Flea Dirt In Cat S Ears

The best flea treatments for cats include flea and tick preventative products like frontline and advantage.

Flea dirt in cat s ears.

Follow up with a flea treatment that contains an element that controls and kills ear mites. Typically ear mites will also cause a dry black ear discharge. If your dog or cat has never had fleas before but you ve noticed him scratching more than usual one way to confirm a flea infestation is to look for the presence of flea dirt. Beyond the obvious physical discomfort to your pet untreated ear mite infestations can cause ear inflammation bacterial and fungal infections.

Then apply the ear mite solution to the ears. These tiny black flakes are actually flea excrement and consist mostly of digested blood. When fleas infest your dog s ears they may cause the ears to look dirty hence the term flea dirt. Flea dirt is the feces of fleas which is a mix of blood meal and flea waste product says dr.

The skin on the belly groin or base of the tail may appear red and bumpy especially if your cat is doing a lot of scratching. Check your cat s ears carefully for signs of scratching redness blood or dirt. The mineral oil will paralyze the mites. Cats can get fleas fleas at kennels groomers or outside.

Shake the dirt from the comb and her fur onto the white sheet so you can see the black specks. Flea dirt looks like tiny flakes of black pepper on your cat s fur and skin. Flea dirt is a sign that your house could soon be infested with fleas so yes it can be a problem. Ear mites feed off dirt wax and tissue fluid in your feline s ears.

If it s flea dirt the black specks will turn red brown or orange with a halo effect. One remedy for ear mites is to put a few drops of mineral oil in your cat s ears massage it into the base and wipe it out with cotton balls or tissue. Many cats will groom themselves to remove the flea dirt but if your kitty s flea problem is severe she may not be able to keep up with the problem. Ear mites can also produce wax and irritation so your pet s ears may well look red and inflamed.

Their bites draw blood and flea saliva can be an allergen to some dogs creating flea allergy dermatitis an intense itching that presents with a red bumpy rash and sometimes flaky skin. You can also use home. Severe cases can lead to hearing loss or ear damage from scratching so prompt treatment is important. Stephanie liff medical director of pure paws veterinary care of.

To distinguish normal dirt from flea feces sprinkle a little water over the specks. It could also be a sign that your cat is in discomfort and itching like crazy when you are not around. These can all be signs of fleas.