Are ear mites in cats dangerous for humans?

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Otodectosis is a very unpleasant disease caused by the appearance of ear mites in an animal. It happens quite often in pets, mainly cats and dogs. Other animals also suffer from it - for example, foxes and other fur-bearing animals. The question of whether ear mites in cats are dangerous for humans worries many owners who have encountered the disease in their pet.

What a parasite is, how an animal is infected, what symptoms are typical, and whether the disease is transmitted to humans is important to know for everyone who has dogs or cats in their home.

Are ear mites in cats dangerous for humans?

Having diagnosed otodectosis in a pet, people ask a lot of burning questions. First of all, they are interested in whether this tick is transmitted to humans and what harm it can cause to a pet.

Cats very often have direct contact with apartment residents: they climb onto beds, sleep with their owners, and come into contact with them during the day.

Small children communicate closely with furry pets : they squeeze them for a long time, stroke them, and carry them in their arms. Therefore, the concern that the child could become infected from sick kittens is quite natural.

Fortunately, these fears have no basis - ear mites are not transmitted from pets to people. There are parasites that settle in the human ear canal, but they get into the house in a completely different way.

These insects are brought by tourists from hot countries : Thailand, Nepal, India. Large insects can be seen with the naked eye; they live in the ear canal for a limited time and are easily removed with an oil solution.

Another thing is the pets themselves. Ticks are transmitted quickly between animals; a single contact is sufficient.

In nature, there is a scabies mite that can be transmitted from person to pet and vice versa. However, this parasite does not penetrate the ear canals.

Prevention

When pets suffer from these parasites, not only the animals, but also their owners experience stress; it is better to avoid such situations and prevent the onset of the disease. To do this, you need to take preventive measures:

keep the house clean;
limit contact between your pet cat and any other animals;
treat the cat with protective agents against ticks and other parasites;
Regularly inspect your cat's ears for signs of parasites;
maintain animal hygiene, treat your pet’s ears with a special lotion;
Do not use household items from other cats.

Following these simple rules can protect your pet from ear mite infection. Based on the above, it can be noted that the risk of human infection with cat ear mites is minimal, but this disease can lead to unpleasant health consequences not only for the animal, but also for its owners, due to the possibility of allergic reactions and violation of sanitary conditions in living space as a result of the cat’s illness.

In any case, a sick pet is a source of infection, which can be dangerous to human health. Presumably, it is the cat ear mite that can cause allergies in people. Symptoms of a mite allergy manifest themselves in the form of itching, redness of the skin, swelling and cough. Therefore, if a person experiences allergic reactions while a domestic cat is suffering from ear scabies, he should urgently consult a doctor and immediately begin treating the pet.

Danger of ticks to humans

Since cat ear mites are not transmitted to humans, humans are not at risk of hearing loss as a result of the parasite. However, if the insect gets on the surface of the skin, the victim may experience some discomfort.

The ear mite bites through the upper layer of the epidermis, causing itching, redness or even inflammation if the skin is particularly sensitive.

After some time, the symptoms disappear and do not appear again. The situation does not require specialized treatment or medical intervention.

An exception may be people with a pronounced allergic reaction. Itching, redness, and inflammation are much more noticeable in them than in others.

By scratching the skin, the victim can get an infection, which can lead to complications, in particular, it can lead to external otitis.

However, despite the widespread distribution of the parasite in domestic animals, cases of attacks on humans are rare. In fact, the only thing that ear mites are dangerous for people is short-term discomfort.

Prevention and treatment

If symptoms of ear mites appear, it is recommended to contact a veterinarian, he will make a scraping, make a correct diagnosis and prescribe medication. Otodectosis can be easily cured by cleaning the ears and instilling specialized ear drops. Inflammation and itching are relieved with antihistamines and ointments. As a preventive measure, it is recommended that a cat owner adhere to the following recommendations:

carefully inspect your pet's ears;
If necessary, immediately contact a veterinarian;
protect the interaction of domestic animals with street animals;
upon arriving home after direct contact with stray cats, you must wash your own clothes and shoes, wash your hands well with soap;
disinfect the cat's sleeping and resting areas.

