Microscopic mites in cats. How to treat subcutaneous mites in cats. Treatment of localized form

Since cats usually groom themselves meticulously, owners usually do not notice ticks on them. If you do see it, it will most likely be in places where the cat cannot reach, such as on the head, neck and ears. Ticks can also hide between a cat's toes.

The tick attaches itself to the skin and immerses its entire head in it. A hungry tick looks like a spider, while a tick that has drunk blood resembles a large wart. As a rule, this is when the cat owner notices him.

To remove a tick , drop some alcohol or vegetable oil on it. After a few seconds, it will loosen its grip and you can carefully remove it using tweezers. Try to grab the insect's head with tweezers so that it does not remain in the cat's body. Pet stores sell special devices for removing ticks. They look like plastic spoons with a groove in the middle.

After removing the tick, place it in a small container of alcohol to ensure it is killed, and then flush it down the toilet.

Never use a hot match to remove a tick, as this is too likely to injure your cat.

Some ticks carry dangerous diseases, so never try to remove a tick with your bare hands. Always use tweezers or a special tool to remove ticks.

TYPES OF TICKS, DISEASES AND METHODS OF TREATING CATS FOR TICKS

1. Demodectic mange.

This disease most often affects dogs.
Typically, Demodex mites that live on the surface of an animal's skin cause nothing more than local dermatitis. Bald spots and purulent wounds may appear on the cat, mainly on the head and neck.

With widespread demodicosis, sores, bald patches and thinning hair are observed throughout the body. Typically, cats with advanced demodicosis have a suppressed immune system due to another disease (such as feline leukemia, diabetes, or chronic respiratory disease).

The diagnosis is made based on microscopic examination of scrapings.

Treatment includes applying local medications to the affected areas. Your veterinarian may also recommend an antibacterial shampoo for your cat.

Veterinary treatment of common demodicosis usually involves:

Regularly wash your cat with a special shampoo,
- applying a solution that kills ticks to the affected areas.

After the last scraping is negative, treatment continues for another three weeks.

2. Tickcheyletiella.

This disease, cheyletiosis, is accompanied by active flaking of the skin, which looks like dandruff. The cheyletiella mite rarely affects cats, but is very easily transmitted from host to host and can be transmitted from animals to humans.

The diagnosis is made based on examination of the cat and skin scrapings made.

The course of treatment includes:

- washing a cat with insecticidal shampoo
- applying a special ointment to the affected areas.

Treatment continues for two weeks after the scraping gives a negative result.

It is also necessary to treat the premises where the cat lives with anti-flea sprays and sprayers.

3. Cat scabies.

This is a highly contagious, although rare, feline disease. The entire life cycle of scabies mites takes place on a cat, and they cannot live even a few days without a host. Females lay eggs in the upper layers of a cat's skin.

Feline mange causes intense itching in cats. The cat constantly scratches the affected areas and injures its skin. This disease is also often accompanied by hair loss, the formation of thick gray or yellow scabs and, in the most advanced cases, thickening of the skin.

The diagnosis is made based on examination of skin scrapings.

Treatment involves:

Trimming hair on affected areas.
The cat also needs to be washed carefully to remove scabs from its skin. Sulfur ointment is applied weekly to the affected areas. Upon receipt of a negative diagnosis, treatment continues for another two weeks.

Itching can be relieved with cortisone ointment or spray.

4. Deermite

suffers from so-called Lyme disease. It is a blood-borne disease that can be transmitted to humans and dogs. It is currently unknown whether cats are susceptible to it. Lyme disease can have a variety of symptoms, the most common being joint pain.

Treatment includes antibiotic therapy. Vaccines are commercially available for humans and dogs.

5. Ear mites. You can read about this very common cat disease in more detail in the following article, which is called

The subcutaneous mite in cats infects the skin, penetrates the surface of the epithelium and makes passages in it, as a result of which the skin becomes inflamed and skin flora is deposited on the affected areas of the skin, which causes the development of ulcers and severe itching. In addition to the subcutaneous tick, the animal can be affected by macroscopic ticks, which can be carriers of other diseases dangerous to the cat.

Depending on the type of pathogen, there are several diseases caused by ticks.

Symptoms

Subcutaneous ticks in cats of any kind cause similar symptoms, and the presence of ixodid ticks on the skin can only be noticed by the owner when the insect is detected.

