What to do if your cat has ear mites? Veterinarian's guide

Ear mites (ear mange) are a fairly common disease in cats, especially those living outdoors or having access to the outdoors. If you notice black crusts in your pet’s ears, the cat shakes its head and scratches the ear area and the ears itself with its paws - perhaps it suffers from otodectosis and needs veterinary care.
Let's figure out what kind of disease this is and how to cure ear mites in a cat.

Pathogen

Otodectes (ear mites) is a parasitic disease caused by the Otodectes cynotis mite. This is a sarcoptiform mite from the family Psoroptidae, its size is quite small - females are 400-500 microns, males up to 395 microns. The parasite looks like a translucent circle or oval with legs; the last pair of legs has long bristles. Parasitizes the external auditory canal of the animal. It has a powerful mouthparts (chelicerae). The life cycle of a tick is about 21-28 days ; in the environment (without a host) it can live up to 25 days .

This is what the causative agent of the disease looks like - the Psoroptes mite, or Psoroptidae Up

TOP 13 best anti-tick drops for cats

The list of the best includes:

• Advocate (Bayer) Drops against scabies mites, fleas and helminths for cats up to 4 kg.
• Frontline drops against fleas and ticks Combo for cats, kittens, ferrets from 1 kg.
• Zoetis (Pfizer) Drops against fleas, ticks and helminths Stronghold 45 mg for cats weighing 2.6-7.5 kg.
• Inspector drops against fleas and ticks Quadro K for cats from 4 to 8 kg.
• Apicenna Insectoacaricidal drops Dana Spot-On for carnivores.
• Helminthal Drops spot-on on the withers for cats less than 4 kg.
• Selafort Drops against fleas, ticks and lice 45 mg for cats weighing 2.6-7.5 kg.
• Beaphar drops against fleas and ticks Veto pure for cats.
• Bravecto (MSD Animal Health) flea and tick drops Spot On for cats 2.8-6.25 kg.
• Agrovet protection Drops against fleas, ticks and helminths Dironet Spot-on for cats.
• Advantage (Bayer) Flea drops for cats weighing more than 4 kg, 4 pipettes.
• Helminthal drops against fleas and ticks Spot-On for cats 4-10 kg for cats from 4 to 10 kg.
• RolfСlub 3D drops against ticks and fleas for cats 8-15 kg.

Let's take a closer look at the range presented.

Advocate (Bayer) Drops against scabies mites, fleas and helminths for cats up to 4 kg

Advocate is a complex drug from the German manufacturer Bayer that helps you protect your cat from a wide range of external and internal parasites. A complex drug that acts on external (scabies mites, fleas) and internal (worms) parasites, which combines several treatments at once.

It acts on fleas on the cat and in the environment, which allows you to get rid of already deposited flea larvae, which can be everywhere where the cat likes to be. Suitable for monthly use. It is convenient to dose according to the cat’s weight and apply to the withers.

Cost: from 405 to 568 rubles.

drops against mites for cats Advocate (Bayer) Drops against scabies mites, fleas and helminths for cats up to 4 kg

Advantages

• acts on external (scabies mites, fleas) and internal (worms) parasites;
• suitable for monthly use;
• suitable for kittens (age from 9 weeks);
• acts on subcutaneous mites that can cause itching.

Flaws

• not found.

Using this drug is very simple, you just need to take out the pipette, use the cap on the back to pierce the protective membrane and that’s it, you can start processing. I can easily cope with this task myself, without any outside help. I hold a pipette in my right hand, with the other hand I part the fur on the withers and drop the medicine. The whole procedure takes a couple of minutes. In just a couple of days the result was already visible! The eyes stopped watering, the cats became hyper playful and active. Although I did not visually see fleas before treatment, the cats sometimes itched in the neck area. After using these drops, the itching stopped completely. I recommend.

