ok so i just treated my cat for ear mites and i wanna know how do u know when they are dead and eliminated...cause i just checked my cats ears and instead of the wet fuild kinda brown ears mites and stuff it was dry and flaky so i took it all out and her ears look alot better and shes showing no sign of shakeing of the head or of her ear bothering her...yeah is it a good sign or what???
2007-01-24 07:38:35 · 10 answers · asked by Pretty Smiles 1 in Pets ➔ Cats
That is definitely a good sign. As long as you followed your vets instructions on how long to give the medication she'll be fine. Just continue to clean her ears on a regular basis and check on them to make sure she doesn't have a recurrence. Also as long as she's kept on a monthly flea and tick medication (Frontline) this will prevent them from coming back. Here's a website with some more information:
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=1&cat=1334&articleid=733
2007-01-24 07:45:32 · answer #1 · answered by dolfingrrl928 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
How are Ear mites treated?
One of the biggest causes of treatment failure is not removing the exudate BEFORE applying the medication. Every bit of the black, crusty exudate must be removed from the ear canal before any medication will work. This is best accomplished by gently flushing the ear canal using an ear bulb (available from drug stores). Mix up a solution of warm water and liquid dishwashing detergent (just enough detergent to slightly color the water) and fill the ear bulb. The tip of the bulb is held loosely in the ear and the water/soap solution is gently squeezed in allowing it to bubble out carrying the debris (Never block the free passage of the solution out of the ear or you could rupture the ear drum). This process is repeated three or four times until the ears are clean. The ears are then rinsed with warm, clear water and dried. Q-tips are not recommended because they carry the dirtiest contamination deeper into the canal making the infection worse. If you do not feel comfortable cleaning the ear, you should consult your veterinarian.
Ear mite medications commonly contain a pyrethrin insecticide and vehicle such as mineral oil. These medications can be purchased across-the-counter from many pet stores or veterinary hospitals.
Since ear mites are easily passed from one pet to another by close contact, ALL animals in the household must be treated at the same time to ensure success.
A second reason for treatment failure is not treating long enough. The treatment schedule that has worked for me over the years is as follows:
All ear exudate is cleaned from the ear canal.
Ear mite medication is instilled deeply into the ear canal and massaged thoroughly to disperse. As you massage, a "gooshy" sound should be heard as the medication is dispersed. The medication is applied once a day for three days in a row.
A week is allowed to pass without treatment.
The ears are cleaned again and the medication is applied once a day for three more days.
Another week is allowed to pass without treatment.
The ears are cleaned and the medication is applied once a day for a final three days.
The reason for this schedule is to interrupt the entire life-cycle. Each week more eggs will hatch and new mites will colonize the ear. By the end of the third week we have killed all stages of the ear mite life-cycle and we should see no more problems. Occasionally, if bacterial or fungal infections have caused damage to the ear canal, an antibiotic or antifungal cream or ointment may need to be used.
Can people get Ear Mites?
No, and thank God for that. Can you imagine trying to sleep with bugs crawling around inside your head? Just remember to clean the ears thoroughly BEFORE treatment and treat long enough and it should be easy to rid your pet of these common pests.
2007-01-24 15:44:29 · answer #2 · answered by mystedmoonbeams 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Ear mites are a funny thing you may get them the first time other times you have to treat and treat. If you have removed the brown flaky stuff sounds like you got them. Just watch for shaking or digging from the cat other than that I wouldn't be too worried.
2007-01-24 15:43:02 · answer #3 · answered by Trinity 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
How many times did you treat the ears with the medicine? As long as you completed the recommended medication cycle, the cat should be OK. Still you need to clean the ears out regularly to make sure the mites don't come back.
2007-01-24 15:45:29 · answer #4 · answered by pharmtech1 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
i hate ear mites! one of my cats had them. its a good sign that her ears dont seem to bother her anymore but id still keep an eye on them. might want to clean her ears out and keep treating it for a couple more days.
2007-01-24 15:43:58 · answer #5 · answered by ayon_rose_avorymoon 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
i would think its a good sign. whenever you hold your cat, check its ears. we used to use baby oil to clean our dogs ears. just put a lil on a cloth and rub the inside of the ears. DON'T DIG in its ears, just wipe the inside of the ears.
2007-01-24 15:42:23 · answer #6 · answered by Joannie W 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
yes but i would probably wipe the inside of the ear with a warm washcloth just to get all the gunk out of there
2007-01-24 17:19:57 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes this means that they could be under control but you will want to keep watching because they could come back again!
2007-01-24 17:10:56 · answer #8 · answered by Amanda B 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i guess so
but dont give up on the medication!!! until ure vet asks u to
2007-01-24 15:42:49 · answer #9 · answered by *dj's gurl* 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I don't know, but I would ask a vet.
2007-01-24 15:41:41 · answer #10 · answered by ? 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