How can the animal disease otodectosis be cured? Otodectosis (ear mites) in cats and dogs: symptoms, treatment, possible complications

Ear mites (otodectosis) are common in cats and are considered dangerous disease because it causes inflammation of the outer ear. It can rarely be detected on early stage. Usually owners turn to veterinarian when the pathology is already in advanced form.

Most often, cases of infection occur in the spring and early autumn periods. Kittens under the age of one year and weakened cats are at risk.

Methods of infection

The disease is highly contagious (highly contagious). There are two main ways of contracting otodectosis. More details about them:

Symptoms

It can take a long time from the moment of infection to the appearance of the first signs of the disease. Characteristic symptoms otodectosis:

1. Nervousness and aggression of the animal.
2. Head shaking. Thus, the cat tries to get rid of the tick on its own.
3. Hyperemia and swelling of the ears.
4. Discharge from the ear canals, formation of brown crusts.
5. Severe itching. The pet constantly scratches its ears.
6. Areas of alopecia in the ear area.
7. Unpleasant smell.

In advanced cases, the following symptoms may appear:

• convulsions (when the process spreads to the meninges);
• loss of appetite;
• hearing loss;
• fever.

Diagnostics

Even if a cat has all the signs characteristic of otodectosis, it should still be shown to a veterinarian. Similar symptoms are present in other pathologies. Differential diagnosis carried out with the following diseases:

• dermatoses;
• lichen;
• bacterial and fungal infections.

Before starting treatment, it is necessary to ensure that the diagnosis is correct. Modern methods allow you to quickly diagnose the disease. Doctor examines ears animal and makes a scraping for subsequent microscopic examination. Under a microscope, living mites at all stages of development are clearly visible. In some cases, otoscopy is indicated. If the infection spreads to the middle or inner ear, the specialist will prescribe a computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging scan.

How to treat

After confirming the diagnosis, it is necessary to immediately begin its treatment. The pathology causes discomfort to the animal and progresses rapidly.

Ear treatment

When performing this manipulation, it is better not to use cotton buds, because it is high risk injury ear canal. Also, you can accidentally push the secretions deeper.

There is a large assortment medicines designed to get rid of ear mites in cats. They are available in the form of drops, ointments, aerosols, suspensions, tablets and injections. The veterinarian selects the best option for each specific case. It takes into account several factors:

• pet's age;
• presence or absence of concomitant infections;
• degree of damage.

The most common drugs:

• Dekta;
• Aurikan;
• Demos;
• Ectodes;
• Surolan;
• Aversectin ointment;
• Otoferonol Gold;
• Amidel;
• Oricin;
• Ivermek;
• Avertel;
• Otodectin.

If the case is advanced, the specialist always prescribes antibiotics or injections.

Depending on the severity of the pathology, treatment lasts from two weeks or longer. IN difficult cases Therapy continues for several weeks and even months.

Strengthening your immune system means establishing a balanced diet. If necessary, it is worth adding immunomodulators (for example, Fosprenil).

Folk remedies

Application traditional methods allowed only at the very beginning of the disease. If the symptoms are pronounced, then this can only be an auxiliary treatment. Main methods:

1. Hydrogen peroxide. For wiping the surface of cartilage and wetting crusts.
2. Garlic juice or pulp. Has a strong irritant effect, so you need to use it carefully.
3. Juice from leaves or stems of celandine.
4. Vegetable oils (sea buckthorn, olive and others). They soften scabs well and help remove them.
5. Green tea. The strong infusion has antiseptic properties, helps reduce inflammation.

Complications

If the disease is ignored, it gradually leads to a deterioration in the animal’s health. Some conditions can be very dangerous and even lead to fatal outcome. Among the unpleasant consequences:

• spread of the lesion to other parts of the body;
• self-injury (due to scratching);
• purulent otitis;
• hematoma of the auricle;
• inflammation lymph nodes under the jaw;
• damage to the central nervous system;
• meningitis;
• deafness.

Are ear mites dangerous for humans?

Prevention

If you take care of it in advance preventive measures, then otodectosis in cats can be prevented or at least the risk of infection can be reduced. Experts give the following recommendations:

• periodically inspect the ears and clean them;
• strengthen immunity;
• regularly clean the house (dry and wet);
• try to avoid contact with sick animals.

If your pet walks outside, then it is necessary to treat the fur with special acaricidal agents.

Otodectosis can be easily and quickly dealt with if the disease is detected on initial stage. Therefore, you should carefully monitor your cat’s condition and periodically examine her ears so as not to miss the first symptoms.