Frontline drops against fleas and ticks Combo for cats, kittens, ferrets from 1 kg

Frontline Combo is prescribed to cats for the treatment and prevention of entomosis caused by fleas, lice and lice; acarosis caused by ixodid ticks; in complex therapy of allergic dermatitis caused by fleas, as well as to prevent the attachment and development of ectoparasites on animals.

A single treatment of the animal ensures the destruction of fleas and ticks within 24 and 48 hours. After application to the skin, the active substances are gradually distributed over the entire surface of the animal’s body within 24 hours, practically without being absorbed into the systemic bloodstream, accumulate in the epidermis, hair follicles and sebaceous glands, and have a long-term contact effect, providing protection for the animal from ectoparasites.

Cost: from 440 to 601 rubles.

anti-tick drops for cats Frontline anti-flea and tick drops Combo for cats, kittens, ferrets from 1 kg

Advantages

• destroys parasites within 24 hours;
• not absorbed into the systemic circulation;
• prevents the attachment and development of ectoparasites;
• A single treatment of the animal ensures the destruction of fleas and ticks.

Flaws

• not found.

I recently found a flea on my pet, immediately went to the veterinarian's pharmacy and bought Frontline. My kitten weighs 3.5 kg. In the morning I treated the cat with the drug (the entire contents of the pipette) on the skin between the shoulder blades. The drug has a slight specific odor (felt at a distance of 5 cm from the treated area). However, after treatment, there were no side effects after using the drug. After treatment I no longer saw fleas. The drug works, I recommend it.

Zoetis (Pfizer) Drops against fleas, ticks and helminths Stronghold 45 mg for cats weighing 2.6-7.5 kg

Drops from the American company Zoetis can be used for pregnant, lactating animals and kittens over 42 days old. The active substance is Selamectin, it destroys arthropods, nematodes, and microfilariae. For pets with a live weight of up to 2.5 kg at the withers, the contents of 0.25 ml pipettes with a purple tip are caught.

For cats that weigh more than 2.5 kg, blue ampoules of 0.75 ml are used. The drug can be given to pregnant and lactating cats, and to babies older than 6 weeks. The mother is isolated from the cubs for half an hour, the drops are allowed to be absorbed so that the kittens do not ingest the toxic liquid.

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Price: from 1079 to 1563 rubles.

drops against ticks for cats Zoetis (Pfizer) Drops against fleas, ticks and helminths Stronghold 45 mg for cats weighing 2.6-7.5 kg

Advantages

• destroys arthropods, nematodes, microfilariae;
• can be given to pregnant women;
• blocks receptors of the nervous system of arthropods, disrupts the transmission of nerve impulses, which leads to paralysis and death of ectoparasites;
• prevents further occurrence of insects.

Flaws

• not found.

Stronghold was prescribed in the complex therapy of ear mites as a systemic antiparasitic agent. We were already well acquainted with it, because before and after a trip to the country we always used it for the cat. I bought it for the third time, and I can already say that it helps. If for the first time, when analyzing the contents of the ear through a microscope, live mites and eggs were visible, then by the second appointment there were no longer any living ones, there were eggs, and by the third appointment there were no longer any live mites or their eggs. I certainly recommend the drug, it has a very wide range of applications. He helped us personally in the fight against ear mites with a bang!

Inspector drops against fleas and ticks Quadro K for cats from 4 to 8 kg

Inspector Quadro K is prescribed to cats from 4 to 8 kg for the treatment and prevention of entomosis, otodectosis, notoedrosis, acarosis caused by ixodid ticks, nematodes of the gastrointestinal tract (toxocariasis, toxascariasis, uncinariasis, hookworm disease), cestodosis (taenidosis, dipylidiasis, mesocestoidosis, diphyllobothriasis ), as well as for the prevention of dirofilariasis. The drug is used by animals by applying it to dry, intact skin, breaking off the upper part of the pipette.

