examine it for parasites under a microscope in a laboratory.
To defeat the disease, the doctor will prescribe acaricidal drugs, clean the animal’s ear from pus and crusts. For this, most likely, it will be necessary to introduce a sedative or swaddle the cat very tightly, since the procedure for cleansing the ears is not a pleasant one, and the restless pet becomes aggressive.
The owner of the cat should be aware that the course of treatment must strictly correspond to that indicated by the veterinarian: an untreated animal can be infected again. Therefore, after conducting anti-inflammatory therapy, it is necessary to strengthen the cat's immune system, give him vitamins, and treat the coat with insecticidal agents.
Both ears are treated, even if signs of infection are observed in only one. If there are several animals in the house, then you need to treat them, because otodectosis is very contagious. Sometimes you may need to take antimicrobial, analgesic, antihistamines.
Prevention measures against secondary invasion also include isolation of the patient and wiping all surfaces and objects in the room with antiseptic fluids.
Otodectosis in cats
The ear tick in cats is ubiquitous. In spring and autumn, otodectosis is more common than in winter and summer, but a cat can become infected year-round. Cats get sick about twice as often as cats. The breed predisposition is not scientifically proven.
Otodectosis is a dangerous disease caused by Otodectes cynotis ticks. It is characterized by damage to the external ear, and in severe cases, destruction of the eardrum. Accompanied by purulent ear infections. A constant companion of an ear tick is a persistent smell resembling sour peas. Treatment of otodecosis
Main symptoms
The cat often scratches its ears for a long time, shakes its head. At the earliest opportunity, rubs his ears on solid objects. The ears are sore, the inside is red and hot.
A constant companion of an ear tick is a persistent smell resembling sour peas. A few days later, a faint odor appears from the animal, intensifying over time. In a week, dense lumps fly out of the ears.
On the 8th - 10th day of illness, the smell from the animal approaches the amber of sour peas. Pus is visible in the ears, later acquiring a green color. More often, both ears are affected, but there are infections of one.
Without treatment, by the middle of the third week, pus corrodes the eardrum, brain inflammation (meningitis) and sepsis develop. In advanced cases, death occurs from cerebral edema and poisoning of the body by pus that has absorbed into the blood.
Otodectosis (ear tick) is distinguished from microbial (bacterial) inflammation of the ear (otitis media) based on analyzes. In scrapings, live ticks are found, less often eggs and larvae.
Causes and course of the disease
The ear mite is very contagious. To transmit the ear tick, a minute of communication between a healthy animal and a patient is sufficient.
The occurrence of otodectosis contribute to:
- decreased immunity;
- hanging ear shapes;
- wool in the auricle and ear canal.
The effect of overfeeding and low activity on the occurrence of otodectosis is not proven. Nevertheless, an excess of food in combination with low mobility leads to increased secretion of earwax and softening the skin of the ear canal, which complicates the disease.
The main reservoir of the ear tick is wild animals. In cities, about 70% of wild cats suffer from otodectosis.
Once on the cat’s body, the ear tick runs into the ear canal. Hanging ear shapes, hair and sulfur in the ear canal interfere with the natural cleansing mechanisms, and the parasite bites into the skin. Eats up an accessible area, lays eggs moves deep into the ear.
An extracellular fluid is secreted from a nibbled area of the skin, a good environment for the development of fungi and microbes. Microorganisms, normally living on the surface of the ear, begin to multiply rapidly, acquire pathogenic properties.
The body responds immediately. In the affected areas, blood flow increases, antibody production accelerates.Macrophages rush to the bitten areas. But microbes have time to develop, and macrophages can not cope.
Antibodies destroy microbial cells. From the number of absorbed microbes, macrophages are destroyed. Active enzymes that damage the skin of the ear canal are released, pus follows inside.
Parts of the skin of the ear canal that are not absorbed by mites, bowel movements and drops of blood from the damaged ear form a thick liquid. Mixing with earwax, it forms a dense cork.