With multiple lesions, the cat may be weak and lethargic, the mucous membranes may be anemic, and there may be a slight increase in temperature.

Diagnostics

Treatment

Subcutaneous mites

Determination of symptoms and treatment of subcutaneous mites should be carried out under the supervision of a veterinarian.

It is worth preparing for the fact that it will take a long time to treat a cat for subcutaneous mites; the minimum period of therapy is 2-3 months. During the entire treatment period, regular bathing with shampoo with an antibacterial effect is necessary.

Ixodid ticks

The main thing in treatment is to correctly remove the tick body from the skin. In order not to leave the head and prevent skin abscesses, you should know how to remove a tick from a cat.

First, you need to drop a drop of oil on the tick’s body, this will reduce the supply of oxygen and make it much easier to get the tick. You need to take it out carefully, slowly turning your body counterclockwise.

Prevention

Removing subcutaneous ticks from a cat can be very difficult, so it is recommended to carefully monitor the condition of the animal and prevent it from becoming infected.

There are two types of subcutaneous mites that live on cats and cause demodicosis:

• Demodex cati– long and thin, lives in the hair follicles of the animal. This type of tick is not contagious and cannot be transmitted from cats to other pets or humans;
• Demodex gatoi– short and thick, lives in the stratum corneum of the skin. Contagious, transmitted from cat to cat. It is not dangerous to other pets or humans.

The first species (Demodex cati) is a kind of “orderly”, part of the normal flora of a healthy cat’s body. But under certain conditions: animal illness, stress, decreased immunity, subcutaneous mites multiply excessively - the cat gets sick.

Both species are so small that they can only be seen under a microscope - no more than 0.5 mm. Microscopic mites feed on dead skin cells, sebaceous gland secretions, and cells from hair follicles.

Routes of infection

Ticks are not viable in the external environment (bedding, carpeting), so infection is possible exclusively through contact “from cat to cat”:

• upon contact with a sick animal;
• kittens become infected from their mother;
• intrauterine infection.

If you have several cats, you need to treat all animals in contact.

Risk group

Most often susceptible to demodicosis:

• offspring of cats with demodicosis;
• animals with weakened immune systems and autoimmune diseases;
• cats in the postoperative period;
• animals in the recovery period after infectious diseases;
• kittens and adult cats with rickets;
• animals exhausted after starvation;
• pets who have suffered severe stress;
• some breeds: Siamese, Burmese, Devon Rex, etc.

Main types of demodicosis

Depending on which species of tick causes the disease, the disease has a contagious (Demodex gatoi) or non-contagious (Demodex cati) form.

Types of pathology by degree of localization:

1. localized - one area of ​​the animal’s body is affected, sometimes several areas are affected, but there are no signs of the disease on the paws;
2. generalized - several areas on the animal’s body are affected, and the cat’s paws are involved in the process - this form is more severe than localized. Veterinarians recommend sterilizing pets who have had this form due to the high risk of inheriting the subcutaneous mite.

You can see what subcutaneous mites look like in cats in the photos presented in the article.

Symptoms

Clinical signs of pathology in cats appear gradually, and the sooner you seek help from a doctor, the higher the chances of your pet’s recovery.

• skin redness;
• the appearance of rashes in the form of nodules or small pustules;
• deterioration in the appearance of fur;
• such a characteristic symptom appears as “demodicosis glasses” - hair loss and peeling of the skin around the eyes;
• hair loss and peeling of the skin on the head, ears, neck (localized form), as well as on the legs and torso (generalized form);
• skin pigmentation disorder;
• bleeding wounds.

In the generalized form, damage to the internal organs is noted, which affects the general condition of the animal - weakness, apathy, decreased appetite, etc.

Diagnostics

To identify subcutaneous mites, scrapings are taken from the affected areas of the cat’s body (at least 4-5 samples) for further examination under a microscope.

The detection of at least one Demodex gatoi mite in a scraping gives the veterinarian the right to diagnose demodicosis. In the case of the subcutaneous mite Demodex cati, the situation is different. This mite lives on every cat. The diagnosis is made if more than 2-3 individuals are found in one scraping.

Additional research:

• biopsy;
• trichogram (hair examination).