Price: from 655 to 1777 rubles.

anti-tick drops for cats Inspector anti-flea and tick drops Quadro K for cats from 4 to 8 kg

Advantages

• can be used monthly;
• acts against helminths;
• A single treatment of the animal ensures the destruction of fleas and ticks.

Flaws

• not found.

Inspector drops are intended for cats from 4 to 8 kg. I use it to fight external and internal parasites. Inspector Quadro K is a complex antiparasitic drug, which I really like. It works not only against worms and nematodes, but also against cestodes and insect larvae. And with these droplets you can kill insects and worms and prevent infection of my cats in one go. After my cats arrived from the dacha, I noticed a flea on one of them. And she immediately treated everyone against this evil spirit. After about five days, I didn’t find any living creatures on the cats. I recommend.

Apicenna Insectoacaricidal drops Dana Spot-On for carnivores

Dana Spot-On is prescribed to cats from 12 weeks of age for the treatment and prevention of entomosis caused by fleas, lice and lice, acarosis caused by sarcoptic, ixodid and demodectic ticks. Protection against all external parasites for 4-6 weeks, effect within 24 hours of application. It is also important to highlight the ease of use and waterproof formula.

Cost: from 215 to 248 rubles.

anti-tick drops for cats Apicenna Insectoacaricidal drops Dana Spot-On for carnivorous animals

Advantages

• protection against all external parasites for 4-6 weeks;
• the effect is achieved within 24 hours;
• waterproof formula.

Flaws

• not detected.

The drug is not absorbed into the blood, is distributed throughout the skin and hair and provides protection against fleas and ticks. The protective effect against ticks lasts for one month, against fleas for one and a half months. But here there is a condition - if the animal is often bathed with detergent, then the duration of protection decreases. Repeated treatment is possible only once every two weeks. With drops of Dan Spot-On, we safely finished the May holidays, we didn’t notice a single tick on our pussies, and for us this was the most important thing. I recommend.

Helminthal Drops spot-on at the withers for cats less than 4 kg

Drops on the withers against ticks for cats are ideal if it is difficult for you to give your pet traditional medications. A special transdermal conductor (DMSO) quickly delivers active ingredients through the skin directly into the blood.

Helminthal Spot-on for cats is a broad-spectrum drug. Give the drug once, both for preventive and therapeutic purposes. The drops are valid for 1 month.

Cost: from 265 to 381 rubles.

anti-tick drops for cats Helminthal Spot-on drops on the withers for cats less than 4 kg

Advantages

• not absorbed into the blood;
• can be used every month;
• safe for animal health;
• destroys arthropods, nematodes, microfilariae.

Flaws

• not detected.

I recently noticed that my cat has lost a lot of weight. At the same time, nothing else happened - he ate well, was active and mobile. Parasites, I thought. Our cat is very capricious, so we didn’t even think about a veterinarian. We bought Helmintal drops. It’s quite easy to apply the product, you can do it alone. After just 4 days I noticed results. The sides are rounded back and our Stepan is happy. Well, of course, so do we. An excellent tool. It helped us wonderfully. Now I will carry out prevention without waiting for obvious symptoms. I recommend.

Selafort Drops against fleas, ticks and lice 45 mg for cats weighing 2.6-7.5 kg

Selafort is prescribed to dogs and cats for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes for entomosis caused by fleas, lice and lice, otodectosis, sarcoptic mange, hookworm and toxocariasis, as well as for the prevention of dirofilariasis. It is used to treat flea dermatitis, otodectosis, sarcoptic mange. Acts on the main intestinal helminths. Suitable for puppies and kittens from 6 weeks of age.

Price: from 383 to 407 rubles.

drops against ticks for cats Selafort Drops against fleas, ticks and lice 45 mg for cats weighing 2.6-7.5 kg

Advantages

• active against major parasites that cause itching;
• used for the treatment of flea dermatitis, otodectosis, sarcoptic mange;
• acts on the main intestinal helminths;
• used to prevent infection with heartworms (dirofilariasis).