The disease must be treated according to the regimen prescribed by the veterinarian with medications in the form of ointments, drops, powders and sprays. Traditional methods of treatment can be used. So, you can drop a couple of drops of sunflower oil into the animal’s sore ear with a pipette, always warm, and repeat the procedure until all symptoms disappear completely. But it is better to seek professional help from a veterinarian.

What does an ear mite infestation look like?

In order to navigate in time and choose the appropriate treatment method, it is necessary to diagnose the disease in a timely manner.

At the initial stage, this is quite problematic; the only thing the owner can notice is redness and swelling on the inside of the ear and slight restlessness of the animal.

After a few days, the first signs of damage appear - brown crusts that look like dried dirt or grains of coffee. If you clean them with a cotton swab, they quickly form again.

As the population develops and the number of insects increases, the following symptoms appear:

The animal behaves restlessly, constantly scratches its ears, and rubs them on the furniture.
The fur in the ear area becomes wet and sticks together.
The cat tilts its head to the side, shaking it, trying to get rid of the tick.
Discharge in the ear has an unpleasant rotting smell.
Crusts, wounds, and scabs form on the head.
As a result of the chronic inflammatory process, liquid discharge appears, which dries to form brown crusts.
Body temperature rises.
Hearing is impaired, the cat stops responding to loud sounds, and does not respond to its name.
Seizures begin if the disease reaches the membranes of the brain.

It is quite difficult to detect insects during visual inspection - the size of an ear mite does not exceed 0.5 mm. Only a veterinarian can diagnose the disease.

Causes and symptoms of infection

An animal can become infected with cat ear mites in the following ways:

By domestic means, that is, through bowls, toys, bedding of an infected animal.
Lack of hygiene, if you do not regularly monitor the cleanliness of your pet, then favorable conditions will be created in its ears for the existence and development of mites.
By contact, if a healthy animal is in direct contact with a patient with ear scabies.
This type of tick can be carried by flies and fleas, as well as by people on their clothes and shoes.
Naturally. While walking outside, there is a possibility that the cat may be attacked by a parasite.

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It is not difficult to notice that an animal has become infected with a tick, since this disease has pronounced symptoms:

the cat constantly scratches its ears, tilts its head to the side, rubs its ear against the wall or other objects;
meows nervously, shakes his head;
copious amounts of earwax appear in the cat’s ears;
the animal becomes tired and lethargic, body temperature rises, appetite disappears;
there may be pus discharge from the ears.

All these terrible symptoms are caused by the fact that the parasite, settling in the auricle, damages the internal tissues, reaching the ear canal and eardrum. These actions of the parasite cause severe itching, which can drive the animal into a state of madness. Therefore, if these symptoms are noticed in your pet, you should immediately contact a veterinarian. Otherwise, if this disease is neglected, at best the animal may lose its hearing.

Ear scabies in cats are treated according to the regimen prescribed by the veterinarian, using special preparations in the form of ointments, drops, aerosols, powders and sprays. People also use folk remedies to treat pets.

For example, using a pipette, a few drops of warm sunflower oil are dripped into the affected ear of a cat, and similar actions are repeated until the symptoms disappear. In this case, it is better not to risk your pet’s health and seek qualified help.

Treatment

If diagnosed in a timely manner, treatment will take about 6–7 days.

As a rule, to get rid of a tick, the following manipulations are performed::

clean the ears with cotton swabs using antiseptic preparations. Before treatment begins, the crusts and earwax are softened.
The ear canals are treated with drops, medicinal ointments or sprays that destroy the parasites themselves.
To speed up recovery and recovery, general strengthening drugs are used.

Antibiotics are not prescribed at the initial stages; they can be prescribed by a doctor if a secondary infection has entered the body and infection has begun. To increase the therapeutic effect, the drugs are mixed with painkillers and injected into the base of the ear.

Decomposition products, being absorbed into the blood, cause intoxication of the body. To quickly remove toxins, cats are given injections of saline solution, 5% glucose.

If the disease has been advanced, hearing will not be restored immediately, but only after 2 months.

How to get rid of scabies in a cat?

To protect yourself and your loved ones, at the first signs of scabies mites in cats, you should visit a veterinary clinic. After a complete examination of the animal, the veterinarian prescribes treatment:

Injections: “Amirtrazine”, “Novomek”, “Baymek”;
For external use, special solutions: “Stomazan”, “Butox”;
Applying sea buckthorn oil to the skin;
To strengthen the immune system "Immunoparazitan".