Treatment of demodicosis in cats

The localized form of the subcutaneous mite can give remission. The inflammatory process subsides, external manifestations of pathology disappear. But without treatment, the animal cannot recover; after a month, the clinical signs of demodicosis return. The next outbreak of the disease may develop into a more severe form.

It is extremely important to diagnose the disease at an early stage in order to begin treatment in a timely manner. The treatment regimen for each cat breed may be different. Owners must be prepared for long-term therapy for their pets, which can last from six months to a year.

Treatment of localized form

The treatment regimen is prescribed by a veterinarian, taking into account the degree of damage, the age of the animal, its condition, the breed of the cat and other factors. Treatment should be comprehensive using external agents (ointment solutions) and internal ones (injections, tablets). Self-medication for such a serious illness is unacceptable.

How is localized demodicosis treated:

1. First, cats are bathed with “Doctor” (with benzoyl peroxide) or “Elite” (with chlorhexidine) shampoos to cleanse the skin of suppuration, lymph and dandruff.
2. The affected areas are treated with a solution of chlorhexidine or hydrogen peroxide to cleanse the skin layer of scabs and crusts. After treatment, the skin should be dried carefully and thoroughly.
3. If the veterinarian does not prohibit you from using the antiseptic Citeal, then this drug can be diluted with water and washed with it on the affected areas of the cat’s body, then rinsed and dried well. This procedure is performed once every 2-3 days.
4. Treating the animal with Amitraz or Butox 50 solutions (the solutions are prepared and used according to the instructions).
5. Use the skin application of Stronghold or Advocate according to the following scheme: 2-4 applications at monthly intervals to the skin in the area of ​​the cat’s shoulder blades.
6. After cleansing the affected areas of crusts, you can apply ointments, gels or liniments: sulfur ointment, Demos liniment, Amidel-gel, Ivermec-gel, Aversectin ointment.
7. As prescribed by the veterinarian, the cat is treated with Neostomazan. Before use, dilute it according to the instructions, and then treat the affected areas of the body with the resulting solution by spraying or lubricating. Animals are treated in the same way with ready-made sprays - Acaromectin, Ivermek, Tsidem, Perol.
8. After cleansing of scabs and scales, oily solutions are applied to areas with fallen hair and wounds - Mycodemocid, Tsipam, Ektodes, Amit.

Treatment of this form of subcutaneous mite must begin, first of all, with eliminating the primary disease that caused the exacerbation of demodicosis. Without this, complete recovery of the animal is impossible.

The same medications are used externally to treat demodicosis in cats as for the localized form.

Injections

Intramuscular administration of Dectomax (0.3 ml per 3.5 kg of cat weight) or Cydectin (0.4 ml single dose) is carried out strictly according to the recommendation and under the supervision of a veterinarian - these drugs are very toxic to animals.

When a secondary infection occurs, the doctor prescribes injections of antibiotics - Kanamycin, Betamox, Amoxicillin, etc.

For any form of subcutaneous mites in cats, it is necessary to use.

It is necessary to disinfect the cat's household items, from food bowls to the bed.

Folk remedies

Folk remedies for subcutaneous mites in cats used at home have not been proven effective. They can be used at the initial stage of the disease and to alleviate the cat’s condition.

1. Spot treatment or chamomile decoction 1 time every 2-3 days.
2. Treatment of affected skin with calendula tincture.
3. Local treatment of areas with kerosene, after which do not rinse or treat the skin for 2 days.
4. Bathing a cat using soap or gel containing birch tar.

Do not continue experiments with folk remedies; if the disease progresses, be sure to show the animal to a veterinarian.

Prevention of demodicosis in cats

The main preventive measure is maintaining your pet’s immunity through timely and regular, balanced, nutritious nutrition, providing the cat with vitamins and minerals.

An important role in the prevention of demodicosis in cats is played by systematic and tick control, as well as anthelmintic measures.

Are cat subcutaneous mites dangerous for humans?

But be careful, if you have several cats and one of them gets demodicosis, then it should be isolated, and the rest of the pets should be monitored in order to identify the infection in the early stages. It is best to treat all contacted animals at the same time.

A cat that “walks on its own” has the best chance of bringing in an unwanted lodger – a tick – on its fur. Moreover, it can cling to fur not only in a park or in the forest, but even in the grass near the house. Therefore, immediately after a walk, before the arachnid animal has time to find a habitat on the skin, you should definitely examine the animal’s fur coat.

