Cat Ear Infection Or Mites

The presence of this discharge is.

Cat ear infection or mites.

In fact ear mites will be one of the first things your veterinarian checks for if your cat has an ear infection. Ear mites cause a characteristic dark brown to black colored discharge in the ears that looks a bit like coffee grounds. Ear infections in cats. The symptoms of ear mite infestation range from the relatively mild to the comparatively more severe.

Your veterinarian will probably diagnose an ear mite infection by checking a sample of your cat s ear wax under a microscope. Cats that are afflicted with ear mites will typically scratch at the ears excessively and shake their heads. Cats tend to scratch their ears a lot anyway but if you notice that yours is doing so more than usual this could be the first sign that there is some cause for concern. The infectious agent is most commonly bacterial although fungus otherwise known as yeast can also be implicated in an inner ear infection.

Ear mites primarily live in the ear canal where they feed on skin debris. Treating cat ear mites. Treatment for ear mites generally includes a good ear cleaning and topical prescription medication. If your cat has ear mites in the external ear canal this can ultimately cause a problem in the inner ear and pose a greater risk for a bacterial infection.

An ear infection is any bacterial viral fungal or parasitic organism that affects the body. Ear mites can also cause an ear infection as well so treatment shouldn t focus solely on getting rid of the mites the ear infection should be treated too. The term ear infection is most commonly used to refer to a bacterial yeast overgrowth in the ear canal. Ear mites are responsible for a majority of the ear infections seen in cats.

Otodectes cynotis mites in cats. Ear mites can lead to secondary bacterial fungal infections so your vet may diagnose an additional ear infection. Cats don t often get ear infections but when they do the cause can be complex. Ear mites can thrive inside your cat s ear munching on ear wax and skin oils.

Eggs are laid in the ear and it takes about three weeks for eggs to hatch and develop into adult mites that can reproduce. Symptoms of ear mite infestation. Ear infections often cause a cat s ears to become more red and swollen than do mite infestations and the discharge from an infected ear tends to have a distinctly foul odor. Otodectes cynotis mites most commonly called ear mites are a common and relatively mild external parasite infection complications may arise when an animal has an immune hypersensitivity reaction that results in intense irritation of the external ear.

If your vet has ruled out ear mites the culprit in about half of all feline ear infections they ll have to do some sleuthing to figure out what s causing your cat s outer or middle ear infection.