Ear mites (otodectosis) are a common cat disease that affects every seventh owner. Many people are perplexed as to why insects appear on pets. In this article I will describe the causes and symptoms of the disease in cats. I will tell you about risk groups, diagnosis and treatment. I will list the conditions for keeping sick animals and the necessary preventive actions. I will analyze the main complications and their consequences.

Risk group and routes of transmission

Tenacious. Outside a living organism they can exist for up to 14 days.

Adult cats and kittens are most susceptible to this disease, and less commonly dogs, foxes and arctic foxes.

Transmission routes:

The risk group includes cats under one year of age and long-eared dogs.

Causes of the disease

The main reasons include:

1. Uncontrolled walks (bloodsuckers live in grass, basements, attics, and garbage containers).
2. Communication of the pet or owner with infected specimens.
3. Failure to comply with hygiene requirements: wearing shoes in a living space, staying at home in street clothes, irregularly washing the door mat. Insects are brought with sand, soil, and microparticles.

Symptoms of the disease

Let's look at the stages and symptoms by which otodectosis is recognized.

1st (first two weeks):

• shakes his head;
• constantly scratches the ear (scabies).

2nd (second-third weeks):

• rubs his head against corners, walls, rough ledges;
• scratches, abrasions and dark discharge similar to ground coffee appear on the inner surface of the ears and the base of the ear canal;
• a putrid odor emanates from the ear;
• loss of appetite;
• tilts his head to one side (bowheadedness).

3rd (21-41 days from the moment of infection):

• visible suppuration in the ear, when palpating the shell, a squelching sound is heard;
• high body temperature;
• convulsions and seizures.

Diagnosis of otodectosis

In everyday life it is revealed as follows:

1. Using a cotton swab, carefully remove the contents from the ear and shake it onto black paper (cloth).
2. Bring it to the light, hold it under the lamp, observe using magnifying glass. If white dots spread out, the diagnosis is confirmed.

Used accessories should be disposed of immediately upon completion of the experiment.

With otitis media, diagnosis is difficult because the bloodsuckers die in the purulent environment.

In the clinic, otodectosis is determined through examination and examination of scrapings.

Before going to the vet, do not treat it yourself.

The process negatively affects the results of the study.

Treatment methods

The best way is local, in strict accordance with the doctor’s instructions. The most optimal are drops (they eliminate the cause and fight bacteria).

Before administering medications, the hearing organ is wiped with a piece of gauze or a piece of cotton wool moistened with special lotions (otifri, leopard, phytolar) heated to 20-22 degrees.

Then the medicine for otodectosis is instilled into the cat's ear. In this case, the shell is folded in half and then massaged to uniform distribution. Both ears are treated.

Drops against ear mites:

• amit;
• otoferonol;
• ectodes;
• furizon;
• oricin.

Along with the listed items, ordermil and aversectin ointments, Amidel gel, a suspension of creolin, DE cream and dioxidine have proven themselves to be good.

Creolin - for the treatment and prevention of otodectosis

Disinfection is carried out in cycles every 5-7 days until complete healing. A negative test result indicates recovery.

On average, anti-tick therapy takes a month. Based on the stage and course, antimicrobial, painkillers, and antihistamines are prescribed.

For example, for otitis media, medications that eliminate fungi and bacteria are required.

Treatment at home

At the first signs of otodectosis, you can help your pet.

Traditional methods are effective in the early stages. Suitable for preventive purposes or in combination with medications.

Camphor, vegetable, and vaseline oils soften the contents of the ear. Makes cleaning easier.

Strong green tea has an antiseptic effect. Prepared at the rate of: a couple of teaspoons of tea leaves per 200 grams of water. The ears are wiped with the solution and instilled into the ear openings, 2-3 drops each for 1-1.5 months.

Rub the infected area with a mixture of garlic and aromatic oils (2 tablespoons per half crushed clove). Mint, almond, lavender are suitable. It is important to be careful not to cause further irritation.

Among amateurs natural products An anti-tick mixture consisting of 40 grams is common. raw pork lard, 16 gr. potassium carbonate and 30 gr. colloidal sulfur.

Timely initiation of therapy promotes cure in 95%.

Complications of the disease

An advanced form of otodectosis is fraught with the following complications:

• hematoma;
• lymphatic extravasation (damage to the lymphatic vessel);
• abscess or perforation of the eardrum;
• hearing loss;
• penetration into the lining of the brain, leading to inflammation and death of the patient.

Caring for a sick cat

Avoid communication with other fauna.

Thoroughly clean the home, disinfect the patient’s sleeping area and used items.

Provide balanced diet. Strengthen the immune system, including with immunostimulating injections. Include vitamins and minerals in your diet.

