Ear Mites in Cats

Ear mites are very small insects that infest the ear canal of dogs and cats and are highly contagious from cat to cat. They are frequently found in entire litters of puppies and kittens.

Ear mites spread by direct contact with an infested animal.

They are not contagious to humans.

Symptoms Of Ear Mites:

Common signs of ear mites include scratching at the ears and/or shaking the head. A black, dry, crusty material is observed in the ear canals of infested cats. When examined under the microscope, ear mites look similar to a small crab.

Ear mites irritate the ears leading to raw lesions that may then become infected with bacteria or other germs. Secondary bacterial infection is very common. If left untreated, severe ear infections, as well as deafness, may occur.

Diagnosis Of Ear Mites:

Ear mites are diagnosed by identification of the typical discharge in the ears and/or finding the mites by examining debris recovered from the ear canals under a microscope.

Treatment Of Ear Mites:

Since ear mites are infectious to other cats in the household, it is recommended that all cats be treated at the same time to prevent infestation spreading back and forth.

There are a number of products available to help treat ear mites.

Topical products, such as Revolution, are easily used and work well to kill and prevent future infections of ear mites. (Revolution will also prevent fleas, ticks, heartworms, and aid in controlling many intestinal parasites, in addition to killing the ear mites.)

It will probably be necessary to clean your cat's ears, as a great deal of debris can accumulate due to the ear mites. Your cat's veterinarian can supply you with a cleaning solution for this purpose, or even clean your cat's ears for you.

Ear drops and ointments containing antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medications are often used to relieve the discomfort in the ears caused by the ear mites and prevent any infections in areas which are raw from your cat scratching at the ears.

There is also a product called Accarex which can be used to kill the ear mites.

Your cat's veterinarian will help you choose the appropriate medication for your cat.

It is important that the ears be rechecked on a regular basis until the problem is totally eradicated to prevent recurrence.