Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Ear Mites

ear mite infection of a cat
Ear mites are a common occurrence in pets and animals. Due to their ease and speed of spread, they can be transmitted extremely quickly between animals.

Cats and ferrets are the most likely pets to contract ear mites, however they can also occur in dogs and rabbits. There have been some known cases of human ear mite contraction as well, although this is quite rare.

One of the first signs of an ear mite infected animal is that he will be scratching and shaking his head around quite a bit. This is due to having thousands of tiny ear mites in the ear canal - the ear canal is extremely sensitive and any movement in there will cause extreme irritation and itchiness.

The next sign to look for is a brown crusty matter that will be noticeable when you look into the ear. This is caused by the serum from the ear lining which builds up. If not treated, this can turn into a fungal or bacterial infection, therefore it is mandatory that your pet is taken to a vet as soon as you suspect he may have contracted ear mites.

Sometimes you may be able to see very small white mites in the crusty debris. This is because these ear mites do not actually burrow into the ear, they simply live in the ear canal. Obviously if you can see white spots, your pet has ear mites and must be treated as soon as possible.

Your vet will advise on what action to take, however usually an injection or medication is given. Ivermectin is either injected or taken orally. There are special ear mite treatment products for cats as an alternative. These are used on the skin are effective for a month or so.

Ear mites need to be taken seriously and if you notice your pet displaying any sort of strange behavior relating to its ears, please see a vet as soon as possible.

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Thursday, September 09, 2010

Ear Mites In Cats

I Promise, I Will Never Get Ear Mites AgainImage by Stacy Lynn Baum via FlickrCats are the most likely of all household pets to contract ear mites. Ear mites in cats can thankfully be treated quite easily; however they will likely cause significant irritation to your cat if you do not pick up on the warning signs early.

To eliminate ear mites (in fact ear mites never completely disappear from the cat, they will always be there but the good news is that you can stop the irritation) there are several different treatment options.

Many people do not know that the flea treatment Frontline Topspot can actually be used exclusively to treat ear mites in cats as well. This treatment has been tested on cats, and vets are confident that it works. It is great news as it is a double treatment for fleas as well, so you are killing two birds with one stone.

Ear mites in cats are not just limited to existing in the ears. Ear mites can spread to other parts of the body, particular on top of the head. This is when flea control products will work best. There are also topical treatments that can be used once a month to combat ear mites on other parts of the cats’ body.

If ear mite treatment is not effective in eliminating your cats irritating ear mites, then it could be that he has a more serious ear disease. Please see a vet if you feel the ear mite treatment is not working as it should.

If you have more than one cat then it is highly possible that the ear mites will spread between them as they are highly contagious. You should have ALL your cats checked at once, not just the one that you suspect already has ear mites.

Ear mites, whilst annoying, are not serious if treated early. That is why it is vital to take your cat straight to the vet as soon as signs such as:

Itching
Scratching and;
Head shaking are noticed.

This will ensure the best outcome for your beloved cat!

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