A tick in a cat: what to do with a bite, how to protect a pet from bloodsuckers and how to treat it when infected

What does a tick look like on a cat

Ixodid ticks are the most dangerous to cats. There are several varieties of such parasites, they all have common features:

• the body is oblong, often gray, black or brown;
• small head;
• 4 pairs of paws;
• shield protecting the body;
• the size of a hungry parasite is 3-4 mm., when saturated with blood, it increases by 10-15 mm.

Also, cats can be attacked by a tick nymph - this is an insect that has not reached the adult phase. The nymph is slightly smaller than the adult tick and has 3 pairs of legs. The parasite is hard to the touch and moves very quickly.

Ticks in a cat: how dangerous

It is important to understand that it is not the parasite bite itself that is dangerous, but the diseases that can be contracted as a result of this attack. The most dangerous tick-borne infections for cats are piroplasmosis, encephalitis, borreliosis, hemobartonellosis.

As a rule, diseases begin to manifest themselves with non-specific symptoms, and if the owner does not suspect that the animal has been bitten by a tick, help is not provided in time.

Unfortunately, these diseases are characterized by severe course and often lead to death. A favorable prognosis is possible only in cases where therapy was started in a timely manner.

Ticks in cats: the process of attack

Ticks are blind, they find their victims with the help of special sensory organs. A cat passing through the place of the parasite's hunting becomes the object of attack: the tick makes a jump and, clinging to the hairline, moves onto the body of the animal.

Next, the parasite looks for the area on the body, the least covered with hair.

Most often, this is the area behind the ears, stomach, paws, eyes. The insect digs into the hair with tentacles, pierces the skin and begins the process of sucking blood. At this point, the parasite can be removed only with the help of special techniques. If nothing is done, the parasite will drink blood and fall off on its own.

Cat tick: bite symptoms

Symptoms of a bite may not appear immediately, but after 2-3 weeks. During this period, the owner, who knows that the animal has been attacked by a tick, should carefully monitor its condition. Dangerous symptoms that should immediately contact a veterinarian:

• weight loss, refusal to eat;
• lethargy, lack of interest in the outside world;
• increased body temperature;
• diarrhea and vomiting;
• cough, shortness of breath, heart palpitations;
• yellowness of the mucous membranes;
• blood in the urine.

What to do if a cat has a tick: safety precautions

Do not start the examination with unprotected hands: you must immediately put on rubber gloves. It is advisable to place the cat on a light surface: this way you can immediately notice the fleeing tick. Good lighting must be provided. Do not inspect the cat on the carpet, upholstered furniture - the tick can escape and easily hide there. It is necessary to prepare a container with a tight lid in advance in order to place the parasite in it.

How to remove a tick if it has not yet stuck

It is necessary to remove the tick with gloves, you can also use a plastic bag. In no case should you put much pressure on the parasite - it can be crushed and the infection will end up on the human skin. A parasite that has not been found to be attached must be destroyed by burning, it must not be washed down the drain or sent to the trash can - this will not destroy it and it will attack someone else.

How to pull out a stuck tick

There are several ways to extract a stuck parasite:

What to do after removing a tick

With tick

The parasite must be sent to a special laboratory in order to determine its infection with infections. Place the tick in a special container with a tight lid, it is advisable to put cotton wool moistened with water to it, and store the container in the refrigerator before sending it to the laboratory. Better if the parasite was alive. If analysis is not possible, the insect should be burned.

With cat

A tick bite should be reported to the veterinarian. The incubation period for most infectious diseases lasts 2-3 weeks. During this period, it is necessary to establish a careful observation of the behavior of the animal, if alarming symptoms appear, inform the doctor.

What not to do when extracting a tick

You can not thoughtlessly use folk methods: flooding the parasite with oil, chemicals (alcohol, acetone, etc.). The tick will not fall off from this and will not loosen its grip. Most likely, he will die, while his proboscis will relax and the infected contents of his gastrointestinal tract will pour into the cat's bloodstream, which will significantly increase the risk of infection. Other common mistakes when extracting a parasite:

• sharp, pulling movements - almost certainly the head will come off and remain under the skin;
• capture of an insect by the abdomen - it is easy to crush, the infected contents of the stomach will penetrate into the blood of the animal.

Treatment of cats from ticks at home

Not only ixodid ticks, but also other types of parasites, for example, ear and scabies mites, demodex, and so on, can harm the health of an animal. It is not recommended to treat cats for any type of parasites only at home: the doctor in the laboratory must determine the type of infection, make a diagnosis and give appropriate recommendations. There are several groups of drugs that are most often prescribed by veterinarians for the treatment and prevention of tick-borne infections.