Thus, you will not only help the animal get rid of an unpleasant disease, but also reduce the chances of infecting your family members.

Ear scabies

There is another type of disease - otodectosis (ear scabies). When otodectosis affects the auricle and auditory canal. In advanced cases, the disease can spread to the inner ear. Ear scabies is not transmitted to humans. Symptoms of the disease are:

the animal scratches its ear furiously and shakes its head;
a brownish discharge appears from the auricle, similar to finely crushed asphalt;
the ear is always hot to the touch and red;
the sore ear is always down.

Otodectosis is not transmitted to people, but it negatively affects the health of the animal.

Sometimes the tick pierces the eardrum and the process spreads to the middle ear. Complications include otitis media, hematomas of the auricle (when the cat injures the subcutaneous blood vessels when scratching). In an advanced stage, inflammation can spread to the brain (meningitis). This is expressed in neuroepileptic seizures and leads to the death of the animal.

Are ear mites contagious to pets?

Otodectosis is a highly contagious disease. A cat can pick up the parasite without even having contact with a sick animal. Trying to get rid of ear mites, pets scratch the wounds, rub their heads against objects, leaving microscopic insects on them.

The parasite can live for about 25 days without food, so all objects touched by a sick animal can become a potential source of infection.

The prerequisites for the development of the disease are:

long, drooping ears, which make natural cleaning difficult.
General weakening of the immune system.
Abundance of fur in the ears.

Most often, small kittens under 1 year of age and older individuals are susceptible to the disease. In the younger generation, the immune system has not yet been formed, while in older cats, on the contrary, it is weakened.

The main source of infection is animals living outside. Up to 80% of homeless pets suffer from otodectosis. The source of infection can be not only cats, but also other furry animals, for example, ferrets, martens, foxes.

An adult can be picked up through direct contact; a larva or egg can be brought from the street.

Subcutaneous mite

Subcutaneous mites in cats are a rather serious disease. It is possible to make an accurate diagnosis and, accordingly, prescribe the correct treatment only after identifying the specific type of this parasite. All currently known species can cause the following diseases in animals:

Sarcoptic mange;
Notoedrosis;
Demodectic mange;
Cheyletiellosis;
Thrombiculosis.

Sarcoptic mange occurs predominantly in dogs, and thrombiculosis has never been observed in animals in the CIS countries. Demodectic mange occurs quite rarely in cats, but is a serious disease due to long-term treatment (more than 6 months). So, if the first symptoms of the disease are detected, you can get help in a short time.

Causes of infection

There are many reasons why a pet can become infected. The main and most common is contact with a sick animal. Do not forget that a person can carry a tick on himself. A cat can contract the disease after interacting with other people's cats or dogs. Pets living in unsanitary conditions and not receiving enough vitamins and minerals are also prone to illness. The high-risk group includes older cats, animals with similar skin diseases, untreated pets, and pets with weakened immune systems.

Symptoms of subcutaneous mites

First of all, pustular rashes appear on the pet’s skin, peeling of the skin occurs, its irritation occurs, as a result of which the cat feels discomfort and itching and begins to itch constantly. In areas affected by rashes, it begins to form small bald patches. If these symptoms are not dangerous for humans, then the appearance of dandruff in a pet can have negative consequences for the owner who has been in contact with the sick animal. As the disease progresses and there is no treatment, the cat becomes lethargic, the fur fades and falls out. At the same time, the skin acquires a pearlescent hue and is unevenly covered with purulent blisters. This happens because the tick leaves its waste products under the skin, making new passages. A unique way to identify a tick, a method that allows you to make sure that you have demodicosis, is to compress a fold of skin on all sides in a place with a pearly tint. If the result is a tick with 4 claws and a long narrow body, it must be pulled out. And immediately take the cat to the veterinary clinic.

