Brown plaque in a cat's ears: what it may indicate. Ear mites in cats: symptoms, how to treat them at home, photo

What should you do if your cat's ears are itchy and black? Inexperienced owners cats are often mistaken, mistaking black or brown plaque in their pet’s ears for earwax or dirt. Some simply make no attempt to get rid of it, others simply clean the “dirt” with a cotton swab. In fact, if a cat has black ears, then this is a clear sign of a disease called “otodecosis.” It is caused by microscopic mites. In this case, it is necessary to urgently take treatment measures.

The second name for this common disease in cats and dogs is ear scabies. An animal suffering from this disease experiences very severe discomfort, and also scratches his ears until they bleed.

How to tell if a cat has ear mites

An attentive owner always notices the fact that the behavior of his cat has changed. Timely identification of the problem can protect your pet from serious health problems. If you notice black in your cat's ears, then carefully monitor your pet to identify the following symptoms.

Firstly: pay attention to internal state pet. Infected cats become lethargic and even lose interest in their favorite food and games. The animal may become aggressive and avoid touching, especially the ears.

Secondly: the cat’s ears begin to become covered with a black coating, which resembles appearance dried up coffee grounds. Blackness in the ears of cats is difficult to remove. In addition, she has bad smell. IN individual situations Bloody or purulent discharge may appear.

Thirdly: the cat constantly scratches its ears, sometimes tearing them until they bleed. She can also keep her head slightly tilted to the side at all times.

If the disease is very advanced and has become chronic, then dried crusts or powder similar to dirt may periodically fall out of the cat’s ears. In any case, it is necessary to take your pet to an appointment with a veterinarian.

Treatment of otodecosis

Final accurate diagnosis Only a doctor can diagnose an animal. He will take a scraping from the cat’s ear - a sample of black plaque and, based on its analysis, will identify the source of the disease and the pathogen.

Depending on the animal’s age, stage of ear disease, health status and other individual characteristics, the veterinarian will prescribe a course of treatment for the pet. At mild form diseases, these can be special drops that need to be regularly instilled into the ears. In chronic or advanced stages of the disease, antibiotics, painkillers and other drugs can be used.

If a cat has black ears inside, then they can be treated at home. Available in pet stores and veterinary pharmacies a wide range of products that help successfully eliminate microscopic mites. During treatment, your pet should be given especially nutritious food and vitamins to strengthen its weakened immune system.

The incubation period for ear mites is 21 days. Therefore, during treatment, it is better to isolate a sick animal from other pets. Its habitat should be thoroughly disinfected.

If you detect the symptoms of ear mites in your cat in time, the animal will very soon recover and regain its strength. Otherwise he may start serious problems with the hearing organs, and in some cases the pet may lose it completely.

Brown plaque in a cat's ears may indicate simple pollution or be a symptom of a serious illness. Inexperienced owners of meowing pets very often do not pay attention to the appearance of a brown or black mass in the animal’s ears or simply remove it with ordinary cotton swabs. Such reckless behavior by a cat owner can lead to dire consequences.

Brown, dry plaque that turns into a sticky, dark, smelly mass that resembles coffee grounds can occur for several reasons. Regardless of the nature of the occurrence, the presence of an increasing volume of dirty brown substance in the ears is fraught with the occurrence of otitis media and the death of the cat.

The main causes of brown plaque in the ears pet:

  • ingress of water or foreign body into the ear canal;
  • severe hypothermia;
  • old sulfur plug;
  • head injury;
  • bites, scratches;
  • auricle;
  • infectious diseases.

Ear pathologies can occur in any cat, so it is recommended to periodically practice ear hygiene and monitor the health of the auricle.

Most often, provoking factors for the development of the disease are:

  • insufficient care;
  • keeping in damp, cold rooms or in a draft;
  • poor quality feeding;
  • chronic and acute infectious and non-communicable diseases;
  • weaning;
  • and microelements;
  • puberty;
  • genetic predisposition;
  • oncology;
  • exhaustion;
  • hormonal disorders;
  • decreased immunity;
  • heredity.

