Brown plaque in a cat's ears: what it may indicate. Brown plaque in a cat’s ears - contamination or a symptom of a disease

Volume increase earwax- ears are dirty.

Tick waste is a brown coating with a noticeable unnatural odor. In a progressive form, the ears are literally filled with a wet mush of brown mite secretions, wax, coagulated blood, and skin scales. On the picture advanced stage ear mite.

Before choosing a medicine for ear mites in cats, make sure you have a diagnosis. Many skin diseases, as well as allergies cause itching in the ear area, and brown discharge may have several root causes.

Note! If a cat scratches its ears vigorously, the scratches bleed, but the animal does not stop, and the inside of the shell is clean - you are dealing with. The disease is also caused by a tick, but is subcutaneous and affects the outer part of the ear.

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How to identify ear mites

You will need a flat black surface. Exactly black! The ear mite has a white color, but is literally microscopic in size, so the surface should be as contrasting as possible.

Using a cotton swab, take a swab from the animal's ear. Try to grab as much of the mixture as possible, but take the smear in one motion.

Holding the stick over the black surface, gently tap on its base - you need to “shake out” the mites from the general mass of secretions.

Place the stick in the bag and point it at the surface bright light and look carefully. If you have vision problems, use a magnifying glass.

Your task is to detect white dots, which, after lying down for a while, will begin to move. Found it? – you have confirmed the diagnosis, the cat has ear mites.

Treatment for ear mites in cats

Even in complex, advanced cases, treatment skin diseases carried out at home, ear mites are no exception. Sexually mature individuals lay 5 eggs per day, and their full development cycle takes 21 days. Get ready and be patient; in the most “rosy” prospects, we can talk about complete relief from ear mites no earlier than in a month.

To remove ear mites as much as possible short term, you need to follow a number of rules:

Hygiene – isolate a sick pet from other animals and people. Wash your hands hot water after contact, use gloves, a medical cape or gown.

Home treatment involves using specialized drugs, following the instructions or prescriptions of the doctor.

Regardless of treatment tactics, it is necessary to thoroughly clean the ears of plaque every day. A cotton swab is soaked in hydrogen peroxide or a special disinfectant lotion.

Keeping an eye on the animal or using a collar to prevent the cat from scratching its ears will reduce the risk of wound infections.

Use in parallel with the main treatment antihistamines, they will ease the itching.

A tick attack is an indicator of decreased immunity or impairment metabolic processes. To restore strength, the animal needs rest, care and proper nutrition.

Important! Continue the course of medication as directed and hygiene procedures, even if the cat shows no signs of illness. Young mites and eggs do not cause this severe itching like adults.

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Selecting a drug for ear mites

On early stage will only need ear drops narrow spectrum, cotton swabs and patience. If pus is found in the ear, the animal experiences pain when palpating the lower part of the ear, the pulp has a wet consistency, you will need:

Remedy for ear mites in cats wide range action, it is optimal to use drops that eliminate fungi and bacteria - Oricin or analogues.

If you choose narrow spectrum drops, you will need additional antifungal drug– Otanazole or analogue. Veterinarians often recommend using an antifungal ointment - it stays on the surface of the ear longer, for example, Oridermil.

Lotion or spray for cleaning and disinfection - used warm. Apply the product to inner part ears, massage, let the animal shake its head and start cleaning.

Immunostimulants - subcutaneous injections, drugs such as Gamavit, Tetravit.

Important! To treat and prevent ear mites in cats, you should not use medications containing alcohol! You also risk the life of your pet if you use “dog” drugs.

The instructions for the drug clearly state how to treat the animal - doses and timing. Do not exceed the recommendations, do not instill double volume of the drug if you missed procedures, do not shorten the treatment period.

Content:

Ear diseases often cause the death of a cat. First, the fellinologist notices brown dirt or black plaque in the pet’s ear canal. Then pain appears, the cat unnaturally tilts its head, trying to alleviate the suffering. The pet becomes irritable, aggressive, and the symptoms of the disease steadily increase. A responsible cat owner should seek veterinary help if changes in behavior are detected.

Appearance brown dirt indicates an inflammatory process in the hearing organs. The ears perform the functions of listening, as well as balancing in space. They consist of the concha, acoustic canal, external, medial, and intimate sections. Inflammatory processes of the hearing organs are called otitis.

Types of otitis

The following types of otitis are distinguished:

External.
Medial.
Interior.

