Scabies in cats have nothing to do with scabies in dogs, but it is a skin disease that can also affect them, especially near the ears. This condition occurs, in many cases, by a mite called Notoedres Cati or mite of the scabies. However, there are several types of scab classified according to the mite that causes them and the affected area. If you notice that your feline scratches more than usual and has redness on some parts of the body, he may have this affection. To know if your cat has scabies, in this article of anyhow, we explain to you how to know
Scabies in cats
Scabies are a skin condition caused by a type of mite. In general, scab mites are microscopic (they cannot be seen with the naked eye), which is why it is important to pay special attention to your cat's behaviour. These parasites live in the animal's skin, more specifically in its dermis, but never arrive inside its body. The mite of scabies that most affects cats is the :
* Notoedres Cat, it is the most common of all and it affects only cats. This type of mite begins to lodge on the head and ears of the feline and, little by little, slips towards the neck and the rest of the body. Females of this type of mite dig tunnels under the skin of the animal, where they lodge and lay eggs, feeding on the lymph and tissue fluids of the animal, causing its hair to fall and its skin to blush.
* Cheyletiella Spp, which can also affect dogs but is most common in cats. In this case, mites do not dig tunnels but feed on keratin and live only on the surface. It is often confused with dandruff because parasites, as they move, produce desquamation of the skin.
* Otodectes Cynotis, which is also much more common in cats than dogs. In this case, the mites Lodge in the external auditory canal, which is the main cause of otitis externa in cats. Like the previous mite, they do not dig tunnels, but feed on keratin. They cause skin desquamation, the appearance of croutes, eczema and dark-coloured secretions.
How does he catch it?
In any case, scabies are caught by contact. Since the parasites live only in the skin of the animals, they are not able to survive outside of it for more than two weeks and therefore they can only pass from one to another. However, it is not necessary that there be physical contact between two animals; it is sufficient that they are close to each other, rubbing each other, sharing something, such as food or a blanket, or being in the same room.
Normally there is no contagion to humans, but in the case of Cheyletiella Spp., it may migrate to human skin and produce a temporal infection causing itching and redness.
Symptoms of scabies
Each type of mite produces different symptoms in cats. However, the most common are :
* Falling hair
* Red skin
* Abundant and violent itching, the cat can not prevent to lick itself affected areas.
• Local Inflammation
* Appearance of scabs, especially in the ears
* Eczema and skin peeling
* Dark secretion in the ear
• Severe cases include bleeding in the ear, bleeding and perforation of the ear drum
In general, it is difficult to identify scabies during the initial period because symptoms do not begin to appear until after two or three weeks of infection, when the mites have fully developed. This is why it is important to be careful if the feline scratches or licks more than usual or loses more hair than usual. In these cases, you should take her to the vet as soon as possible to start treatment.
Treatment
Once the disease is diagnosed, the veterinarian will begin treatment. Depending on the type of scab and the stage of the disease, he will prescribe antiparasitics or other medicines. Treatments can range from pipettes applied in certain areas of the cat's body and ear drops to special shampoos for this disease, oral medications such as pills or antiparasitic tablets, or scab injections. When a kitten is infected with scabies, no vaccines are made and treatment is based on frequent baths with specific antiparasitic soaps, pipettes or drops and vaseline for the scaly areas.
On anyhow, you will also find natural remedies to treat cat scabies.
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