Diseases accompanied by the appearance of brown plaque in a cat’s ears

The most common diseases accompanied by the appearance of brown plaque in the ears of a pet are otodectosis and otitis media. Both pathologies are deadly, but timely detection and contacting a specialist can be treated quite successfully.

Otodectosis

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Tick ​​bites and scratches that occur when a cat scratches its ears contribute to the addition of a secondary infection and the development of otitis media. IN advanced cases perforation occurs eardrum

, penetration of pathogenic microflora into the meninges and death of the animal.

  • Characteristic symptoms:
  • a dark brown or black coating that resembles coffee grounds in both ears;
  • dried crusts, scabs, wounds and scratches;
  • unpleasant odor from the ears;
  • restless behavior: the cat shakes its head, furiously scratches its ears until they bleed, rubs its ears against objects;
  • painful reaction of the pet to ear cleaning;
  • suppuration and erosion in the ears;
  • loss of appetite, lethargy;
  • increased body temperature;
  • crooked head - the cat lowers its ears to the floor;

convulsions and spasms due to perforation of the eardrum and penetration of infection into the meninges.

Important! Otodectosis is a highly contagious disease, so all pets need to be treated. The diagnosis is confirmed by a veterinary specialist when the pathogen is detected in secretions from the ears. The prognosis for otodectosis directly depends on the time the cat owner goes to the veterinary clinic and the advanced stage of the disease. Initial stages diseases are treated quite successfully, with inflammation meninges

It is not always possible to save a pet.

Otitis It's called ear inflammation. Depending on the location of the inflammatory focus, one-sided and bilateral otitis media

, the course of the disease can be acute and chronic. Cats of all ages are susceptible to the disease, regardless of their care and living conditions.

Important! Most often, otitis media occurs due to hypothermia in a cat after bathing and being wet for a long time in a draft or cold room.

  • The main causes of otitis externa are:
  • hypothermia;
  • old sulfur plugs;
  • hair growth in the ear;
  • ear injuries;
  • ear mite;
  • foreign body;
  • dermatitis of the auricle;
  • infections.

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Towards development inflammatory process on average and inner ear lead:

  • otitis externa;
  • otodectosis;
  • neoplasm;
  • head injury;
  • rupture of the eardrum;
  • infections.

Outer, middle and internal otitis have different clinical picture and current. If, with inflammation of the outer ear, superficial changes are more often observed, leading to necrosis of the ear cartilages, then damage to the inner and middle ear is characterized by internal degenerative changes with damage to the auditory ossicles and meninges, severe course with the manifestation of neurological symptoms.

Symptoms of external otitis:

  • dark brown plaque in the ears;
  • unpleasant odor;
  • skin redness;
  • slight increase in body temperature.

When the inflammatory focus is localized in the outer and middle ear, the following clinical picture is observed:

  • refusal of food;
  • squelching sounds from the ear;
  • high body temperature;
  • oppression;
  • aggression when pressing on the sore ear;
  • torticollis;
  • , convulsions;
  • discharge of pus.

Treatment for any type of otitis should be immediate. Diagnosis of the disease and treatment of the pathology should be carried out by a veterinary specialist; in advanced cases, the pet must be treated in a hospital setting.

Special cases

Sometimes brown plaque in the ears of a furry pet is not a symptom of otitis media or otodectosis. Special cases of the appearance of a brown mass in a cat’s ears include: plaque in only one ear, a sharp nauseating odor from the ears and elevated department sulfur.

Plaque in only one ear

If dark plaque is found in only one ear, and the cat does not refuse food, itching, apathy and redness of the skin, this is simple contamination. The problem is solved by simply soaking it in a cleansing lotion. The next day, you need to check for dirt in the ear. At reappearance brown mass, you need to contact a specialist.

Pungent, nauseating odor from the ears

Simultaneously with the formation of brown plaque, a sharp unpleasant odor from the ears most often indicates the development of otodectosis or otitis media. In particular cases, a combination of these symptoms is observed with suppuration in the ears, head injury, neoplasm, etc. A veterinarian should be involved in identifying the cause of brown plaque and unpleasant odor.