Flaws

• not detected.

I try to prevent fleas and ticks for our pet about once every month and a half, and a little less often in winter. I alternate the drugs with different active ingredients, this time I purchased Selafort with selamectin in the composition (analogous to the more expensive Stronghold). The drug is good, personally our cat did not cause any side effects, it was well tolerated. Effective against fleas (which periodically appear even on pets) In general, I can recommend it as an analogue of more expensive drugs with the same active ingredient.

Beaphar drops against fleas and ticks Veto pure for cats

Bio drops against fleas, ticks and mosquitoes for cats over 12 weeks of age to repel fleas, ticks and mosquitoes. Natural plant components in the drops, spreading over the animal’s skin and hair, have a repellent effect on ectoparasites, and also give the fur a pleasant aroma and have a beneficial effect on the animal’s skin, make the fur well-groomed, and reduce itching from insect bites. The package contains 3 pipettes of 1 ml each.

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Cost: from 284 to 1022 rubles.

anti-tick drops for cats Beaphar anti-flea and tick drops Veto pure for cats

Advantages

• has a repellent effect on ectoparasites;
• gives wool a pleasant aroma;
• makes the coat well-groomed;
• has a beneficial effect on the skin of the animal;
• There are no chemicals in the composition.

Flaws

• not found.

Having picked up a kitten on the street, it became necessary to bathe and treat it for fleas, since it was very itchy. At the pet store, the seller recommended VETO pure beaphar, which helps get rid of fleas, ticks and mosquitoes in kittens. Contains margosa (neem) extract, a miracle plant native to India and widely used in Ayurveda, known for its repellent properties. After the procedure, within 4 days my cat stopped itching and looked better and fluffier. A week later there was no trace of fleas left. I recommend.

Bravecto (MSD Animal Health) flea and tick drops Spot On for cats 2.8-6.25 kg

Bravecto Spot It is used in cats for the treatment and prevention of infection by ticks and fleas, as well as for the treatment of otodectosis caused by Otodectes spp. Can be used as part of a comprehensive treatment for allergic dermatitis caused by fleas.

The mechanism of action of fluralaner is to block GABA-dependent and glutamate-dependent receptors of arthropods, hyperexcitation of neurons, disruption of the transmission of nerve impulses, which leads to paralysis and death of ectoparasites. Fluralaner is well distributed into tissues and reaches high concentrations in adipose tissue, liver, muscle and kidneys.

Price tag: from 800 to 1663 rubles.

anti-tick drops for cats Bravecto (MSD Animal Health) anti-flea and tick drops Spot On for cats 2.8-6.25 kg

Advantages

• protection up to 84 days;
• well distributed in tissues;
• reducing the number of preventive treatments;
• acts on fleas and ticks;
• Suitable for cats and kittens of all breeds from 11 weeks of age weighing at least 1.2 kg.

Flaws

• not found.

Drops are intended for the treatment and prevention of infestation by fleas, ticks, nematodes and heartworms. The product has proven itself to be excellent. Thanks to Bravecto, Musya has no fleas or ear mites. Two pipettes are enough from spring to autumn (5.5 months) - for the entire summer season. I recommend this drug to all cat owners as it is effective, safe, and most importantly – long-lasting! Putting something on my cat every month is too much for me. The only drawback of the drops is their huge cost, but this is the problem with many imported drugs.

Agrovet protection Drops against fleas, ticks and helminths Dironet Spot-on for cats

Dironet Spot-on has a wide spectrum of antiparasitic effects. Aimed at eliminating parasites, which are a common problem in pets. This medicine is easy to use and will not cause discomfort to even the most capricious cats. When used correctly, Dironet Spot-on can not only eliminate the existing problem, but also protect your pet from its recurrence.