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After identifying a specific type of tick using scraping, individual treatment is prescribed, including injections, vitamins, drops, and rubbing. It is also recommended to bathe your pet using a special anti-dermatitis shampoo. After bathing, apply regular oil (linseed, olive) to the affected areas. Wait until the oil is completely absorbed - about 6 hours. Be sure to ensure that your pet does not lick damaged areas of the skin. After the oil has dried, you should treat your pet’s skin with medications prescribed by the veterinarian. These can be ointments: amidel-gel, saphroderm, cythioate, amitrazine; as well as various rubbings or preparations purchased at the pharmacy for people, for example, sulfur ointment. In addition, you should give your pet vitamins and immuno-boosting drugs. It is necessary to feed your pet a balanced diet and provide mineral water so that the cat can quickly regain its strength.

Remember - only a qualified doctor can make a correct diagnosis, so in no case should you self-medicate! All the above information is provided for informational purposes only!

How to treat subcutaneous mites in cats at home photo

It happens that owners notice small purulent wounds on the pet’s body, hair loss in the areas where rashes appear, the release of ichor from pimples, as well as the appearance of itching, characterized by constant scratching. Someone believes that it was just fleas that bit him, while others immediately begin to panic and run to the pharmacy for all kinds of acaricidal drugs. To begin with, it is worth determining what is happening to the animal, having the scrapings examined in a veterinary clinic, and only then treating it. If the diagnosis is made - subcutaneous, you need to figure out what it is. And those who have not encountered a similar problem need to know the symptoms of the disease, methods of detection and treatment.

Don't neglect prevention

It is easier to prevent a disease than to treat an illness. This needs to be done before going into the forest. It is known that May, June, early July, and then September and up to November are considered the most likely period to “catch” bloodsuckers. Therefore, tick-borne encephalitis is also called “spring-summer”. Equipment should hide exposed areas of the body as much as possible. Considering that ticks like to live where the skin is most delicate (armpits, neck, groin, head, etc.), overalls are preferred for clothing. For shoes - high boots. On your head - a scarf or thick hat. It is also better to hide your hands in gloves. It is better to arrange a resting place in a sunny meadow, away from thickets of tall grass, bushes, trees and from water. It is necessary to conduct regular examinations of the body and clothing.

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Tick removal products will help you carry out the procedure correctly

Although the risk of infection will be much reduced, vaccination against encephalitis ticks is also necessary for prevention purposes. Moreover, it is done three times: in October, March and a year later. Subsequent vaccinations are carried out every three years. Vaccinations are also given to children, but only after consultation with a pediatrician.

If a tick is found firmly embedded in the skin, during a hike, the optimal means of removing it may be an ordinary thick thread. Having built a noose, they throw a homemade noose on the bloodsucker right under the proboscis. Having firmly grasped the body with a thread (but so as not to crush it!), you should lightly swing it from side to side, while simultaneously pulling it up, perpendicular to the person’s body. After several manipulations, the parasite will loosen its grip and can be removed from the wound unharmed.

Attention! If the parasite was nevertheless removed from the body on your own or in a medical facility, you need to treat the wound with alcohol, cologne, tincture (alcohol) or other antiseptic. Even in the absence of obvious signs of the disease, it is worth observing an infectious disease specialist for a month.

Do not neglect preventive measures and vaccination. The oxide encephalitis mite is extremely dangerous - the consequences of the bite can last a lifetime. The price of health cannot be compared with the cost of the same not too cheap vaccine. Sometimes a microscopic mite can cause big trouble. And in some cases, its bite takes a person’s life.

Encephalitis tick in nature

Treatment of scabies

Diagnosis is based on clinical manifestations. People and animals are treated only under the supervision of specialists: a person - with a dermatologist, a cat - with a veterinarian. The cat should be shown to a parasitologist and, if necessary, tested. After all, scabies in animals can resemble ringworm. The medications and dosage in both cases are prescribed by the doctor.

Today, many drugs are produced for scabies mites. These are ointments, emulsions, lotions. These include Permethrin, Crotamion, Lindane Lotion, Benzyl Benzoate emulsion, and products that contain tar or sulfur. As a rule, a person’s disease subsides in 2 or 3 doses. You can also use folk remedies as auxiliaries (after consulting with your doctor).

For example, mix bay leaf with butter and rub it on your skin. Severe itching will be soothed by barley decoction, which is poured over the patient. Or mix a teaspoon of turpentine with a tablespoon of butter and lubricate the areas affected by mites.