Decay products from the ear are absorbed into the bloodstream and poison the body. At this stage, the temperature rises. In the future, pus becomes so much that decay products cause nausea. At the same time, the harmful masses in the ear reach the eardrum. At this stage, the cat's body temperature drops 1 - 1.5 degrees below normal.
Ear mite in cats - symptoms and treatment
Such a disease as an ear tick, at least once in my life, almost every cat has been ill. Ear infection in prevalence among domestic animals ranks second after fleas.
But do not think that this disease is transmitted by a cat like a flu, and can be cured on its own. If you do not take urgent measures to combat the ear tick, the consequences of the disease can be very sad.
How to recognize
Already some time after infection, the owner can notice a change in the behavior of the animal.
The condition of the pet should prompt the owner to conduct a careful home inspection. The sure signs that the animal is infected with otodectosis, the so-called infection, is a plaque inside the auricles, which has a dirty brown hue and the consistency of dried coffee.
When the disease progresses, the inner part of the ear is covered with a bloody-purulent fetid mass. When you click on the ear, a squelching sound is distinguished.
How to see
Try to scrape off a swab in your ears with a cotton swab and sprinkle pollen scraped off onto dark paper.
Eating skin flakes, the tick causes irritation and excretion of mucus in the organs. In an effort to get rid of the itching, the cat combs its ear to scratches, which, in turn, rot and swell, worsening the condition of a sick animal.
How to treat
Wanting to help their beloved pussy recover, owners often behave at least illogically and carelessly.
It is impossible to make a sick pet be examined by a veterinarian of some animal owners.
But, even having refused the help of a doctor, the owner of a sick belly is simply obliged to urgently go to a pet store and, after consulting with an experienced sales assistant - consultant, purchase medicines and immediately begin to treat the pet.
You should not take on faith advice on healing the disease with vegetable oil, green tea and vodka (where would it be without it)! While experiments are conducted on the cat in the field of folk healing, the disease continues to progress.
Stages of the disease
Suppuration extends to the tympanic membranes of the animal, which may burst due to suppuration.
The infection affects the middle and soon the inner ear. This threatens the cat with life-long deafness.
With further absence of treatment, the last, most serious stage of the disease inevitably occurs - inflammation of the meninges. If the disease is neglected to the last degree, then the animal is most likely doomed to death.
Such a denouement is unacceptable in the presence of a large number of medical preparations for treating a cat at any stage of the disease.
Having a lotion for the ears, an anti-mite drug, as well as drops or ointments of antifungal and antibacterial effects, you can save your pet from a painful disease.
Places of infection and prevention
In the future, it is worth considering all the options for ear infection of your cat’s tick and consider measures to prevent infection.
Such revelers will sooner or later become infected with an ear tick. There is also the possibility of infection in pets left on vacation at the hotel for animals.
Even domestic cats that never go outside can become infected by sniffing at the owner’s shoes or bags with ticks and their eggs attached to them.
After purchasing a small pet, visit a veterinarian with him, let him examine the baby and recommend medications suitable for the kitten’s tender, growing body.
Infection of a kitten most often occurs through contact with a sick mother.
If you take into account the great mobility of the kittens, it can be argued that they can find the source of the infection themselves in those places where the adult cat does not reach.
For adult cats, for the prevention of ear tick disease, you can recommend:
- Do not forget to regularly clean your cat’s ears with a special lotion.
- Clean the animal housing.
- Regardless of the season, treat your pet with antiparasitic agents.
An ear mite is a disease of cats, which, with timely and quick treatment, will soon be forgotten by the owner and his little friend. And vitamins Gamavit will help to recover after treatment.
Ear scabies in cats: symptoms, treatment
Small pets are prone to diseases of various origins. One of the most common is the parasitic disease of otodectosis in cats, which is caused by the tick Otodectes cynotis.
