For some old pet owners, ear mites may not be new, but new pet owners may be surprised at the occurrence of ear mites in their lovely pets. Ear-mites is otherwise known as Otodectes cynotis, it can crawl. If one of these miniscule parasites enters into the ear of your cat, it would make itself feel comfortable to the extent that, it would start to breed and even cause major damage except it is evicted promptly.
It can happen to any pet but is more common amongst cats, the parasite normally lives in the ear canal and sometimes on the surface of the skin, it could lead to a condition regarded as Otodectic mange, which is not a life-threatening infection, but the ear-mites are very contagious to the extent that, it could cause serious irritation to the cat.
It would take approximately 3 weeks for mites to develop from an egg into an adult, passing through a total of 5 stages. When they become an adult, the ear mites would live for 2 months while they reproduce consistently. The entire life cycle of the mite takes place on the host animal, even if mites can survive for a short time in the environment.
Your cat being in close contact with another cat that has ear mites will simply lead to its passage, it can also be passed from parents to a newborn kitten, but it cannot affect humans, so pet owners do not have to be scared of either getting an infection or not.
While ear mites are rather small, like the size of a pinhead, Dr.Miller mentioned the possibility of seeing their rapidly moving little bodies with one's naked eye.
If a recently acquired mite is gradually taking a stroll along the backside of a cat or its belly, the animal still can groom it away with its tongue and swallow it, that problem however, when the mite makes its way into the ear canal where the paw of the cat or its tongue cannot get to.
Identifying a ear mite isn't so difficult, symptoms like; Inflammation, head-shaking, constant scratching of the ears, drooping ear flap, and dark brown material in the ear, are all symptoms that could be attached to the presence of ear mites in a cat.
Seeking the help of a veterinarian is the best way to handle such a situation, asides the fact that treatment will be applied to relieve the animal's discomfort, treatments can also be administered to help limit the infection from the mutilation of the ears and the face, coming as a result of severe and nonstop scratching. Most often, the experienced vet would clean the cat's ear with an ear cleaner made especially for cats before beginning treatments.
Since the entire life cycle of mites takes about three weeks, it means it may take that long for the cat undergoing treatment to also become completely free from these disturbing organisms. However, the itchiness should begin to subside upon treatment, but in a case where it doesn't get to subside, you need to contact your vet.
There are so many medications available for treating ear mites in pets, that no form of medication can penetrate either the pupae or the eggs, so the treatment is directed at killing the adult and larval forms.
Going for regular checkups and ear cleaning with your vet will prevent these ear mites from building a strong foothold in the ears of your pet. Also, ensuring that your cat's house is kept very clean all the time will highly minimize the risk of any possible infection.
When one of your pet has been diagnosed with ear mites, treat others as well as the risk of spreading very fast is not inevitable. Ear mites are a common cause of ear infections and diseases, as they poise to be the second most common ectoparasite found on pets.
In conclusion, proper hygiene is especially important for all pets, Also in the case of ear mites, it is important to watch out for strange and new pets in your home, the moment you begin to notice the signs, visiting a vet instantly is highly paramount.