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If you cat is relentlessly scratching
at her ears, shaking her head or rubbing her head on the carpet, it is
a good sign that he or she might have ear mites. A trip
to your veterinarian will determine if you cat truly does have ear
mites or if there are other
causes for her discomfort.
What are Ear Mites?
Ear mites, or Otodectes Cynotis are tiny crab like parasites that infest
the skin and out ear canal in both dogs and cats. They live on the surface
of the skin in the ear canal and feed on tissue debris and fluids, causing
irritation and inflammation. If left untreated, ear mites can cause bacterial
and yeast infections and in very extreme cases, they can cause ruptured
ear drums that can lead to seizures and deafness.
Ear mites are highly contagious and spread easily to other cats and
even dogs.
Ear mites have a life cycle that lasts around three weeks. They live
the entire life on the host. The female mite lays her eggs in the ear,
and after four days, they hatch into larva. The lava feed on ear wax
and skin oils for a week and then molts into a protonymph, which then
turns into a deutonymph. They are genderless until the deutonymph mates
with an adult male, which then turns it into a female who can lay eggs.
How do I know my cat has ear mites?
The reaction of a cat to an ear mite infestation can vary. Some cats
will have a lot of irritation from only a few mites, while others won't
be bothered by a complete infestation. If your cat does have a mite infestation,
you will want to look for a build up of wax that has a dark appearance
and looks similar to coffee grounds.
Your cat may also scratch excessively at his ears or shake his head.
Your veterinarian will examine your cat’s ears with an otoscope to
determine if she has a mite infestation. The light and warmth from
the otoscope will draw the mites out of the wax and to the surface,
making them more visible. Additionally, the rest of the cat’s
body will be examined as mites can also live outside of the ears. Do
not treat your cat for mites until you have a veterinarian’s diagnosis,
using a mite treatment without diagnosis could further irritate an infected
ear.
How are ear mites treated?
Ear mites are most commonly treated with an ear wash that not
only cleans the ear of debris, but will also help to reduce inflammation,
such as QuadraClear. Your
vet will then most likely prescribe some drops, such as Tresaderm to eliminate the mites. Some veterinarians have also used Frontline
Plus or Revolution if the ear mite infestation is causing problems
with the cats skin. It is important that you continue with the full
treatment for at least a month to prevent reinfestation because the
mites have a lifecycle of three weeks. Once you have completed treatment,
your vet will want to reexamine your cat to be sure that all of the
mites are gone.
Ear mites are highly contagious, so if one
pet in your household has them, you will need to treat all of
your pets because one pet that might not be showing symptoms
can easily reinfect your cat.
**This article is not meant to provide
a diagnosis for your pet. If your pet is sick or showing unusual
symptoms, please contact your local veterinarian for a diagnosis**
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