In some cases, the parasite reaches the brain, penetrates into it, causing its destruction. The tick feeds on skin epithelial cells, rapidly developing (up to 40 days maximum).
Reasons and ways of distribution
The main pathogen easily moves from one animal to another, leading to otodectosis. Young individuals up to a year are most susceptible to infection, in rare cases it is found in fairly adult cats. Infection occurs during breastfeeding (if there is an infection in the nursing female).
It is also possible for people to enter mite eggs and their waste products into a house with dirty shoes and outerwear. The parasites then enter the cat's skin. After a walk, it is very important to thoroughly wash the shoes, shake out the clothes and inspect the animal.
Symptoms
The onset of the disease is indicated by:
- redness and severe itching of the skin of the ear shell and external passage (shown in the photo);
- the cat becomes restless;
- constantly paws at the ear and tries to comb it with claws or foreign objects, spreading the infection further;
- combing contributes to the occurrence of additional ear injuries: scratches, wounds, abrasions, ulcers;
- fluid oozes from the ear - serous exudate with pus, which has a sharp unpleasant putrefactive odor;
- over time, a dried-up coating of dark brown or almost black is formed, completely clogging the passage. This leads to a decrease in hearing ability.
In addition, cats may experience cramps, seizures, lethargy and inactivity, and fever. The pet regularly tilts its head to the affected side. If you slightly press on the base of the ear, then a characteristic splash is heard.
The absence of treatment will entail the formation of a through hole in the ear, further movement of the disease into the middle and inner ear, and deep damage to the cerebral cortex. Concomitant complications will cause the death of the cat.
With the manifestation of the first alarming symptoms, it is mandatory to go to the veterinarian.
Treatment of otodectosis
Curing otodectosis in cats is not particularly difficult. There are a huge number of antiparasitic drugs used in the fight against ticks. It can be solutions, aerosols, ointments, powders, gels. In severe situations, intramuscular injections are prescribed. The whole process takes place in three stages:
- cleaning;
- taking acaricidal drugs;
- maintaining immunity.
First of all, mechanical cleaning of infected areas from ticks, larvae, hardened crusts, scabs, exudate is carried out. To do this, use disinfectants: three percent hydrogen peroxide, camphor alcohol or furatsilin.
After that, the cleaned areas are treated with an acaricidal preparation outside (Otoferanol, Acaromectin, Ivermectin, Stronghold) and a few drops are dripped into the ear canal. Along with this, the auricle is massaged so that the substance is evenly distributed. Ear drops are instilled, and gels and ointments are placed in both ears, even if the infection is in only one.
Very popular is the drug Stronghold, which has anti-mite properties and is non-toxic to animals. It is used simultaneously with ear cleaning. It acts for a long time and prevents re-infection.
An increase in the immune system is achieved by immunomodulators (immunofan, ribotan, etc.), intake of vitamin complexes, and balanced nutrition. In the presence of concomitant diseases, antibiotics are added.
In the process of treatment, it is important to do a thorough cleaning every day in the house, dust the dust well, wash the bedspreads and cat rugs, preventing the ear mites from spreading.
You can be sure of a full recovery by passing repeated tests for otodectosis.
Preventative measures
In order to prevent otodectosis, it is important to carefully monitor your favorite pet and rush to the veterinarian with doubtful signs of the disease.
It is necessary to periodically conduct treatment with antiparasitic agents; to clean your ears with cotton swabs and tampons moistened with disinfectants, lotions; Maintain cleanliness in the apartment, temperature conditions, ventilate the room, disinfect household items, avoid direct contact with sick animals, walk on the street more often.
Diagnostics
It is not possible to independently establish a diagnosis, as the disease has similar symptoms with other infections. Damage to the auricle may also be of microbial or fungal origin.
The doctor pays attention when examining dry crusts, purulent wounds. Then he takes a scraping from the surface of the skin of the ear and carefully examines the material obtained.
Proper care of a small cat, timely contact with a specialist, expert assistance and competent treatment will help to defeat any disease.