Full-fed adult tick

If an arthropod is discovered, measures must be taken to remove it as quickly as possible. It is best to do this at a veterinary hospital. If this is not possible, be sure to know how to remove a tick from a cat yourself, doing it correctly.

The cat owner should always have special tools on hand to remove ticks

The tick causes severe suffering to the animal

Symptoms of the lesion

• Scratched areas, peeling skin.
• Local baldness.
• Possible increase in temperature, change in urine color.
• Loss of skin shine.
• Increased thirst against the background of decreased appetite.
• Change in eye color (pallor).
• Bloody tuberous formations on the skin, from which thick contents are released with light pressure.

How is subcutaneous mite treated?

The therapy is long-term. It must be comprehensive. It is prescribed only after an accurate diagnosis has been established. To do this, laboratory tests are carried out on scrapings from the infected area to identify the type of mite. The affected areas are treated with oil. It should be completely absorbed by the skin, which will take about 3-4 hours. The situation should be monitored to ensure that the animal does not lick the lesions. Then, as prescribed by the veterinarian, medicine is applied to the wounds. This could be one of the ointments: Saphroderm, Amitrazine, etc. In case of advanced disease, ivermectin is administered subcutaneously. At the same time, the immune system is strengthened by introducing vitamin preparations (ligfol) into the menu.

Carefully monitor the condition of your furry pet’s skin.

Scabies in cats (pathogen)

Scabies is caused by a mite that cannot be detected with the naked eye (photo of adults below). And its bite is not noticeable. The presence on the body is indicated by redness of the skin and restless behavior of the animal. The most accurate analysis is diagnosis. The scabies mite Notoedres cati affects the ears. The cat, as if trying to shake off the bloodsucker, constantly shakes its head, scratches its ear and presses it.

Scabies mites in cats are treated in the early stages with insectoacaricidal drops, following the order:

• the auricle is cleaned with an ear stick soaked in camphor alcohol;
• the medicine (“Octovedin”, “Demos”, “Okotan”) is instilled in 3 drops into each ear;
• Konkov's (Wilkinson's) ointment on an acaricidal basis is used to treat the edge of the skin around the entire affected area.

In such a situation, serious therapy will be required, otherwise the animal will die.

General rules of treatment

A reasonable question that arises if a tick is found on a cat: what to do? The algorithm boils down to the following:

After treatment, a second scraping is done. If the result is negative, treatment should be continued for another 21 days. If there are other “smaller brothers” living in the house, they also need to be treated for preventive purposes along with the sick animal. Use a special collar as an effective preventive measure.

Therapy for a cat, as well as the selection of a treatment regimen and medications for ticks, depends on the degree of neglect of the disease and its form. But it is possible for everyone to detect the source of infection in time, eliminate and diagnose it, and reduce the suffering of a beloved pet. You just need to follow all the useful recommendations.

Hungry ticks (photo below), especially if the peak of their activity has arrived, are very nimble.

They are also very small and are not afraid of anything. And only fire will stop the ixodid tick altogether.

Some people mistakenly believe that there is nothing dangerous about ticks sitting on a cat. However, it is not.

Secondly, ticks in cats can get into the ears and under the skin, making the process of finding them extremely difficult. We must not forget that ticks can “spread” from a cat to other pets and even to people (ear mites are not dangerous for humans, but they happily “spread” to healthy cats).

Types of ticks in cats and treatment

Ear mites in cats

A pet can become infected with ear mites as a result of:

• communication with a sick animal;
• contact with contaminated objects, which may include dishes, hygiene items, and bed mats.

Ear mites in cats - symptoms

Under the influence of the disease, the behavior and physical condition of the animal changes. The following signs indicate that a cat is infected with ear mites:

1. The pet behaves restlessly, constantly “shaking” its head, meowing often, clinging to the owner, tilting its head to the side.
2. To relieve the unbearable itching, the animal rubs its ears against the corners of furniture and various objects, often scratching them.
3. After some time, a purulent mass may emerge from the auricle.
4. The cat develops brown crusts inside and around the ear.