Otitis externa

In addition to the presence of brown dirt, they observe additional symptoms:

The cat shakes its head.
Scratching, ulcers.

This type of disease responds well to treatment. The sluggishness of the fellinologist leads to the spread of pathology to the underlying parts of the organ. Inflammation of the middle ear occurs.

Medial otitis media

It develops most often in the absence of treatment or an incorrect diagnosis. The disease becomes permanent. There is a squelching sound in the ear, excruciating pain occurs for the cat, and a stench spreads. Exudate is constantly released. The cat loses its appetite, the temperature rises, and the animal does not allow it to touch its hearing organs. The ear is designed in such a way that it is impossible to see the source of inflammation without a special device, so you cannot do without qualified help.

The pathology is characterized by seasonal exacerbations occurring in autumn and spring. Median otitis media predisposes to the occurrence malignant tumors. During treatment, drugs that have antiphlogistic, analgesic, antimicrobial effect. Most often, lifelong therapy is required.

Internal otitis

Inflammation of the labyrinth is the most dangerous looking pathologies of the hearing organ. The likelihood of deafness and the spread of inflammation to the cerebrum increases.

Unqualified doctor translates acute illness permanent, aggravates the disease, makes further treatment difficult. Optimal solution if you suspect otitis media, seek veterinary help.

Causes

The appearance of brown dirt occurs due to the following reasons:

Otodectosis.
Personal predisposition of cats to education sulfur plugs with their subsequent infection.

Otodectosis

The disease is caused by ear mites - the most common cause of brown dirt in the ears. From ear canal a mass is released that resembles ground coffee in color and consistency. Regular ear cleaning does not remove dirt from your cat.

Arthropods inhabit the outer ear. As mites multiply, they spread to the medial and internal sections.

For otitis externa, treatment for otodectosis consists of cleaning auditory canal.

Before starting treatment, the stage of the disease is determined. If the discharged mass is dry, the inside of the auricle without scratching, use medicinal drops, lotions or aerosols. The advanced phase of otodectosis is characterized by inflammation of the ear. Damaged areas become infected with a local opportunistic fungal infection, as well as bacterial microflora. The use of antifungal medications and antibiotics is required. Before starting treatment, clean the damaged skin of exudate and crusts.

Ear drops containing acaricidal, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial components are applied to the prepared surface.

Formation of sulfur plugs

Human selection activity has made it possible to develop many cat breeds with desired characteristics. Side effect modification of the genotype was the appearance of individuals with an unusual ear structure. The hearing organs lose the ability to cleanse themselves. Ear wax, designed to protect against pollution, is released in excessive amounts and accumulates pathogenic micromycetes and bacteria. Metabolic waste products from microbes trigger inflammation. Treatment of the disease consists of periodically removing contaminants and using antimicrobials. If a violent inflammatory process has begun, medications with antiphlogistic and analgesic effects will be required.

Otodektos cynotis (ear mite) is the cause of infectious otodectosis in domestic animals (usually cats).

Ear mites constantly bother your cat

By the way. Precautionary measures apply only to “smaller brothers”. It is considered unproven that ear mites in cats can be transmitted to humans.

What kind of ear mite is he?

An inconspicuous infectious organism measuring 0.2 - 0.7 mm, pale yellow in color. This is exactly what the insect looks like when examining earwax under a microscope. Compared to the body, its limbs are quite long. However, without special optics it is impossible to see what ear mites look like in cats.

This is what an ear mite looks like in cats - photo after magnification under a microscope

A dumb animal cannot complain to its owner about its misfortune, but its behavior is more than eloquent. The fact that cats have ticks can be determined by the symptoms:

The more we know about the symptoms of the disease, the clearer it will be how to treat ear mites in cats.

Methods of healing “little brothers”

Drops

Attention! At complex treatment All animals in the apartment need to know that only cats react painlessly to invermectin drops. Dogs may be intolerant to it. Small animals should not be treated with this remedy either. In order for the cat to behave quietly during the procedure, the instilled liquid must be slightly warmed up.

Ointments/aerosols

A remedy for ear mites in cats can also be in the form of ointments and aerosols. Aversectin ointment with acaricidal action is applied to the ear with a special spatula and is absorbed by gently massaging it. The acaricidal effect is exerted by a cream-like composition based on prednisolone and amitraz “Amit”. They treat the ears, after applying it to a swab, twice a day every 5 days. Processing ears can be carried out by spraying Acaromectin spray evenly over the inner surface of the ear.