When the owner sees a black coating in a cat’s ears, as a rule, he does not pay attention to it at first. special attention. On occasion, they simply try to do standard things to the animal. hygiene procedures, cleaning the ears with cotton swabs. However, often you have to deal not with ordinary dust and dirt, but rather serious illness- otodectosis, provoked by ear mites. Causes and methods of treatment for ear scabies(second name) will be discussed below.

First of all, cats with weakened immune systems are at risk, especially when kept in a crowded environment, as well as kittens under one year of age. The disease is considered highly contagious and can be transmitted to other pets, although in rare cases.

The tick cannot be seen with the naked eye due to its very small size. It can only be seen under a magnifying glass or microscope by taking a smear from the affected area. The insect has an average size of 0.2-0.7 mm in length, a short body of pale yellow color and elongated limbs.

Possible complications

In the absence of treatment or insufficient therapy, otodectosis can develop various complications. For example:

  • Inflammation of the middle ear
  • Meningitis
  • Tympanic septal rupture
  • Necrosis of the auricle

Characteristic symptoms

The animal cannot say in words what exactly is bothering it, so it expresses its discomfort through various behavioral actions. In the case of ticks, these will be the following symptoms:

  • In a desire to get rid of constant itching, the cat looks for hard, stable pieces of furniture to rub its head on, or “sticks” to door frames, corners and steps.
  • Dark brown and brown liquid oozes from the combed ears. An unpleasant odor appears. The pile in the lower area of ​​the ear tassels sticks together.
  • Partial or complete loss of hearing is observed.
  • Body temperature increases slightly.

Important: in order not to blur the clinical picture, it is not advisable to carry out any hygiene procedures before visiting the veterinarian. You should also refrain from instilling drops or applying any ointments.

Treatment options

  • Drops. Most often, the following drugs are prescribed: Tresaderm, Ivomec, Bars, Amitrazine Plus, Otoferonol Gold, Tsipam. The advantage of using Tresaderm is that the antibiotic included in its composition affects not only the adult tick, but also its eggs, and also fights fungi and other infectious inflammations. The drug Ivomec can be prescribed in the form of injections and injected into the animal according to a schedule several times a month. The remaining drops from the above list tend to affect worms if they are present.

Important: so that the cat does not get nervous during instillation, the liquid must be slightly warmed up.

  • Ointments (aerosols). Aversectin ointment works well in practice, which is applied to the ear with a special spatula and is well absorbed into the skin during rubbing. Amit ointment, made on the basis of amitraz and prednisolone, has a similar acaricidal effect. Disinfection of the ears is carried out twice a day for 5 days. A cotton swab is lubricated with a creamy substance, and then gently rubbed into skin covering. Effective against otodectosis is Acaromectin spray sprayed on inner surface ear according to the attached instructions.

A doctor may also prescribe Stronghold, Frontline or Oridermil, but these drugs are contraindicated for use as self-medication - only on the recommendation of a veterinarian. IN for preventive purposes The drug Revolution for Cats is often prescribed - It is applied to the withers using a drop method. After absorption into the skin active substance acts simultaneously on both ticks and fleas, if any.

Rules for the use of medicines

The sequence of actions during therapy should be as follows:

  • Before dripping or applying ointment, it is necessary to clean the ear surface of all dirt, crusts and purulent discharge. This is done with a cotton swab dipped in camphor alcohol(2%) or hydrogen peroxide. Alternatively, you can use other disinfecting lotions designed for ears.
  • When all the impurities become limp and “move away” from the skin, they can be easily removed with a cotton swab. Often the cat itself “shake out” all the dirt from its ears with its paws.
  • To medicinal product got deep into ear canal and is well absorbed, you need to massage the base of the ear with light movements.
  • The dosage of the medicine must strictly comply with the instructions or doctor’s prescriptions.
  • If there is another cat or other animals living in the house, it is recommended to ventilate the living areas more often and do wet cleaning during the treatment period. In this way, the likelihood of re-infection and infection of healthy pets is reduced.

