Mange And Cat Mites

Mange is a highly contagious condition of the skin caused by mites and parasites in animals. Cats affected by mange mostly stay outdoors. If left untreated, the cat may become very ill and lose its fur. The symptoms of mange include itching, discomfort, and scratching. Here are options cat owners can use to treat their cat affected by mange.

Mange in cats is fairly infrequent; yet it is possible for a cat to contract mange. If your cat is loosing fur, you must to take your cat to the vet. Other diseases and problems other than mange can cause hair loss. A vet can look at a sample of the cat's skin or fur under a microscope to decide whether or not your cat has mange.

There are a few different various types of mange that are thought to affect cats. Ear mites are not usually considered mange, but the parasites that are associated with in ear mites can also cause mange. Ear mites can usually be treated with injections or prescription ear drops. When a feline has ear mites, the inside of their ears will look dirty. Black oily-looking dirt will cover the inside of the cat's ears. These are not the actual mites, but are the dropping left behind from the mites.

Another form of mange is called Demodex  Mange, also called Demodex mange". This type of mange is not contagious. Cat and dogs do not pass this type of mange to each other. Generally cats and dogs have small amounts of these mites existing on their skin. This benign type of mange does not often bother the cat unless it becomes inflamed. It might look on the cat as small patches of hair loss. In more serious cases, it can result in a bacterial infection on the skin. The skin can become inflamed, red and itchy. Demodex Mange usually starts causing problems in cats that are immuno-suppressed or that are aging. This type of mange can also adversely affect cats with poor nutrition. Hormones and stress might also cause this type of mange to cause problems. It can be seen in pregnant and nursing cats or male cats that are not neutered.

There are treatment options for this kind of mange. When you take your cat to the vet for possible mange, you vet will perform a thorough health exam. This will rule out autoimmune diseases and other types of parasites such as worms. An oral medication called Ivermectin can be used. Although this drug is not approved by the government to use for mange, many vets find this treatment highly effective. Another treatment option is dipping your cat in a prescribed pesticide. This is highly effective, but it can cause problems for example vomiting and seizures in cats. In addition, the treatment is poisonous, therefore it should not be implemented with pregnant cats or by people who are pregnant. This dip is generally done weekly for up to six weeks.

Sarcoptic mange is a separate form of mange that can be contracted by felines. This variety of mange is highly contagious and very problematic to treat. Cat that are affected by this type of mange are extremely itchy and the scratching can cause serious inflammation and occasional bleeding of the skin. Mites will burrow into the skin and deposit the eggs. When a cat has this, the excessive scratching can also cause scabbing and infections on the skin.

This variety of mange is often determined by examining the cat's skin or fur under a microscope. If it is indeed Sarcoptic mange, your vet will want to wash the cat with a medicated shampoo and then treat the cat with a pesticide dip. Just as with Sarcoptic mange, this pesticide treatment is very potent and extreme caution should to be used when treating your cat.

If you suspect your feline has mange, you will have to take your cat to the vet for an exam. In order to treat the infection, it is necessary to know which type of mange your cat has. Also, it is not recommended to use "home remedies" for mange that are often found. Such remedies can be extremely dangerous to your cat. In many cases, hair loss is not mange. Hair loss can be caused by allergic reactions to foods, plants or even medications. Allergic reactions are treated much differently than mange thus it is very important to get medical care for your cat.