Undoubtedly, pets are full members of the family. They bring us joy, we look after them, feed and play with furry friends. But it so happens that our furry friend becomes lethargic and sad. Of course, we are worried about what could happen. Next, we will talk about one of the ailments - about problems with ears in cats. Let's dwell on this issue in more detail.
Symptoms of Ear Problems
You can notice any ailment by looking at the behavior of the animal.
The following symptoms can tell about problems with the ears of a kitten:
· A kitten can shake with ears;
· Tighten your ears;
· Comb the inner surface of the ear;
When examining the auricle, redness, dirt, sores are noticeable;
Problems with the ears may be accompanied by a pungent odor;
· The cat does not touch the ears;
· Possible manifestation of aggression.
It should be understood that periodic scratching of the ears without any accompanying symptoms is not necessarily a disease. Kitten cleans ears, what to do? If a kitten scratches his ears, then perhaps he just cleans them of pollution, this process is laid down by nature. In this case, nothing should be done. But if, for example, scratches are noticeable behind the ear, then it is better to consult a veterinarian. So, you noticed that the kitten scratches its ears, let's figure out the reasons.
Causes of Cat's Ear Itch
There may be several reasons for the appearance of itching in the ears of cats. If a kitten scratches his ears, then the first step is to inspect the auricle. The choice of the necessary treatment depends on this. Please note that the selection of medicines is best entrusted to the veterinarian.
1. The most common problem with kittens' ears is an ear tick or, in a scientific way, otodectosis. Otodectosis refers to parasitic diseases. It is important to know that with advanced forms of the disease, cats may experience hearing loss, since the ear tick extends deep into the ear. The ear tick gives the animal tangible discomfort, because the parasite bites through the skin in order to saturate the blood and lymph. Because of this, blood appears in the pet’s ear. Identifying an infection is fairly simple. Upon examination of the ear, a dark brown coating resembling crusts will be visible.
These crusts consist of a large number of small grains.
In case of damage to the auricle with a tick, it is necessary to systematically clean the ears. Using a cotton swab dipped in an ear cleaner, gently remove all crusts, ticks, and deposits.
After this procedure, the surface of the ear should be clean. Further, special ear drops are instilled into the ear. This is done in order to expel parasites from the deeper part of the ear. After administering the medicine, it is better to massage the ear for several seconds so that the medicine reaches the target and is evenly distributed on the surface.
It often happens that several cats live in an apartment. In this case, in order to prevent infection with an ear tick, ear cleaning is necessary for all pets. These hygiene procedures should be observed not only if the animal is walking on the street, but even if the animal does not visit the street. After all, the owner can bring parasites from the street, for example, on shoes.
2. Another cause of itching in the ears can be a sarcopid mite. It differs from an ordinary tick in that it affects not only the auricle, but also the nose with eyes. If you do not start treatment on time, the tick can spread throughout the body and thereby cause a breakdown of the nervous system. Symptoms include dry skin, cracks and bleeding of the wounds. For the treatment of this disease, a comprehensive approach is needed, increasing immunity and, possibly, prescribing antibiotics in case of suppuration of wounds.
3. Another reason is the suppuration of the wounds - an abscess. This disease can develop if the infection is wounded or scratched. Often this happens if, for example, a cat in a country house had a fight with another representative of her species. An abscess is a swelling filled with pus. In this case, a visit to a veterinarian is simply necessary. The doctor will open the inflammation, remove pus, treat it with anti-inflammatory drugs, fill the wound with ointment. Subsequently, the owners will have to ensure that the pet does not comb it, a special collar can help with this.
4. Otitis or inflammation of the middle ear is found not only in humans, but also in animals. A variety of untreated diseases can lead to inflammation:
Infection
Injuries
Hypothermia or water entering the ear canal;
Ear mite;
Any foreign body in the ear canal.
Treatment of otitis media should be performed as directed by the veterinarian. With otitis media, antibiotics are prescribed. In difficult cases, surgery may be necessary to drain the fluid from the inner ear.
5. Various dermatitis can also lead to itchy ears in kittens. For an accurate diagnosis and treatment selection, it will be necessary to take a scraping from the surface of the skin. Dermatoses affect not only the surface of the ear, but can also pass to all skin integuments, hair loss is possible.
6. The most harmless of all causes is a hematoma. Hematoma may occur
as a result of any injury to the auricle. The ear becomes red or blue, there is a swelling. In this case, you can make a cold compress
and a bandage. There are also ointments for bruises that help speed up the process of resorption of hematomas. However, with a severe form of hematoma, the treatment is carried out by a veterinarian.
7. Itching can cause allergies. To determine the allergens, tests are taken, a diet is subsequently prescribed, and recommendations are given on the results of the tests.
In this article, we examined the main reasons why a kitten scratches its ears. It must be remembered that regular hygiene procedures will prevent the development of a large number of diseases. And the correct treatment of an existing disease will eliminate the occurrence of complications. Be attentive to your pets.