Home first aid kit for cats: traditional methods of treatment

You can prepare ear mite drops yourself using: bactericidal properties green tea. A tablespoon of plant leaves is poured into a cup of boiling water. Let it brew for 5 minutes, cool, drop it with a pipette into each ear every day for a month.
Treatment folk remedies don't let him give it quickly positive result, but it is more gentle for animals. A powerful antiseptic - garlic - as a medicine, you must first infuse it in oil (sunflower, olive, almond) for 24 hours. And only then drop it into your ears once a day.
One should not write off the celandine grass that has occupied the surrounding plantings. It is enough to pick the green stems of the plant, leaves, process it in a meat grinder, and squeeze out the juice. Place 2 drops in each ear twice a day.
Can be processed once every day internal cavity ears with this composition: alcohol solution iodine (1 part), mixed with glycerin or vegetable oil (4 parts). It is good to lubricate the affected inflamed areas of skin near the ears with Konkov ointment and sulfur.

Infectious disease otodectosis in cats when affected ear mites can be very difficult. It is important to establish contact with the animal, to “talk” to it in the same language. At the first signs of illness, examination by a veterinarian is necessary. Consistency of treatment, adherence to hygiene rules, and increased immunity of the animal will speed up its recovery.

Belongs to the group of invasive ear diseases.

Visual symptoms characteristic of ear diseases.

It should be noted that visual symptoms for all types ear diseases cats have common:

Anxiety.
Pain on tactile contact with the ears.
Constant scratching of the ears with the forelimbs.
Purulent discharge.
Hyperemia.
Characteristic unpleasant odor.

A more detailed picture of the disease is revealed through a thorough examination and clinical examination.

Video on how to clean a cat's ears

Inflammatory processes in cats in the ear and their types

Examination of the cat ear diseases veterinarian

Otitis is an inflammation of the ears. There are three types: external, middle and internal. All three types have an infectious background, but can be triggered by different factors.

Otitis externa

Neglected case purulent otitis from a street cat.

Inflammation outer surface ear is called different sources, therefore, before starting treatment, you should make sure that there is no invasive history - absence of mites, insect larvae. Accompanied by swelling, redness, itching, difficult cases — .

The causes of infection are the following:

Mechanical damage - injuries, splinters.
Hypothermia.
Infections of bacterial or viral origin.
Fungal infection.
Layering of sulfur.
Allergy.

Treatment at home

Ear cleaning is mandatory when treating ear diseases.

Treatment is aimed at eliminating visual symptoms: cleaning, lubrication antibacterial ointment, applying a fixing bandage to prevent infection.

Apply antibiotics inside, . To ensure that mistakes are not made, the use of acaricidal agents is recommended. In difficult cases, when traumatic injury, resort to surgical care– elimination of pus by opening and washing the affected areas.

Otitis media

Inflammation of the middle ear - eustachitis - is a rare disease, caused by a complication of external otitis, with improper treatment, severe progression of the latter. Less commonly due to injury to the animal's head.

They also act as pathogens streptococcal, . The form of the course is catarrhal, purulent, with severe consequences, manifested by lifelong impairment of coordination and hearing loss.

Symptoms: lack of appetite, head tilt towards the affected area, swelling, purulent exudate, fever, distracted gaze, unsteady gait.

Treatment in the clinic

Treatment of this type is only in the clinic. Apply local anesthesia, in the form of novocaine blockade, disinfection of the diseased area: rinsing the ear canal with a solution of iodine, hydrogen peroxide, solution boric acid, applying anti-inflammatory ointments, in particular prednisolone.

Intramuscularly - antibiotics, antihistamines, fungicidal, antifungal.

Internal otitis

Inflammation of the inner ear - complicated consequences of otitis media and externa. The course of the pathology is severe, with obvious signs: hearing loss, work impairment vestibular apparatus, refusal to feed, pain in the temporal part of the head on palpation.

Complications - lymphadenitis, accompanied painful sensations lower jaw. Paralysis facial area– a consequence of the development of neuritis. Help is complex, depends on elimination primary causes diseases.

Treatment under strict medical supervision

IN severe cases required surgical intervention, drainage. Therapy is carried out by a veterinarian hospital conditions. Strict control and supervision by a doctor is necessary.