Price: from 120 to 430 rubles.

anti-tick drops for cats Agrovet protection Drops against fleas, ticks and helminths Dironet Spot-on for cats

Advantages

• quickly and effectively rid the animal of all types of helminths and external parasites;
• ideal for capricious pets who refuse tablets and suspensions;
• provides maximum therapeutic effect without stress for the animal;
• suitable for kittens.

Flaws

• not detected.

What interested us most was that these drops can not only get rid of fleas, but also helminths. Of course, we know that fleas are carriers of worm eggs, and after removing fleas from an animal, it is imperative to treat for worms. We think that our case is not advanced and this drug will cope with its tasks. After applying the drug, you need to observe the animal; for several minutes after treatment, the animals behave restlessly, and then calm down. The fur at the application site remains somewhat damp for a day, and then it all disappears. We used it to treat subcutaneous and ear mites. The drug helped, for which I thank him. I recommend.

Advantage (Bayer) Flea drops for cats weighing more than 4 kg, 4 pipettes

Anti-mite drops for cats are produced in Germany by Bayer, as are Advocate drops. Imidacloprid accumulates in the sebaceous glands, hair follicles, and protects the pet from attack by ectoparasites for 4 weeks.

Pipettes with a volume of 0.4 ml are squeezed onto the skin of the withers of a pet older than 10 weeks, weighing up to 4 kg. Ampoules with a volume of 0.8 ml are prescribed for animals weighing from 4 to 8 kg. For large cats, squeeze out 1.2 ml.

Price: from 295 to 1200 rubles.

tick drops for cats Advantage (Bayer) Flea drops for cats weighing more than 4 kg, 4 pipettes

Advantages

• protect against flea infection for 28 days after using the drug;
• reduce the number of flea bites within 3-5 minutes after fleas come into contact with the drug;
• act on fleas in the environment, which allows you to get rid of already deposited flea larvae, which can be everywhere where the cat likes to be.

Flaws

• not detected.

The product is applied easily and without problems, our fluffies don’t even have time to understand something. I always apply it to the withers and, if desired, a little lower, between the shoulder blades. Cats cannot reach there to lick themselves (you must definitely keep an eye on them after treatment!). Fleas were poisoned. For the first day or two, our flea balls, as grandma calls them, were still combing a little, but then they suddenly snapped off. Absolutely clean, absolutely calm animals, no one jumps on them! The drug is excellent, fast-acting. I recommend!

Helminthal drops against fleas and ticks Spot-On for cats 4-10 kg for cats from 4 to 10 kg

Helminthal is a complex antiparasitic drug for cats and kittens from 7 weeks of age. Effectively acts on round and tape helminths, their larvae and nematodes at all stages of development.

Used for the treatment and prevention of parasitic infections in domestic cats and dogs. The drug is a colorless transparent liquid with an oily consistency. The medicine is packaged in portions in polymer pipettes.

Blisters are provided in cardboard packaging for additional protection. The drug is applied to dry, intact skin of the animal, in places inaccessible to licking, using a dosed pipette. Usually the drops are applied to the cat’s withers, because he definitely won’t be able to lick this place on his own.

Cost: from 449 to 560 rubles.

drops against ticks for cats Helminthal drops against fleas and ticks Spot-On for cats 4-10 kg for cats from 4 to 10 kg

Advantages

• acts on round and tape helminths, their larvae and nematodes at all stages of development;
• allowed to be used every month;
• moxidectin leads to a decrease in the muscle activity of harmful insects, followed by their paralysis and death;
• the components of the drug are quickly absorbed into the blood and have a detrimental effect on parasites.

Flaws

• not found.

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Despite the obvious toxicity, drops on the withers are a safer means of combating parasites in comparison with the same collar. But if your animal is walking on its own, you will have to use both protection options. After all, in theory, drops will protect an animal from fleas and worms for only three months, and protection from ticks is only a month! The treatment of animals is especially important if you have a small child, to whom it is impossible to explain that the cat does not need to be hugged so tightly, and hands cannot be put in the mouth without washing. I am happy with Helminthal, after it there are no fleas, no ticks, no worms. I recommend.

