If you own a Burmese or Siamese cat, you need to watch carefully for a condition called demodectic mange. Demodectic mange in cats can cause your cat to suffer from a terrible itching and lose some of its fur and even develop a secondary bacterial infection. While any cat can contract demodectic mange, it seems to occur more frequently in Siamese and Burmese cats, though the reasons for this are not clearly understood.
What Causes Demodectic Mange In Cats?
Demodectic mange is caused by one of two mites named Demodex cati or Demodex gatoi. Demodex cati is long and slender and lives inside hair follicles also like the canine mite while Demodex gatoi is short, stubby with hardly any tail at all, and lives more superficially in the cat’s skin.
Demodex cati and Gatoi are non-burrowing mites. Of the two, Demodex cati represents the more serious threat to cats.
How Does A Cat Get Demodectic Mange In Cats?
The mites that cause demodectic mange can live on the cat in peaceful harmony for years and cause no problems. If the mites get out of balance, they can create a skin condition called demodicosis. There are two forms to demodicosis – localized and generalized.
The generalized form of demodicosis often occurs as the result of an underlying disease that is suppressing the cat’s immune system. This means that if your cat develops generalized demodicosis, it should be screened for such underlying diseases as feline leukemia infection with Feline Immunodeficiency Virus, diabetes, and other immune-suppressing diseases.
Symptoms Of Demodectic Mange In Cats
The localized form is more common than the generalized form of demodicosis. Its symptoms are hair loss with scaly skin on the cat’s eyelids, head, ears and neck. These areas or lesions may itch and be red and irritated, especially if caused by D. gatoi. The generalized form of demodicosis has similar symptoms but the lesions may also affect the cat’s body and legs.
How Is Demodicosis Diagnosed?
If your cat is showing symptoms of demodectic mange, you will need to get it to the vet. Your vet will do a skin scraping and then examine the sample under a microscope. Unfortunately, the mites are not easily to detect. In addition, demodicosis mange in cats is very rare, making an accurate diagnosis very difficult.
How Is Demodectic Mange In Cats Treated?
The good news of demodectic mange in cats is that it is easy to treat. If it is in the localized form, you or your vet can apply a topical solution of Rotenone or diluted Amitraz. It’s also possible to treat the cat at home with a lime sulfur dip. Some vets have used Ivermectin to treat this mange in cats successfully. However, Ivermectin has not been approved for use in cats and so must be administered and monitored by a veterinarian.
Your cat could develop a secondary infection as a result of the demodectic mange, which will require treatment with antibiotics.
Since demodectic mange in cats is very contagious, all cats in your household should be treated.
If your cat develops the generalized form of demodectic mange, your veterinarian should perform tests to identify or rule out underlying conditions. Once the underlying disease has been identified and treated, the demodectic lesions may heal on their own.
Demodectic mange in cats is a rare disease. If your cat has hair loss around its eyelids and head and seems to be scratching itself incessantly, the cause may very well be demodectic mange.
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