Treatment of kittens and pregnant cats

Diseases of cats caused by ear mites: clinical picture and methods of treatment

The ear mite is a microscopic parasite that feeds on small skin flakes in the ear. The disease caused by this arthropod is called otodectosis. Clinical manifestations of ear mite infection:

• the cat furiously scratches its ears, can walk with its head tilted to the side;
• restless behavior;
• increased body temperature;
• copious discharge from the ear, formation of scabs and crusts.

Tactics of treatment of otodectosis depends on the neglect of the disease. The sooner the parasites are detected, the more successful the therapy will be. If the disease has not become severe, treatment consists in treating the inner ear with special insecticidal agents and anti-inflammatory drugs. It will also require complex treatment of the animal with insecticides. If the disease is advanced, antibiotic therapy may be needed.

Diseases of cats caused by subcutaneous mites: clinical picture and methods of treatment

There are also several diseases caused by subcutaneous mites. The classification is based on the types of parasites that cause them to develop. Therapy of such diseases consists in local treatment of the affected areas, the use of insecticidal, anti-inflammatory drugs, symptomatic therapy, in some cases, antibacterial drugs are used.

Diseases of cats caused by ixodid ticks: clinical picture and methods of treatment

Ixodid ticks carry many pathologies that are dangerous for cats. Among them:

1. Infectious anemia or hemobartonellosis. The disease is caused by microorganisms that infect red blood cells and tissues of internal organs. The lesions caused by bacteria are very serious: the bone marrow and lymphatic system often suffer. The infection causes anemia, which in turn significantly worsens the general condition of the animal. There are pronounced changes in behavior - the cat becomes lethargic, apathetic, not interested in what is happening around her. A characteristic symptom of hemobartonellosis is that urine acquires a pink tint. In addition, the mucous membranes become icteric, there are disturbances in the work of the heart. With the help of therapy, you can achieve a complete recovery, but the insidiousness of the disease is that the symptoms can appear only at an advanced stage. However, mortality from infectious anemia is low. For the treatment of hemobartonellosis, tetracycline antibiotics, anti-inflammatory, antihistamines, and vitamins are used. The course of treatment and dosage is determined by the attending physician.
2. Theileriosis. The causative agent of the disease is the protozoa of the genus Theileria. Microorganisms attack red blood cells and tissue structures of the body. The disease is characterized by rapid development: at first the cat refuses to eat, its activity decreases, and after 1-2 days the body temperature rises to critical levels, breathing is disturbed, the mucous membranes become pale. Mortality from theileriosis is high. Treatment involves the use of specific antimalarial drugs.

The diseases described are not the only possible infections that a cat can get from an ixodid tick. Even more dangerous viruses deserve special attention - they are more common, the diseases they cause have a pessimistic prognosis.

Tick-borne encephalitis in a cat

Tick-borne encephalitis is caused by a virus that enters the bloodstream of an animal when it is bitten by a parasite. With the blood flow, it reaches the brain, affects the gray matter, causes swelling of the cortex. As a result, serious complications arise: paralysis, epileptic seizures, loss of vision. Often the disease is fatal.

Clinical picture of the disease

Therapies

For the treatment of tick-borne encephalitis, corticosteroids, intravenous injections are used. Symptomatic therapy is also used: antipyretic and analgesic drugs. Along with this, the veterinarian may prescribe absorbents and immunomodulators.

Do cats get piroplasmosis?

In domestic veterinary literature, it is widely believed that cats do not suffer from piroplasmosis (babesiosis). However, practice shows that infection of a cat with this virus is possible, although it is relatively rare. Piroplasmosis is a dangerous infectious disease. The causative agent is a microscopic babesia parasite that attacks red blood cells, causing their gradual death. Symptoms of the disease:

• refusal of food;
• a significant increase in temperature;
• anemia;
• diarrhea, vomiting, change in taste preferences;
• respiratory failure, cough.

In the absence of therapy, the animal dies. Antimalarial drugs are used to treat baresiosis.

How often should a cat be treated for ticks?

Preventive treatments for cats should be carried out once every 23-25 ​​days.

Care and maintenance of your pet

The conditions of detention have a significant impact on the level of immunity of the animal. Cats with a developed immune system are less susceptible to infections, they are less likely to experience complications of diseases. Key recommendations:

• provide the animal with a complete, balanced diet;
• avoid high humidity and drafts in the room where the animal sleeps;
• regular bedding cleaning.

preventive measures

Do not neglect the preventive measures of tick bites: as mentioned above, it is much easier to carry out regular preventive measures than to deal with the consequences of parasite bites. Measures to prevent tick attacks on cats:

• avoiding contact of the animal with stray relatives;
• the use of protective equipment in the form of sprays, aerosols and collars;
• if a cat goes outside, before letting her into her apartment, conduct an inspection: comb out the hair with a comb, check the areas of the body that parasites prefer to stick to;
• regular vaccination, degilmetization, disinsection.