RolfСlub 3D drops against ticks and fleas for cats 8-15 kg

The presented drops for cats have a pronounced knockdown effect; the time for the onset of the knockdown state is about 2 minutes, which prevents the suction (bite) of ticks and insects during an attack. Has a repellent effect on blood-sucking flying insects.

After applying the drug to the skin, its active components are evenly distributed over the surface of the body, without being absorbed into the systemic bloodstream, accumulate in the epidermis, hair follicles and sebaceous glands of the animal and have a long-term insecticidal effect and protect the animal from insects and ticks.

Cost: from 296 to 425 rubles.

drops against ticks for cats RolfСlub 3D drops against ticks and fleas for cats 8-15 kg

Advantages

• effective (the time for the onset of the knockdown state is about 2 minutes, which prevents the suction (bite) of ticks and insects during an attack);
• active components are not absorbed into the systemic circulation;
• the drug leads to a decrease in the muscle activity of harmful insects, followed by their paralysis and death.

Flaws

• not found.

After treatment with this drug, no side effects occurred: allergies, vomiting, diarrhea. The drug leaves greasy marks on the fur and spreads, so it is better to apply it pointwise to several inaccessible places on the cat’s skin. Three applications are necessary because the first application kills the adult bloodsucking individuals. But what about their eggs, laid somewhere in the apartment or on a cat? New parasites will hatch from them, so we treat the cat a second time after 21 days. Well, the last time - the third time. In order to kill those who survived after the first two treatments. I recommend the medicine, I haven’t found any downsides.

Path of infection

Otodectosis often affects cats; dogs, foxes, and ferrets can also suffer; quite rare, but the disease is recorded in rodents (guinea pigs, rats, hamsters) and lagomorphs (rabbits).

Infection mainly occurs through contact with a carrier animal - in crowded conditions, in contact with street animals, kittens can become infected from the mother cat.

Cats that have access to the outdoors are often infected with the disease.

Infection can also occur through contact with bedding and beds infested with eggs or mites, through the owner’s clothing or the pet’s toys. It is extremely rare that ear mites can cause otitis even in humans.

The disease has no seasonality ; an animal can become infected at absolutely any time of the year, but is more often recorded in warm weather (since ticks persist longer in the environment).

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At-risk groups

Theoretically, all cats that have been in contact with sick animals can become infected with subcutaneous mites. But the following groups are most often susceptible to demodicosis:

— offspring of cats with demodicosis; — animals with weakened immunity and autoimmune diseases; — cats in the postoperative period; - animals in the recovery period after infectious diseases; — kittens and adult cats with rickets; - animals exhausted after starvation; - pets who have suffered severe stress; - some breeds: Siamese, Burmese, Devon Rex.

Development of the disease

Since the tick feeds on tissue fluid and lymph, in order to get food for itself, it injures the upper layer of the epidermis of the external auditory canal with its chelicerae.

The release of tissue fluid in large quantities leads to the formation of a large number of crusts and scabs, and when microtraumas are contaminated with bacteria, a local inflammatory process (otitis externa) occurs.

In advanced cases, a perforation (rupture) of the eardrum , then the inflammation spreads first to the middle ear (otitis media) and to the membranes of the brain (meningitis), which often ends in death.

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The principle of action of the drugs

Drops are applied to the pet's skin. After this, the drug penetrates the sebaceous glands and hair follicles. Some of them remain in the fatty layer of the skin, but they do not enter the bloodstream.

The operating principle of most drops is the same. The tick bites through the skin and receives a portion of the medicine inside. The active components quickly block the passage of nerve impulses in the parasite, which leads to its complete paralysis and death.

INTERESTING! The tablets work from the inside. The active substances are absorbed into the blood and then act on the parasites, blocking the functioning of their nervous system.