Folk remedies

If for some reason objective reasons a visit to the doctor is temporarily impossible, then comes to the rescue ethnoscience. Herbs and lotions are unlikely to be able to completely cure otodectosis, but they can alleviate the suffering of the animal until the moment of visiting veterinary clinic They may well.

  • Green tea based drops. A tablespoon of dry leaves is poured into a glass of water and left for 5-10 minutes. After cooling to a warm state, the solution is taken into a pipette and a few drops are instilled into each ear.
  • Garlic has powerful antiseptic properties. In the case of ear mites, it is infused in oil for 24 hours, and then the resulting solution is instilled into the ears once a day. Olive, flaxseed, sunflower, almond and other oils are used as the basis for the tincture.
  • Celandine juice is instilled into the ears in the morning and evening, two drops per ear. Freshly picked herbs are ground in a meat grinder and then squeezed in gauze to prevent any remaining leaves or stems from getting into the juice ready for use.

And the last thing you should not forget about is to try to give the cat maximum attention and care in order not only to alleviate its suffering, but also to speed up the healing process.

Let's look at the main symptoms of ear bream in cats:

  • The first sign that should lead you to believe that your cat has ticks is the animal's restless behavior. The cat begins to constantly scratch behind the ear, sometimes even tries to get its hind paw into the ear and often shakes its head. But this symptom maybe initial sign otitis, so you need to start examining your pet further.
  • Ear mite multiplies very quickly and is visible to the naked eye almost in the first two weeks of infection. Take the cat in your arms, calm it down and carefully wrap its ear so that it is clearly visible. inner part auricle. The presence of black or brown plaque indicates that the cat has a tick. In particularly advanced cases, the inside of the ear becomes covered with characteristic crusts, which the animal constantly tries to pick out and shake out.

Can make an accurate diagnosis veterinarian by taking a scraping from the ear and examining its contents under a microscope. This procedure It is done on the spot and does not take much time.

Ticks in cats: treatment.

You can also treat ear mites in cats at home. Pet stores now have a huge variety of different products in their assortment. It is important to follow some recommendations here, because... incorrect treatment may cause your pet to become deaf.

Many owners, having noticed a black coating in the ears of their beloved cat, do not attach the slightest importance to what they saw, believing that dirt is accumulating in the animal’s ear. Some of them try to clean the cat’s ear using a cotton swab for this purpose, while others even believe that this plaque cannot cause any harm to the health of the mustachioed cat. These people have no idea how deeply they are mistaken in their beliefs.

Cause of black plaque

The black plaque that owners see in the ears of their beloved pets - cats, is actually a fairly common and not harmless disease, as it seems at first glance - (ear scabies)

Symptoms of the disease

When a vigilant owner begins to notice the appearance of the following signs in a cat, the animal will definitely be infected with ear mites:

The diagnosis of a disease such as otodectosis is determined only by a veterinarian, who ascertains it thanks to a preliminary analysis - scraping from the auricle. This procedure is not time-consuming; A scraping of ear secretion is taken from the cat and examined under a microscope.

Treatment of the disease

Similar illness can be successfully treated at home. Any pet store or veterinary pharmacy offers a wide range of products necessary for treatment. During the treatment process, you should carefully follow the recommendations of the veterinarian treating the animal, as otherwise the cat may develop deafness.

The incubation period of a tick is 21 day, owners should not forget about this during treatment.

Many owners have opted for an ear cleaning product such as lotion Rosinka, available in the form of a bottle with a pipette. The product must be injected into the cat's ear, then it should be folded and lightly massaged. The use of Rosinka should be limited required dosage, otherwise the owner will only flood the animal’s ear. If the cat has a restless disposition, it should be wrapped in a blanket or blanket during this procedure.

After the massage, the contents of the auricle are removed using a cotton swab. Remains of black plaque are removed with cotton swabs; this procedure should be carried out with extreme care in order to prevent damage to the ear canal.

The next step in treating your cat is to use ear drops ( Amitrazine, Amit, Akromectin). The duration of use of the drug must always be agreed with the treating veterinarian.

Also, cats should smear their withers with anti-tick drops (Leopard), which at the same time rid the pet of fleas.