Malassezia – yeast fungus in the ear

One of the symptoms yeast fungus the cat will have a “blackening” of the ear.

Yeast fungus - Malassezia– chooses humid conditions as its habitat, so the ears are most often affected. The pathology is of the mycotic type and is infectious in nature. It is caused by the presence of fungal spores on the surface of the ear or on its mucous membrane.

It is unrealistic to determine the type of fungus at home, since the symptoms of fungal infections are very general character: dull coat color, peeling skin, unpleasant odor, presence of pustular wounds, watery blisters. Consultation recommended veterinarian, testing samples in the laboratory.

If a fungus is detected, the use of drugs is indicated local action: antifungal ointments. The course includes: antibiotics, probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, immunostimulants.

Hematoma in cats

Cats are hunters! Getting a hematoma is not a problem for them.

Occurs as a result of mechanical impact on skin covering ear, its mucous membrane. When the ear is injured, blood accumulates in the gap between the skin and cartilage tissue, forming a sensitive, painful when pressed, bloody compaction.

There is hyperemia and pain on tactile contact. Animal restless, trying to scratch his ear. Without treatment pain syndrome gradually disappears, but the swelling remains, thickens, the liquid is converted into inflammatory tissue, leads over time to a curvature of the shape of the shell.

When prescribing therapy, it is necessary to exclude possible root causes of hematoma: infectious, invasive, fungal diseases.

Traumatic hematoma is treated based on the advanced stage of the disease. Timely diagnosis ensures symptomatic therapy– use of anti-inflammatory ointments after removing exudate from the affected area, fixing the bandage.

Advanced or severe form requires surgical cleaning with sutures afterwards. Produced general antibacterial therapy: intramuscularly, orally.

Necrosis, ear plugs, neoplasms

The pathology is secondary, resulting from improper treatment or complications after otitis media, hematoma.

Characterized by tissue necrosis, which, if present, inflammatory process, turns into focal ulcers. Cartilage has dark color, becomes thin, the shape of the ear becomes distorted.

Only surgical help– removal of affected areas or complete amputation of the shell. Rehabilitation therapy: inpatient medical supervision, use of antibiotics, immunostimulants, local anesthesia.

Most often, the presence of wax plug is not big problem for a cat, but in in some cases can lead to inflammation. There is only one recommendation - closely monitor your pet and clean the ears in a timely manner.

Neoplasms - sarcoma, fibroma. Diagnosed only clinical studies. Late diagnosis– deafness, death of the animal. Help - surgical removal tumors.

Ear scabies in cats

Ear scabies in a cat looks like this.

Very thorough cleaning of the ear from crusts and scabs is necessary.

Lack of treatment entails serious consequences: inflammation of the membranes of the brain, accompanied by convulsions and paralysis. Bottom line - death of an animal .

Recommended: thorough cleaning of the ear from crusts and scabs, treatment with acaricidal agents, antibacterial drugs, antifungal. Vitamins and immunostimulants are prescribed. It should be noted that treatment is carried out on both ears, even if one is affected.

Methods for preventing otodectosis are a set of measures aimed at eliminating contact with sick animals, monitoring sanitary and hygienic standards, general vaccination, use of Otodepin drops.

Video about otodectosis in cats and its treatment

Brown plaque in a cat's ears may indicate trivial contamination 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.

A brown, dry coating that turns into a sticky, dark, foul-smelling mass resembling 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 with timely detection and referral to a specialist, they can be treated quite successfully.

Otodectosis

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Tick bites and scratches caused by a cat scratching its ears contribute to the attachment of 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 contacts veterinary clinic and neglect 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;
abscesses, hematomas, scratches, bites;
ear mite;
foreign body;
dermatitis of the auricle;
infections.

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To the development of the 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 most often observed, leading to necrosis of the ear cartilages, then damage to the inner and middle ear is characterized by internal degenerative changes with defeat 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 there is a brown coating in the ears fluffy pet is not a symptom of otitis or otodectosis. Particular cases of the appearance of brown matter in a cat’s ears include: plaque in only one ear, a strong nauseating odor from the ears and increased secretion of wax.

Plaque in only one ear

If dark coating found only in one ear, and the cat does not refuse food, itching, apathy and redness of the skin, this is a banal 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. By identifying the cause of brown plaque and unpleasant odor should be handled by a veterinarian.