Clinical symptoms

At the beginning of the disease, the animal has mild itching, the cat begins to behave restlessly, scratch its ears or the area around the ears with its paws, and may itch on various objects in the environment.

An important symptom will be a large amount of earwax and brown dry crusts in the external auditory canal, reminiscent of ground coffee. A large amount of exudate can completely block the ear canal, which will lead to hearing loss .

the eardrum may , which will lead to the development of otitis media and, if the inflammation spreads to the meninges, meningitis . In this case, the animal will exhibit neurological symptoms - an unsteady gait, the head may be tilted to the side, convulsions, and the body temperature will rise. The whole process can be fatal.

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Varieties of demodicosis

Veterinarians distinguish two forms of demodicosis - localized and generalized. When localized, one area of ​​the animal’s body (sometimes several) is affected, and there are no signs of the disease on the cat’s paws. With generalized disease, many areas of the body are affected at once, and the paws also suffer. The generalized form, of course, is much more difficult to tolerate and more difficult to treat. If a cat gets sick with a generalized type of demodicosis, then there is a high probability that she will pass the disease on by inheritance. Therefore, such cats must be sterilized.

Diagnosis and differential diagnoses

The diagnosis is made based on the animal's clinical symptoms (head shaking, itching in the ears or body, the presence of crusts in the ears) and the results of microscopy of exudate from the external auditory canal. Under a microscope, both adult ticks and tick eggs are clearly visible.

You may also need an otoscopy - examining the eardrum using a special instrument (otoscope) to check for damage. Sometimes a bacteriological or cytological examination is required - when otodectosis is complicated by otitis, it is important to determine the pathogen causing inflammation (it can be a bacterium or fungus); Then, based on the results, ear drops containing an antibacterial and/or antifungal component are selected.

Veterinarian performing otoscopy

When conducting diagnostics, the root cause must be excluded:

• Bacterial or fungal otitis
• Allergic otitis (food allergic reaction to dietary components)
• Ceruminous otitis (inflammation of the external auditory canal due to increased production of earwax)
• The presence of foreign objects in the ear canal (wool, blades of grass, sand, etc.).

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How to treat ear mites

The veterinarian will make a diagnosis after examination and laboratory testing - a scraping from the surface of the ear is examined under a microscope. Having diagnosed the parasite, the doctor will prescribe treatment.

Veterinary pharmacies offer a wide range of medications for treating ear mites in the form of ointments, aerosols, and drops. For kittens and nursing cats, it is preferable to use sprays. When selecting a medicine, they take into account not only the age, but also the condition of the animal, for example, pregnancy or the presence of chronic diseases. It is important to strictly follow the doctor's instructions regarding dosage so as not to harm the cat.

If the form of the disease is not advanced, the doctor will tell you what procedures you will carry out at home on your own. If antibiotics and injections are not required, then treatment will be reduced to treating the affected surfaces. In particular, antiseptic drops are prescribed, the treatment of which requires preliminary preparation.

How to clean earwax from ear wax before instilling antiseptic drops:

1. prepare the animal - ask an assistant to hold it tightly or swaddle it;
2. Using a pipette, drop warm lotion or hydrogen peroxide into the cat’s ears, but not alcohol!
3. wait until the cat shakes out the remaining wax from the ear;
4. Treat the other ear in the same way.

If infected, the disease can spread to the pet's body. Carry out an antiparasitic treatment of the body - apply a spray of the drug in the form of drops to the withers. Until the medicine dries, the cat should not lick its lips.

A few important rules of therapy:

• if there are several animals in the house, treat them all;
• Boil or treat the cat litter with an anti-parasite product;
• feed in a balanced manner, take care of taking vitamins.

A mild form of the disease can be treated for approximately three weeks. If complications arise, the pet’s health condition is aggravated by another disease, or a secondary infection has developed, then it will take several months to heal.

Traditional methods: is it worth trying?