Ear tick - a disease in cats
Otodectosis, otherwise called ear scabies or ear mites, is a disease caused by the microscopic Otodectes mites. The peculiarity of these ticks is that they are localized on the inner surface of the auricle of the animal.
Ear mites parasitize, in addition to cats, other animals: dogs, foxes, fur animals. A sick animal can infect others who live near it.
The tick feeds on blood and lymph, extracting it from the holes punctured by it in the upper layers of the skin. The inner surface of the ear is covered with small wounds and waste products of the tick, which cause severe itching in the animal.
Progressing, the disease eventually becomes chronic. If the case is too neglected, the animal may die. That is why it is so important to diagnose this disease in time and start treatment as soon as possible.
Causes
The main cause of cat infection with otodectosis is weakened immunity. Improper nutrition, lack of vitamins and fresh air, careless care lead to the fact that at some point the body's resistance drops, resulting in the appearance of various kinds of diseases.
That is why it is so important to periodically take the cat to the vet for examination, take the necessary tests, and get vaccinations. The veterinarian will help you choose a balanced diet, prescribe drugs that strengthen the immune system, tell you what to look for in order to detect the ailment in time.
Symptoms
If you regularly examine your pet, notice changes in its behavior, then you probably will not miss the first signs of otodectosis.
The main signs of otodectosis:
- Peeling and redness of the skin inside the ears;
- Severe itching that provokes the animal to comb the sore ear to the blood;
- Unusual shaking of the head;
- Unpleasant odor from the auricle;
- The appearance of pus;
- Hearing impairment;
- Dark tubercles in the ear canal.
As soon as you notice at least one of the above symptoms, immediately consult a veterinarian to “catch” the disease at an early stage, then it will be much easier to cure your pet. There are three stages of development of otodectosis.
Stage One. At the beginning of the disease, in the first two weeks, the symptoms are barely noticeable and only a person who has already encountered this problem can distinguish between them. The cat often shakes its head, making a characteristic popping sound, as if trying to shake something off its ears.
Stage Two. During the third week from the onset of the disease, red spots, before which are clearly outlined, spread out and occupy an increasingly large area. Brownish discharge with a strong unpleasant odor appears inside the auricle.
If scraping is done during this period, several ticks will probably be found.The animal at this time is becoming more and more nervous, trying to scratch its ear on any suitable surface, almost does not eat. The coat becomes dull and sheds heavily.
Stage Three. In the fourth week, the animal literally finds no place for anxiety, reluctantly allows it to touch its head and scratches its mite-affected ear with its hind paw, falling to the floor. The ear canal is literally clogged with crusts and mite secretions. Scraping at this stage indicates the presence of at least a dozen parasites.
Of course, such neglected cases in pets are extremely rare, but they still occur. Therefore, if only you saw that something was amiss with the pet, do not hesitate!
The veterinarian will examine the animal, prescribe treatment, explain how to treat a sore ear. For no good reason, do not try to treat otodectosis yourself, entrust the health of your furry pet to specialists.
In small kittens, otodetosis develops much faster and more often gives complications. Because of this, babies have to be treated much longer. In addition, not all drugs that help adult cats are suitable for kittens. This question must be discussed with the veterinarian.
Diagnostics
Diagnosis of otodectosis is based on the results of the tests. The veterinarian always asks the owner if the animal had an ear tick before or if your other pets or neighboring animals had it.
It is not difficult to diagnose otodectosis ourselves, since only Otodectes cynotis parasitizes in the region of the auricles. With a cotton swab dipped in ordinary vegetable oil, a small amount of crusts and a viscous dark substance are scraped off from the inside of the ear.
A little black mascara is dripping onto the scraping. She will color everything. Only ticks will stand out on a black background with light dots. If ticks are not found on the scraping, but all other symptoms are present, this is sufficient to diagnose otodectosis.