If untreated, tick symptoms in cats worsen, and the inflammation gradually affects the inner and middle ear, moving further to the meninges. This condition is indicated by such signs of ear mites in cats as:

• depressed state;
• increased body temperature;
• head curved towards the affected ear;
• seizures leading to the death of the animal.

You can prevent terrible consequences if, when the first symptoms of otodectosis appear in cats, you contact a veterinarian to prescribe treatment.

A cat has ear mites - treatment

Treatment of ear mites in cats cannot be undertaken without an accurate diagnosis, since symptoms similar to this infection are present in other diseases. The doctor will be able to check whether your suspicions regarding this disease are justified when he examines the animal’s ears using special instruments and, if necessary, conducts a microscopic examination of the ear discharge. After otodectosis is confirmed, the specialist will prescribe and carry out treatment procedures:

1. First, the ears will be cleaned by rinsing with antiseptic agents.
2. Then liquid medications are instilled using a syringe with a rubber tube (usually ear mite drops for cats, which, according to the instructions, are injected into both ears of the animal, even when only one is inflamed). In this case, it is necessary to adhere to the exact dosage of the drug, because it contains a strong poison, which in a large dose can aggravate the pet’s condition.
3. After the treatment procedure, you should massage the base of the cat’s ear.

Ixodid ticks

How to properly remove a tick from a cat?

It is extremely important to properly remove a tick from a cat. Ideally, you need to arm yourself with special tweezers, because you can crush the reptile with tweezers.

Do not pull, tear, tug, wrap, handle with bare hands, or use tweezers.

There are many prohibitions, but in reality everything is not so complicated. If you suspect that you cannot cope on your own, then seek help from a veterinarian. He knows how to properly remove ticks (photo) from cats.

Don't throw away the ticks! They are very tenacious. Collect them in a glass bottle (for example, left over from penicillin or some other drugs, a jar of baby food will do).

Subcutaneous mites in cats

It is worth noting that a person can also become infected with demodicosis through contact with a sick animal! Alopecia, acne, and inflamed red areas appear on the skin. The cat itches, “cries”, worries. Therefore, it is necessary to be extremely careful in “communicating” with stray or “suspicious-looking” animals.

Try not to let your pet go for a walk alone, do not let him “get acquainted” with other animals so that your cat does not become infected.

The incubation period of demodicosis can last for years!

In addition to demodicosis, notoedrosis may occur - this disease is caused by scabies mites, which are also localized under the skin. Of course, the symptoms will be similar to the clinical signs of scabies:

• hair loss;
• anxiety.

You should be extremely careful, it is better to contact your veterinarian for help.

Treating cats for ticks at home

Anti-tick drops for cats

Medicine in the form of drops is very common, as it is one of the safest and most affordable. It is used not only to combat infection, but also to prevent otodectosis.

The course of treatment begins with the use of an emulsion, the fundamental component of which is Fipronil, Fenthion or Permethrin. The product must be rubbed into the skin of the withers and make sure that the animal cannot lick it off until it is completely absorbed.

To treat ear mites in cats, the following brands of drops are usually used:

1. Celandine (the active ingredients of the drug are Fipronil and Permethrin).
2. Biafar (differs from other drops by the presence of a natural component based on margose, which destroys insects).
3. Leopard (the main component is Permethrin) is low toxic for cats, which explains its popularity.
4. Frontline (the active ingredient of the drug is Fipronil) is effective against ear mites and their carriers - fleas.

Anti-tick collar for cats

• simplicity and ease of use;
• safety for the cat;
• efficiency of application.

A high-quality flea and tick collar for cats is the best choice for the treatment and prevention of otodecosis. When choosing a product, pay attention to its characteristics:

1. A quality product is always sealed in a foil bag.
2. The collar should be intended only for cats (also separately for kittens and for pregnant or lactating pets).
3. The material should not contain: Permethrin, Amitraz and organic phosphates.

Prevention

There is no vaccination against ticks! The salvation will be the special collars described above, drops on the withers. Ideally, you should refrain from walking through the forested area during the period of greatest tick activity (April-June, August-October). If there are disadvantaged places in your city, then do not go near them.

Before letting your pet into the house, carefully comb out the entire skin with a fine comb, inspect the belly, chest, paws, and ears. If you have combed out ticks, do not leave them on your doorstep. Otherwise they will stick to someone. On shoes or clothes they will enter someone's home (and maybe yours again).