Is feline otodectosis dangerous for people?

Prevention

As measures aimed at preventing otodectosis, it is necessary:

• protect your pet from stray and infected animals;
• inspect your ears daily and clean out any debris;
• treat the hearing organs with lotion monthly;
• disinfect once a quarter;
• add menu;
• treat the home with antiseptics once a week and regularly wash the rug located at the entrance and the pet’s personal items;
• Wash your hands after touching foreign animals.

No matter how scary otodectosis may seem, modern drugs allow you to save your pet from illness. Careful observation of the behavior of your beloved furry will help to identify and diagnose an infection, as well as provide prompt and high-quality treatment.

Picture when domestic cat sits and fiercely rubs his ears, familiar to every breeder of these animals. Many even believe that “this is how it should be,” but this is not at all the case. The fact is that ear scabies in cats (aka) is a quite serious disease, in advanced cases it leads to, can cause.

As we already mentioned, ear mange is perhaps the most common disease in cats. It is almost impossible to find a person, even one far from biology, who has not encountered its manifestations through the example of their pets. However, fleas are still more common... Be that as it may, kittens and young cats are most often infected, although the likelihood of the disease is still very high, regardless of the breed and age and gender of the animal.

Read also: Constipation in a kitten: causes, symptoms, treatment

Clinical signs of infestation vary greatly (from one cat to another), but most often one or more of the following symptoms can be seen:

• The ears are constantly combed and scratched, because with otodectosis the animal constantly rubs and scratches them.

• The discharge is dark or brown in color, dense, falling out of the ear in crumbs, settling on the outer edge of the auricle.

• The areas around the ears quickly become bald due to scratching, secondary microflora gets there, and inflammation develops (often purulent).

• The skin and the ears themselves are covered with a dense scab.

• Again, on the same long-suffering ears, distinct, rather large hematomas may appear, looking like red balls filled with blood or ichor.

Please note that skin lesions (especially purulent etiology) may well spread to the entire face of a sick cat. The photo clearly shows how scary animals with advanced cases of ear scabies look. The danger here is not so much in the unpresentable form, but in the high probability of sepsis. Torn and scratched ears will sooner or later become inflamed and pustules will form, the contents of which can enter the bloodstream and cause septicemia.

Diagnosis and treatment

Usually a specialist will find out if your pet has had contact with other cats, since this common disease is transmitted quickly and is almost guaranteed. But this is not how otodectosis is diagnosed: there are many diseases (fungi, bacterial skin infections) that can cause similar symptoms, but they are treated completely differently.

Read also: Food poisoning for cats: first aid

To put differential diagnosis, it is necessary to identify the tick itself that caused the disease. First, samples of ear discharge are taken and examined with a magnifying glass against a dark background. However, this method is not very reliable, since there is a much better chance of seeing the pathogen by looking for it in the eyepiece of a microscope. So how is ear scabies treated in cats?

Firstly, if the cat cannot spend even a minute without scratching its ears, you will have to use sedatives, because otherwise nothing good will come of it. Secondly, when treating, it is recommended to follow three basic principles:

• If you have at least one other cat or dog (or a whole menagerie) in your house, you will have to treat everyone without exception.

• It is necessary to process not only the ears, but also the entire skin. We have already said that this tick can “live” on skin almost throughout the body.

• You will have to thoroughly rinse the entire apartment with disinfectants several times. Although the tick lives in external environment not for long, but it will still be a shame if long-term therapy turns out to be ineffective.

By the way, how long does treatment take? At home, this takes at least three weeks: ticks are very tenacious creatures, and therefore it is not worth the risk. As for drugs for the treatment of this pathology, there are no problems with them. The modern veterinary pharmacological industry produces many drugs, the most effective of which are the following:

• Dioxidine solution and ordinary hydrogen peroxide.

• Fipronil.

• Amitrosine.

• Deltamethrin.

• Familiar to many cat owners, drops “Bars” and others.

Since otodectosis must be treated by instilling medicine into the cat’s ears, we advise you to remember safety precautions: wear gloves and find an assistant who will hold the animal. It is recommended to soak large scabs and scabs with peroxide, gently wipe them off with a cotton swab (but under no circumstances peel them off if they do not come off!), and only then instill the main remedy. Almost all of the above medications are oil-based, so they should not leak from your ears.

On this page you can learn how to permanently get rid of bedbugs in an apartment using folk remedies.

The drugs have a beneficial effect:

Important! If otitis develops against the background of ear scabies, treatment with hydrogen peroxide will be required for 14 days (morning and evening). Sofradex and Jenodex drops will help. For severe inflammation, you will need the antibiotic Cefuroxime; for moderate damage, it is enough to use Cefazolin.

