Most Common Ear Problems In Cats And How To Prevent Them

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Often times, when people shake their head, they are trying to say no. on the other hand, when cats shake their heads, it usually indicates that there is something that’s bothering their ears. Cats have limited ways to show that their ears are troubling them. The most common among the symptoms of ear problems in cats include head shaking and scratching. These may be due to various illnesses, all of which are cured differently.

Furthermore, seeing cats that lick their paws and groom their ears, together with infrequent scratching on their head are entirely normal cat behaviors. Further, cats persistently shaking its head, or repetitively itching at its hears is a different case and may be an indication that their ears are perhaps really upsetting them.

In case you have a cat that’s prone to allergy, or a cat that ventures outdoors coming in contact with some other cats, the likes of them catch ear mites or develop some ear infections may be higher. Good thing, there are some ways for you to lessen the risks of ear problems in cats. Read on to this article and learn more!

Most Common Ear Problems in Cats and How to Prevent Them

Here are some of the most common ear problems in cats, with the corresponding preventive and treating measures.

Polyps

The ear polyps are somewhat rare, yet if not managed and diagnosed, they may cause austere damage to the ears of the cat. Bear in mind that a polyp is a safe or benign growth, and the aural polyps are the type that grows in the cat’s external and/or middle ear. It is not actually known how these polyps seem to appear as a result of long-lasting inflammation due to a fungal or bacterial infection.

Furthermore, the polyps may commonly have similar symptoms as some other ear infections at first. However, after time, will start to become more severe to an extent where you might see the cat lifting its head to the side or even cause some difficulty in walking in a straight way. The treatment for these polyps might include surgery to remove the polyps. Further, the local vet may also send a biopsy to ensure they are not cancerous.

Infections

In case your cat does not have ear mites, they might potentially be annoyed by some ear infections, and these infections often take place as a result of another ear condition. These may include fungal or bacterial infections, which may cause pus, or even blood, to accrue in the ear canals of the cat. These infections are commonly accompanied with a hostile smell and you might see the cat shaking its head in discomfort. This is not uncommon to know that these kinds of infections are really secondary to skin allergy. However, a lot of cats can just develop ear infections even without any other primary cause.

When you notice a smell from one or both of the ears of your cat, if you see any discharge, or if the cat appears to be irritated with one or both of its ears, then you certainly need to arrange an appointment with your vet to examine its ears. From here, your vet might carry out additional diagnostic tests, clean the area, and probably even prescribe the cat some topical antibiotics to treat any infection in case it is confirmed.

Mites

Astoundingly, ear mites are the culprits in approximately 50% of all the ear problems in cats. The ear mites are common parasites, which are so contagious and may easily be passed onto some other pets. The ear mites may cause trivial irritation or may lead to persistent head shaking and scratching, sometimes even cause thick wax build up and dark debris falling from their ears. Furthermore, it is significant not to let his particular kind of infection carry on for so long, as the constant scratching may lead to hair loss and skin irritation all over the infected areas.

Moreover, you may easily prevent the ear mites by using appropriate cat flea treatment that claims to treat them, together with looking for the most common symptoms of ear mites to catch the condition before deteriorating. If you happen to suspect that your cat may have ear mites, the best thing to do is to confirm that the main cause of the issue is certainly ear mites. If this is the case, then your veterinarian will most probably prescribe a topical treatment that you can apply to your cat’s neck, which treats not just the ear mites, but also fleas in just one application.

When should you go to your vet?

The ear infections are not nearly as mutual in cats unlike in dogs, yet they certainly may occur and cause some pain in cats. Make sure that you look at the ears of your cat for different signs of inflammation or even wax build-up for you to be able to confidently determine when something is not right already. You need to remember as well, that the ear problems in cats are not a DIY fix up, and you must consult your local vet when you get to notice a condition, so that they may properly analyze and recommend the best possible treatment for your feline baby. 646

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