ear mites

Hi! I'm new to this forum and hoping for some good advice to help our 'adopted' cat, Bunty. She has lived with us for several years and recently I noticed a pinkness in front of her ears. Eventually they became bigger bald patches and the vet diagnosed ear mites. He injected her with something, applied something against fleas to her skin, and gave us drops for her ears. Since then she has gone slowly downhill and is now lying in her bed not wanting to go too far except close to a radiator. The fur is scratched from her head from ears to nose, her eyes are held half closed, there are scabs on the bared flesh and even on the inside of her front legs which she uses to wipe and scratch at her head some of the fur has been rubbed off to expose raw flesh. She just seems so poorly but because it was only last Thursday that she saw the vet I was waiting for a while to see if her condition would improve. In the tufts of fur she pulls out I notice small white seed-like things. Can anyone advise me please.

Another trip to the vet is in order. Obviously we can't diagnose her problem without seeing her, but it certainly seems like your kid has something else going on here, perhaps she has chyletiella, it's a lice-like parasite that mostly rabbits get, but cats can get it too, and boy, does it itch. They are actually mites like ear mites, but they live outside the ear and wreak havoc on the skin. She probably got a shot of ivermectin which would take care of the ear mites, but because chyletiella is a biting insect, i.e. they feed off skin and scurf and not blood, ivermectin (which is in the blood after the shot) will not kill them. She would need a topical treatment of ivermectin, like a spray or dip. Frontline or Advantage wouldn't do it for them either.
In any case, she needs a doctor right away. She sounds absolutely miserable.
Good luck. I'll be interested to hear what happens with her.

Thanks. Will take her back to vet tomorrow. Can't believe how she has gone downhill. I feel so sorry for her.

so any update yet. I am curious as well. I think mermaid pointed out a good possibility. I was going to suggest something along those lines or even an allergic reaction to whatever shot she was given by the vet. But we hope that a correction can be made with her treatment real soon. Good luck and please let us know how it goes

Am so upset. Took Bunty to vet today and she took fur samples and suggested some kind of allergic reaction. Gave us some tablets to treat the condition and gave her an injection to ease the itching and said she would sleep a lot the rest of the day. When we brought her home she went to sleep under a radiator close to the warmth. It was there a couple of hours later that we found her dead. I just can't believe it.

OMG! I am so very sorry for your loss.

When you feel up to it, please post a thread for Bunty in our Crossing the Bridge forum.

Originally Posted by AbbysMom

OMG! I am so very sorry for your loss.

When you feel up to it, please post a thread for Bunty in our Crossing the Bridge forum.

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Thanx. It's just so hard to take in that she won't ever be with us again. I feel so guilty that I should have dealt with it sooner or done more. I was out when it happened and I so wish I had been here. Not that it would have made any difference. It's like losing a family member. I'll look at that forum you mentioned soon.

I lost a kitty 2 years ago. No matter how or why it happens, you always question yourself about how you handled it. The guilt seems to come hand in hand with the loss. Please try to be gentle with yourself.

Originally Posted by AbbysMom

I lost a kitty 2 years ago. No matter how or why it happens, you always question yourself about how you handled it. The guilt seems to come hand in hand with the loss. Please try to be gentle with yourself.

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Before Bunty came to us we had two kittens. Both were killed on the road within a year. I just decided never to get another and eventually Bunty just adopted us. It must be about 8 years since she came and she was such a gentle loving cat. I know time will heal but initially it's very painful. Thanx for your understanding.

Originally Posted by chopin

Before Bunty came to us we had two kittens. Both were killed on the road within a year. I just decided never to get another and eventually Bunty just adopted us. It must be about 8 years since she came and she was such a gentle loving cat. I know time will heal but initially it's very painful. Thanx for your understanding.

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I"m so very sorry for your loss. I know from experience that it really is losing a member of the family and it never gets easier. Bless you for letting Bunty adopt you and loving her while you could. I'm sure you made her life happy and comfortable while she was one of your family. to you.

Oh, no! I am so sorry to hear this. There was obviously more going on than your little girl was letting on. And yes, it is losing a family member. It hurts more than we can express in words.

I'm so sorry for your loss.

Chopin, I can't express enough how sorry we all are for your loss. I know there is nothing we can really say to ease the pain but to know that others are out there supporting you can make a difference. Lots of ((((((((((((hugs))))))))))) your way