Ear Mites And The Difficulty They Can Cause Cats

For most people their pets are like their children and they cannot stand to see them miserable. Mites are something that seem to affect almost every pet at some time or the other. Mites belong to the same subclass as ticks. The name of this species of mite is otodectes cynotis. These particular mites live in the ears of various animals. Transmission of ear mites is possible just by the animals passing one another.

A variety of animals are affected by this mite like dogs, cats, guinea pigs and ferrets. It is also possible for people to be affected, although it is rare. Rabbits are affected by a larger mite.

A brown crusty material located in the ear of the animal is the first indicator that mites are present. These mites will be seen as white specs living within the crusty material in the ear canal, as they do not burrow like other mites. This is the number one cause of ear infections in cats, and responsible for a great many in other animals as well.

These mites result in bacterial and yeast infections. The ears of an animal will most likely be red and inflamed. The animal will probably spend a great deal of time scratching at the ears and shaking their head.

This condition, if left untreated, can easily spread to other areas of the body. The tail and neck are usually the first areas that become infected. Serious skin infection and disease will likely follow. The possibility of deafness also exists if treatment is withheld for a long time.

In order to treat the ears, all of the debris is removed first. Medication containing an antiparasitic is then used. If the person has more than one pet in the home, the veterinarian will most likely provide oral doses of ivermectin for each pet. Selamectin is available for the treatment of cats and the product is good for a month.

Mites that get into the ears of rabbits are larger than those in other animals. They are called psoroptes cuniculi. Instead of forming a material that is crusty, they create a thick material that is solid in the ear. It can eventually spread to the outside of the rabbit's ear and to the face. The rabbit will experience the same symptoms of head shaking and scratching when they have these mites. It is necessary to rid both the rabbit and their habitat of these mites by frequently cleaning the cage and treating the rabbit with ivermectin. Another remedy for the treatment of rabbits is to use olive oil in the ears after removing debris. Olive oil is used to attempt to smother out the mites.

-->