How Can I Tell If My Cat Has Ear Mites?

Ear mites are tiny, crab-like parasites that invade the outer ears and ear canals of cats. There are many different types, but the most common is Otodectes Cynotis, which is found in approximately 90 percent of all feline ear mite infestations.

If you notice any of the following symptoms, it's possible that your cat may have ear mites. A trip to the vet will be necessary to confirm the diagnosis. If untreated, an ear mite infestation can become severe and lead to partial or complete hearing loss for your cat. Ear mites are also terribly uncomfortable for your cat. The sooner you can get this situation treated, the happier and healthier your cat will be.

Signs that Your Cat May Have Ear Mites:

• Excessive scratching of the ears

• Fresh or dried blood inside of the ear canal which may resemble coffee grounds. Small white dots might also be noticed: these are the actual mites. Excessive shaking of the head

• Dizziness and loss of balance

• A lopsided appearance with your cat favoring one ear

• Flattened ears and/or unpleasant odor

What does a cat ear mite infection look like? In this case a picture really is worth a thousand words. Look for these things:

Ear mites on cats are not just found in the ears. This parasite can travel all over the cat's body. Ear mites think other species are tasty too, and they are very contagious. Without treatment, your cat's ear mite infestation can spread to the family dog, rabbit or hamsters. All family pets have to be treated if mites are found on just one animal. That's just one more reason why a trip to your local veterinarian or pet health care clinic should be scheduled if you suspect ear mites. Parasites are just one cause of cat otitis (inflammation of the ear). Other causes include allergies, endocrine diseases and tumors. Only a trip to the vet will provide you with a proper diagnosis.

Two-Step Treatments For Ear Mites:

First you must treat the ears. Clean your cat's ears, then apply ear mite drops to the ear canal for seven days. Ear mite medications are safe and can even be applied to kittens. Your vet will probably begin the treatment after diagnosis and then have you continue applying the drops from home over the next week.

Because mites can be located outside the ear area, the entire body of the cat should also be treated. The cat must be bathed with a pyrethrin (anti-parasite) shampoo. These products are available everywhere - pet stores, supermarkets or from your animal health care provider.

One of the most effective treatments for ear mites in your cat is prevention. A monthly topical dose of Revolution (applied to the skin) prevents an ear mite infestation from ever happening. In addition, Revolution protects against fleas, hookworm, roundworm, and the extremely serious and deadly heartworm. The only infestation is does not prevent is "ringworm," which is a fungus and not actually a worm. There are other medications to treat this syndrome in cats. Another product that protects against ear mites is Advantage Multi. It is also applied on a monthly basis, directly to your pet's skin.

Fast Facts About Feline Ear Mites:

• Ear mites are extremely tiny and not always visible to the naked eye, so a vet will have to examine your cat's ears with a special instrument known as an otoscope to confirm their presence.

• A secondary infection can result if the ear mite infestation is not treated. The sooner you bring your cat to the vet, the better. Your family pet health provider will check the cat's ears and may examine the discharge from the ears under a microscope.

• Other animals can catch ear mites from a cat, but humans cannot.

• The ear mite life cycle from eggs to adult takes about 21 days. From the time your cat becomes infected to the time the ear mites reach maturity, your kitty might be infested with hundreds or thousands of mites. A quick visit to the vet and prompt treatment is the best solution.

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How Can I Tell If My Dog Has Ear Mites?

There are several types of mites that can invade the ear canals of dogs, puppies, cats, and kittens. The same mite can affect both dogs and cats. In the puppy and kitten, the most common ear mite is Otodectes cynotis. It is not important in the diagnosis and treatment of ear mites to identify the species of mite. Regardless of the mite species involved, we usually refer to mites of the ear canal simply as ear mites. Contrary to popular belief, however, is the fact that ear mites can live anywhere on the animal's body.

How are the mites transmitted?

Ear mites are extremely contagious. They can be passed from the mother animal to her offspring. Additionally, the mites are easily spread to other pets within the household including cats, dogs, rabbits, hamsters, gerbils, mice, ferrets, etc. Humans are not affected.

What are the symptoms?

Puppies and kittens with ear mites will scratch around their ears and/or shake their heads. The amount of scratching and shaking depends on the severity of the mite infestation. With more advanced infestations, the ear canals will bleed and either fresh or dried blood will appear inside the canal. Dried blood resembles coffee grounds. If you peer into your pet's ears and notice a build-up of a material that looks like coffee grounds, then your pet probably has ear mites, although a bacterial and/or yeast infection is also a possibility.

Ear mites are very common, but still serious. Left untreated, they severely damage the ear canals and eardrum and can cause permanent hearing loss.

If mites spread out of the ears to other areas of the body, the animal may or may not scratch the area.

What is the management?

Various commercial ear preparations are available to kill the mites. These products contain an insecticide, usually pyrethrin. Ear products without an insecticide will not kill the mites. Ivermectin, fipronil (Frontline), and selamectin (Revolution) have also been used by some veterinarians. Milbemycin (Milbemite) and Acarexx, a form of ivermectin are approved for the treatment of ear mites in cats. Depending upon the medication used, the ears may need to be treated two to four weeks until all mites are killed. As previously mentioned, many ear mites live all over the body, including the feet and tail. These areas should also be treated. Most products designed for fleas and ticks such as sprays, dips, and shampoos, which contain one of the above ingredients will be effective. Be sure to use products approved for use on dogs, and to treat the tail. This is because while sleeping, the tail is curled around the puppy's body where it lies in close contact with the ear. Because mites are very easily transferred between pets, it is best if all pets in the household receive simultaneous treatment. Most types of mites do not survive long off the pets, so the treatment of the house and yard is usually not necessary.

Can I get ear mites from my pet?

Ear mites are not considered to be a zoonotic disease (disease which can be transmitted from animals to humans).

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