At the second stage of therapy, the doctor will prescribe a suspension of the following drugs: Creolin, DE cream and Dioxidine. Place about 1 ml of the mixture in sore ear, massage for 5 minutes, carefully clean with a cotton swab.

Folk remedies

In the early stages of ear scabies, home remedies can be used. Veterinarians do not recommend for a long time treat problem areas of the cat's ears if there is no noticeable result.

Popular home remedies:

• almond oil for ear massage;
• strong green tea to treat irritated areas.

Prevention measures

It is very difficult to completely prevent ear mite infection, even in domestic cats whose owners do not allow them into the yard. Preventive measures are necessary to minimize the risk of otodectosis and nodtoedrosis.

• Increased earwax volume means dirty ears.

• Tick ​​waste – brown coating with a noticeable unnatural odor. In a progressive form, the ears are literally filled with a wet mush of brown mite secretions, wax, coagulated blood, and skin scales. The photo shows an advanced stage of an ear mite.

Before choosing a medicine for ear mites in cats, make sure you have a diagnosis. Many skin diseases, as well as allergies cause itching in the ear area, and brown discharge may have several root causes.

Note! If a cat scratches its ears vigorously, the scratches bleed, but the animal does not stop, and the inside of the shell is clean - you are dealing with. The disease is also caused by a tick, but is subcutaneous and affects the outer part of the ear.

How to identify ear mites

• You will need a flat black surface. Exactly black! The ear mite has a white color, but is literally microscopic in size, so the surface should be as contrasting as possible.

• Using a cotton swab, take a swab from the animal's ear. Try to grab as much of the mixture as possible, but take the smear in one motion.

• Holding the stick over the black surface, gently tap on its base - you need to “shake out” the mites from the general mass of secretions.

• Place the stick in the bag, shine a bright light on the surface and look carefully. If you have vision problems, use a magnifying glass.

• Your task is to detect white dots, which, after lying down for a while, will begin to move. Found it? – you have confirmed the diagnosis, the cat has ear mites.

Read also: Respiratory system cats: possible violations and their reasons

Treatment for ear mites in cats

Even in complex, advanced cases, treatment skin diseases carried out at home, ear mites are no exception. Sexually mature individuals lay 5 eggs per day, and their full development cycle takes 21 days. Get ready and be patient; in the most “rosy” prospects, we can talk about complete relief from ear mites no earlier than in a month.

To remove ear mites as much as possible short term, you need to follow a number of rules:

• Hygiene – isolate a sick pet from other animals and people. Wash your hands hot water after contact, use gloves, a medical cape or gown.

• Home treatment involves using specialized drugs, following the instructions or prescriptions of the doctor.

• Regardless of treatment tactics, it is necessary to thoroughly clean the ears of plaque every day. A cotton swab is soaked in hydrogen peroxide or a special disinfectant lotion.

• Keeping an eye on the animal or using a collar to prevent the cat from scratching its ears will reduce the risk of wound infections.

• Use in parallel with the main treatment antihistamines, they will ease the itching.

• A tick attack is an indicator of decreased immunity or impairment metabolic processes. To restore strength, the animal needs rest, care and proper nutrition.

Important! Continue the course of medication as directed and hygiene procedures, even if the cat shows no signs of illness. Young mites and eggs do not cause this severe itching like adults.

Selecting a drug for ear mites

Read also: Probiotics for cats: talking about ways to normalize microflora

At an early stage you will only need ear drops narrow spectrum, cotton swabs and patience. If pus is found in the ear, the animal experiences pain when palpating the lower part of the ear, the pulp has a wet consistency, you will need:

• Remedy for ear mites in cats wide range action, it is optimal to use drops that eliminate fungi and bacteria - Oricin or analogues.

• If you choose narrow spectrum drops, you will need additional antifungal drug– Otanazole or analogue. Veterinarians often recommend using an antifungal ointment - it stays on the surface of the ear longer, for example, Oridermil.

• Lotion or spray for cleaning and disinfection - used warm. Apply the product to the inside of the ears, massage, let the animal shake its head and begin cleaning.

• Immunostimulants - subcutaneous injections, drugs such as Gamavit, Tetravit.

Important! To treat and prevent ear mites in cats, you should not use medications containing alcohol! You also risk the life of your pet if you use “dog” drugs.

The instructions for the drug clearly state how to treat the animal - doses and timing. Do not exceed the recommendations, do not instill double volume of the drug if you missed procedures, do not shorten the treatment period.