Often, when asking “How to quickly cure ear mites in cats,” almost all search engines will provide a huge amount of information on treating otodectosis using folk remedies: hydrogen peroxide, green tea, honey, mineral or olive oil, garlic gruel and much more.

Veterinarians urge you not to use traditional methods for self-treatment! You will only aggravate the problem: green tea will not affect the reproduction and activity of ear mites in any way, oil can contribute to the formation of cerumen plugs (since it is not absorbed through the skin and, accordingly, is not removed from the ear canal in any way), and garlic gruel and peroxide hydrogen will lead to severe irritation and inflammation.

Green tea will not help kitty cope with the parasite

Make an appointment with a veterinarian and honestly say which of the above methods you have tried on your own, this will tell the doctor which therapy to choose specifically for your pet

If your pet is nevertheless diagnosed with otodectosis, do not be sad, your veterinarian will tell you how to cure ear mites in a cat.

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This information is provided for informational purposes. Only your veterinarian should select the treatment regimen. Do not self-treat your pet. This is dangerous for her health.

Treatment of the generalized form

The generalized form is more difficult to treat and takes longer. First of all, it is necessary to eliminate the primary disease that caused the exacerbation of demodicosis. Without this, complete recovery of the animal is impossible. Veterinarians also advise completely trimming the cat to make it easier to treat with medications (since the disease covers almost the entire body). Next, the same methods are used as in the treatment of a localized form.

Often, veterinarians also prescribe a course of Dectomax or Cydectin injections. At the same time, the animal is prescribed injections of antibiotics - Kanamycin, Betamox, Baytril, Amoxicillin, etc.

It is also necessary to restore the cat’s immunity - the drug “Ligfol” will help here, as well as a vitamin and mineral complex. We draw special attention to the fact that treatment of this form of the disease should be carried out under the supervision of a specialist.

Preparing for cleaning: what to buy

To care for pets, only specialized preparations are used, especially when cleaning the ears. The products protect against fungus and bacteria, prevent infection, and are safe for pets. The instructions for the product should indicate cleaning, not instillation. Under no circumstances should you take anti-inflammatory drugs if there is no indication for it. For cleaning it is recommended to use:

• AUROCLEAN with chamomile extract softens sulfur;
• Leopard, Dewdrop for cleansing ears;
• EAR cleaner cleans;
• Euracon Pharma Otoklin removes dead skin cells, softens sulfur, moisturizes;
• Doctor Vic softens sulfur, used before using medications;
• Veda acts as an antiseptic, heals, removes inflammation;
• Vetoquinol Otifri eliminates impurities, relieves itching, and improves the condition of microflora.

Instead of lotion, you can use saline solution, boiled water, or chamomile decoction.

Why do animals scratch their ears?

Scratching your pet's ears is a common hygiene procedure to remove dirt and particles. It is normal to itch several times a day.

What should alert the owner:

1. When an animal constantly itches, shakes (shakes) its head vigorously, trying to free itself from an invisible object, and presses its ear with its paw.
2. Anxiety, aggressiveness, irritability of the pet.
3. Growling, hissing, meowing, and other sounds when scratching.
4. Sores, sores, scratches behind the ears (near) and inside.

Such actions can be caused by domestic or pathological reasons.

Household problems are determined by the owner, go away on their own and do not require the intervention of a doctor. These are, in particular:

• water that got in while swimming;
• foreign object;
• minor hematoma from injury;
• scratches the neck - most likely fleas;
• accumulation of earwax due to insufficient care.

There may be cases when the pet lies down. So before you sound the alarm and take your cat to the vet, it’s better to make sure that there really is a problem.

Pathological causes are dangerous to health. The animal needs medical attention if the cause of scratching is:

• abscess;
• allergic reactions;
• fleas;
• fungal infections;
• benign or malignant neoplasms;
• otitis media of various origins;
• ear mites;
• eczema or dermatitis, going bald;
• swollen ear.