Library
of Cat Health Topics at My
Cat Care Clinic...
Are these living in your cat's ears?
Ear mites (otodectes cynotis) are fairly common in kittens. They actually live in the ear canal, crawling
around and biting to feed. Most cats with ear mites scratch their ears in an attempt to relieve the itching.
Some may even cause damage to the ear by scratching themselves excessively.
Ear mites are not the only cause of ear disease, especially in adult cats- this is why it is important to
have your cat examined to find out if there are mites or not before attempting to treat for ear mites. The
veterinarian can look at the debris from the cat’s ear under the microscope and see the little mites swimming around.
On
the left side of the picture are ear mite eggs. On the right side is
an ear mite.
Over the counter medications for ear mites do not work real well.
We usually treat with Revolution- a product
that is administered to your cat and is absorbed through the skin to kill off the
mites.
It works well and is
convenient because once it is put on the cat; you do not need to medicate your cat's sore ears at home.
Ear mites can be transmitted between kittens or cats that groom each other and sleep together. It can spread
to dogs, but almost never does (perhaps cat ears taste better?)
Dr. Nicole
Gardner,
DVM MyCatCareClinic.com
To View the video picture
you'll need to use Window's Exployer
An
ear mite feeding, causing
inflammation in a cat's ear.
The
business end of an ear mite,
close up.
Get
the point? If left untreated, ear mites can cause serious damage
or even hearing loss.
Photos
taken in the lab at the Cat Care Clinic of Brown
County