Treatment
At the first stage of otodectosis, the use of external agents is quite enough. Such drugs have proven themselves well:
- Aversectin ointment (0.05%) - this tool treats the inner surface of the ear and the affected part of the ear canal. The procedure is repeated twice, taking a break between them in one week;
- Three percent creolin - used similarly;
- Tanacet liniment - the use of the drug is similar to the first two;
- Ectomine, baytikol, stomazan, butox - they are treated twice with these agents, taking a break after the first in ten days.
There are also drugs for administration under the skin. These include:
- Aversect-2;
- Ivomek.
These drugs are administered twice, withstanding a break of 14 days; dose calculation according to the instructions.
Before starting to apply the drug, clean the ear with a swab moistened with hydrogen peroxide, then treat with "Amidel" and squeeze from 0.5 to 1 g into the ear canal.
Of course, the most reliable way to deal with an ear tick is to go to the clinic. But sometimes there are situations when you can’t get to the vet. In this case, the owners should be aware of what they can do for their pet, and stock up in advance with any available means.
First of all, rinse the animal’s ear with green tea. This will help relieve the itch a little.During washing, try to massage and shake the animal’s ear properly to remove as much crust and dirt as possible. Then treat with hydrogen peroxide.
Perform the procedure once a week until the symptoms disappear completely. If the ear tick is detected on time, the treatment takes up to three weeks and ends with the complete recovery of the animal.
Prevention
To insidious otodectosis does not hit your pet, you need to adhere to simple, but proven rules:
- Limit contacts with stray animals;
- Monitor the cleanliness of the bed - regularly clean the mattress on which the cat sleeps, wash and, ideally, periodically boil the covers put on it;
- Keep dishes and toys clean;
- Ventilate the room;
- In the warm season, clean every week in the apartment using acaricidal agents.
Observing these simple rules, you will at times reduce the risk of infection of your pet with otodectosis.
Pets Ear Disease
Cat otodectosis is a carnivore disease caused by the Otodectes cynotis tick, also called “ear scabies”.
Many cats are carriers of this tick, but at the same time they do not have constant symptoms of the disease, irritation and other signs occur only occasionally, with a temporary increase in tick activity.
Symptoms
The characteristic symptoms of otodectosis are severe itching in the ear canals of the animal (which led to the name “ear scabies in cats”). In this case, the cat's head is lowered or tilted (the cat looks, turning its head to the side), the animal shakes its head, rubs its face with its paws, actively scratches its ears.
With a complicated form, purulent exudate can be released, which accumulates in the auricle. First, brownish discharge can be noted in the auricle, later crusts appear.
If untreated, otodectosis can lead to purulent otitis media.
In especially severe cases, without proper treatment, inflammation can pass to the shell of the brain, which leads to meningitis and, often, to the death of the animal.
Diagnostics
Preliminarily, the diagnosis is made by a dermatologist during an internal examination, based on the anamnesis and the results of observation. To establish an accurate diagnosis, the veterinarian makes (or sends to the laboratory) a swab from the animal’s ear, which is examined under a microscope, if the cat is sick with otodectosis, mites will be found in the swab from the ear.
Treatment
After determining the final diagnosis, the doctor prescribes antiparasitic drugs to the animal (most often in the form of ear drops or drops at the withers).
To treat the symptoms of the disease (in advanced cases), antibiotics, steroidal and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and disinfectants are prescribed.
You should not try to choose drugs on your own - symptoms similar to otodectosis, including scabies, can be caused by a number of other diseases, including those that are dangerous for cats. Self-medication is also dangerous if cat otodectosis has already caused suppurative otitis media.
The auricle in cats is different from the auricle of humans. Sometimes owners believe that the cat’s ear is just “dirty,” so she scratches it.
Sometimes they try to independently clean the cat’s ear with a cotton swab, by analogy with a person - this leads to the fact that the auricle is damaged, the microfibers of the cotton wool aggravate the course of the disease and provoke the appearance of purulent otitis or other complications.
