Ear mites - again

I had been wondering if Ollie still had ear mites for a while now. I saw debris, but I wasn't sure if it was old debris from when he first had ear mites. I never was able to get it all out with Earoxide and was too scared to use a q-tip because I read online that I could push the debris further in or worse - accidentally rupture his eardrum because I am not familiar with cat anatomy. So my plan was to just let it all fall out over time and/or let Ally do the cleaning with her tongue, which she does.

The last time he had ear mites, he was on Revolution twice-monthly for a month and I used 2 bottles of Tresaderm (or something that sounded like that and had to be kept refrigerated). A few weeks into having him, the vet checked his ears and told me they were all dead. So add that to him being on Revolution every month and I kept telling myself that I was just being paranoid about the ear mites and that he couldn't have them. I also figured that since he was in the vet's office a few weeks ago, surely they would have done a routine exam while he was there and told me if he had ear mites.

In the last few days though, I've seen him shake his head... so I freaked out. I called the local shelter (the same one I adopted him from since I'm in town) and asked if a vet could just look in his ears with a scope and tell me whether or not he still had ear mites. I figured I would be reassured that I indeed was being paranoid. Sure enough, I was wrong to dismiss my fear - he has ear mites. They showed me how to clean his ears with a q-tip and mineral oil and told me to put him on Revolution twice monthly for a few months. I decided that since he's been around Ally so much, despite my not seeing debris in her ears, I'm going to also put her on the Revolution twice-monthly along with Ollie. I'll do this until March at which time they'll both be due for shots and I can have the regular vet check both of their ears with a scope for any traces of eggs or whatnot. I'm glad that I took him to the shelter's vet, I'd rather spend the money on meds for him than be charged up the wazoo just to look in his ears for 5 seconds. I purchased the extra Revolution, and even made a donation to the shelter to thank them for their help.

Ear mites are annoying. I asked how it was that one vet told me months ago that he was ear mite free, and then he gets ear mites again as an indoor only cat. The vet told me that there were probably eggs that were unhatched that the vet didn't see and that they hatched and then multiplied.

Poor little guy. At least we caught them. The vet said there was no damage to his ears fortunately. I just need to kill them all now... and then when they're all dead.... kill them some more. I'm going in Rambo style on these little bugs. I hate ear mites.

YES ear mites are ANNOYING ...

Did the vet actually see mites? Because an ear infection, especially a yeast infection, can look just like ear mites.

But mites are rare in adult cats, especially indoor cats.

I believe the term she used was "he's loaded" after she looked inside. This is probably not a new infestation. I just must not have killed all of them when he was a kitten and was erroneously told otherwise.

Out of curiosity though, what would the symptoms of an ear infection be? It would have the same dark amber looking debris?

Originally Posted by LawGuy

Out of curiosity though, what would the symptoms of an ear infection be? It would have the same dark amber looking debris?

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Symptoms are very similar to ear mites. They usually have to do a swab to be certain. Ear mites can be seen under a microscope.

for Ollie. Poor guy.

Cytology - looking under microscope at a swab- will determine if it is yeast, infection, mites or some/all of the above.

That's odd that you have been using revolution too and have a cat with mites. Maybe it's not strong enough to take care of it? It is a high-end product so you would think it would get rid of everything.

Maybe it's not strong enough to take care of it?

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The once a month (normal) dosage isn't enough for ear mites. In fairness to Pfizer, they even say that in the instructions. That's why when he had ear mites originally I used Revolution twice in the same month (once every 2 weeks), which is what the instructions say to do. The shelter told me that would be enough to deal with them, and only to double dose him once, but when I took him to the vet for the first time, they also recommended I use Tresaderm (fungicide, parasiticide, and glucocorticoid). After I finished the first bottle, I wanted to be extra cautious and bought a second bottle that I went through.

After that, the vet told me they were all dead.... but I guess not.