Often, animal lovers come to veterinary clinics , concerned about the strange behavior of their pets. The cat turns its head to the side, shakes it, shows concern, refuses food. After the examination, the clinic specialist diagnoses otodectosis, in other words, an ear tick in a kitten (or adult animal).
What is this disease and how dangerous is it for your pet? We will talk about this in the article.
Stages of the development of the disease
Ear mites in cats are not only pests that injure the delicate skin of the auricle. They cause a very serious disease, which experts call otodectosis. In severe, advanced cases, it leads to the death of the animal.
At first, dangerous pests injure the skin mechanically, and then begin to irritate the nerve endings. This reaction is caused by the products of their vital activity.
- In those places where the tick appears, hyperemia occurs. This means that the blood vessels are overflowing with blood, as a result of this, swelling of the skin appears.
- Exudate is allocated from the injured areas of the ear. So doctors call the various discharge.
- When it dries and reacts with the waste products of parasites with dead epidermis, the exudate turns into dark brown scabs.
- The resulting crusts cover the wounds that appeared in the auricle and form a cork in the ear canal.
- In the absence of proper treatment, the eardrum breaks , skipping the inflammatory process to the middle and inner part of the cat's ear. As a result, labyrinthitis appears.
- The final phase of the disease is damage to the meninges, which leads to the death of the animal.
At the first signs of the disease, you must immediately contact the clinic, where the specialist will conduct the necessary examination and prescribe ear drops for cats from ticks. Treatment should be started immediately, from the moment the disease is detected, in order to protect your pet from complications.
Characteristic symptoms
The sick cat experiences an unbearable itch in the auricle, so she shakes her head, combing the blood damaged by the mite to the blood.
With the further development of the disease, a purulent mass appears - you will see it on the glued wool in the lower part of the ear.
If a symptom of "crookedness" appears, this indicates that the disease has passed into a complicated phase. The animal can turn its head at an angle of 120 degrees, tilting the sore ear down.
Nerve seizures occur when the meninges are affected, resulting in the animal dying.
We want to immediately reassure the owners of cats a little - now this disease is being successfully treated. The main thing is not to miss its beginning. Today, ear drops for cats from ticks are produced by many manufacturers, both domestic and foreign. We will introduce you to some of them.
The drug "Surolan"
These are highly effective ear drops for cats and dogs. Due to the successful combination of active components that have a different mechanism of action, the tool has a very wide spectrum of antimicrobial activity. The drug has anti-allergic and anti-inflammatory effects.
It consists of miconazole, which is a synthetic imidazole derivative with antifungal effects and powerful action directed to gram-positive bacteria. Polymyxin B is a polypeptide antibiotic with a bactericidal effect. Prednisolone, which is part of Surolan, provides anti-inflammatory and antipruritic effects.
According to the degree of exposure to the cat's body, the drug belongs to safe substances. Subject to prescribed doses, it has no toxic effect.
Application
When otodectosis is usually prescribed five drops of the drug per day. The duration of treatment is determined by the doctor (usually 14 days). With the existing invasion, it is necessary to treat two ears, even if it is found in only one.
In order for the drug to be evenly distributed, it is necessary to massage the base of the ear with light movements. If your pet shakes his head after this (not very pleasant) procedure, try to fix it for a few minutes so that ear drops for cats from ticks do not splatter
Processing is carried out twice a day.
If there is a skin disease in a cat at the border area with an affected tick, the hair is cut off, all impurities are removed - wound exudate and pus, after which Surolan is applied to the prepared surface with a pipette. Try to spread it so that the wound is well covered by it, and rub it lightly into the wound with your hand on which the glove is worn. This procedure is needed 1-2 times a day. The duration of treatment is determined by the veterinarian, it depends on how quickly tissue healing occurs. To prevent the cat from licking ear drops for cats from ticks, it needs to wear a muzzle or a special collar.
Means "Amitrazin" for cats
Another well-known and widely used drug in the treatment of otodectosis in cats.
Indications for use
- Otodectosis or ear scabies in cats.
- Demodecosis of cats
Mode of application
- Before starting treatment with the drug, thoroughly clean the cat's ears from scabs and crusts.
- Using a pipette, instill the product in both ears, depending on the body weight of the animal (medium-sized cats - 0.5 ml).
In order for the Amitrazin preparation for cats to completely treat the entire affected surface and the ear canal, the ear must be folded in half and gently massage its base.
If other areas on the cat’s head are damaged, the drug should be rubbed into the affected area with a cotton swab. After a week, the treatment is repeated.
Contraindications: dimexide intolerance, pregnancy.
Means "Amidel" (gel)
The drug for cats aimed at treating ear scabies. This is a gel that, after cleansing the auricles, is injected into both ears. Its amount depends on the size of the animal (from 0.5 to 2 ml). The treated eye must be lightly massaged.
Treatment of a sick animal is carried out 2 times with an interval of 5 days. In severe cases, with the appearance of otitis media, complicated by a viral infection, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial drugs are additionally prescribed.
Amidel gel must be administered in two ears, even if one is affected by otodectosis.
Contraindications
It is not recommended for use by kittens up to 2 weeks of age and animals with infectious diseases.
The drug "Leopard"
The medication is well known to specialists and animal lovers. Means "Bars" - ear drops for cats, active against sarcoptoid ticks, which are the causative agents of otodectosis in cats. The active substances included in their composition have acaricidal, anti-inflammatory and bactericidal action, significantly accelerate the process of epithelization.
Application
The auricle is thoroughly cleaned. The drug "Bars" is instilled in 3 drops. Processing is carried out twice with an interval of seven days.
Precautionary measures
After processing the animal, wash your hands thoroughly. If drops fall on human skin, they should be washed off with water.
Ear drops for cats - price
These drugs are inexpensive, on average from 30 to 50 rubles. The only exception is the Amidel gel, the price of which is from 90 to 125 rubles.