Therefore, it is very important to contact a veterinarian dermatologist as soon as possible when symptoms of otodectosis are detected.
Prevention
The most effective in the prevention of otodectosis in cats is the prevention of contact between sick and healthy animals.
If there are several domestic animals (as well as in nurseries and shelters) during treatment of a sick cat, it is also recommended to treat the remaining animals, even if they do not yet have clinical manifestations.
Cat otodectosis
Otodectosis in cats is an infection with an ear tick, which equally easily affects both street animals and pets. Ticks, which have chosen the auricles and the open part of the auditory meatus in cats, are practically indistinguishable small arthropods whose sizes do not exceed 0.8 millimeters.
A well-developed gnawing mouth apparatus of ticks easily bites through the delicate skin of the auricles, causing animals a huge inconvenience in the form of constant itching.
Cat otodectosis is dangerous for the development of bacterial and fungal infections and inflammation in the affected areas, as the animal claws the damaged ear with its claws, causing dirt and increasing damage.
If treatment of otodectosis in cats is not carried out when the first signs of the disease appear, the colony of ticks increases, as the abundant secretion of earwax becomes an ideal nutrient medium for parasites.
Infection and infection can spread to the entire depth of the ear canal, right up to the eardrum, which in most cases leads to deafness, and subsequently to damage to the meninges and death of the animal.
Treatment of otodectosis in cats should be carried out after a thorough examination in a veterinary clinic, since the use of inappropriate drugs or unprofessional cleaning of the affected surface can only worsen the well-being of the affected animal.
Causes
Where cats otodectosis came from, how to treat it at home - these are the main questions that the veterinarian hears from the worried owners of the four-legged patient, confident that he did not leave the apartment.
It is possible to pick up an ear tick only in direct contact with a sick animal, as these small arthropods cannot survive on their own without a carrier in the external environment.
In rare cases, ticks are brought home by the owners themselves, on their hands or shoes after touching street cats or dogs.
Healthy cats tolerate the disease more easily than weakened or elderly cats.
Symptoms
The presence of otodectosis in cats can be identified by characteristic signs:
- persistent itching experienced by the animal;
- aggressive behavior when trying to inspect or take samples;
- shaking his head and twitching ears;
- numerous scratches-scratches of the inner surface of the auricle;
- dark lumpy discharge from the ear canal, with a sharp unpleasant odor;
- in the absence of internal inflammation, dry sulfur, similar to granules of ground coffee, complications are emphasized by the presence of pus and clots or drops of blood in the secretions.
Diagnostics
Diagnosis of otodectosis in cats allows using symptoms to determine two stages of infection:
- easy - dry secretions without an anemone and pus;
- complicated with chronic otitis media - the ear canal and the inner surface of the ear are tightly clogged with porridge-like discharge, and the smell from the cat is felt at a distance of a couple of meters.
Healthy animals with the first form of infection can live quietly for several years without any complications, and the owners may not even think about how to treat otodectosis in cats.
A final diagnosis and treatment for otodectosis in cats can only be done by a specialist in a veterinary clinic after examining scrapings and smears.
Treatment
After confirming the diagnosis in several stages, treatment is performed:
- Cleansing the auricle of dried crusts, rotting sulfur, bloody secretions and, of course, ticks. Before starting an unpleasant and painful procedure, the animal must be swaddled, and then rinse the ears with a few drops of hydrogen peroxide. The ear canal is strictly forbidden to be cleaned with cotton buds so as not to cause additional damage.
- The use of insecticides - special drops from otodectosis for cats are used, most often “Oritsin”, “Ordermil” in the amount of 7-12 drops for each ear (the veterinarian will help to choose a dosage).
- In the presence of complications, anti-inflammatory therapy is performed in the form of a complex of antibacterial and antifungal solutions or ointments.
Prevention
Prevention of the disease is carried out through annual examinations in a veterinary clinic, regular treatment of ears with special solutions and strengthening the animal's immunity.
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