Ringworm (microsporia) is a disease manifested as a fungal infection of the skin, nail plates and hair follicles. The pathogen is a mold fungus of the genus Microsporum. Its colonies form in keratinized substrates. Microsporia remains a relatively common disease - dermatologists identify 60-75 cases for every hundred thousand Moscow residents. The pathology has a pronounced seasonality. The peak incidence occurs at the end of summer and beginning of autumn - the period of breeding of offspring in cats and other animals.
Head lice
They are also called hair animals, as they live on the scalp. Characteristic signs of this type of lice:
- adult size – from 2 to 4 mm;
- color – gray-yellow;
- body is translucent.
The insect has three pairs of legs, with which they tightly grasp the hair.
The louse lives for about a month. Females lay 5–7 eggs per day. Lice eggs are nits. They are firmly attached to the hair at its very base and look like translucent round capsules. The larva develops in the egg within 7–10 days, after which an adult emerges from the egg. The eggs remain on the hair. It is impossible to distinguish an empty egg from a nit with the naked eye (for more details, see the article “How long does it take for lice to hatch”).
How dangerous is a head louse?
This type of lice is the “safest” for humans. They do not carry dangerous diseases like body or pubic diseases. But these parasites themselves are unpleasant. They have a powerful mouthparts with which they bite through the skin, causing micro-wounds to form into which the insect's saliva gets trapped, causing itching. Also, these wounds can become infected, which leads to the development of skin and other diseases.
Lice infestation is called pediculosis. Signs of lice:
- severe itching on the scalp - they live not only on the scalp, but also in the beard, eyebrows, mustache;
- bite marks;
- after scratching, crusts appear on the head;
- due to incessant itching, a person becomes nervous and restless;
- with severe damage, the lymph nodes swell.
There is an opinion that lice and nits appear in people who do not maintain hygiene or lead a specific lifestyle. In fact, anyone can get lice.
They are transmitted in different ways:
- in case of close contact with an infected person - less than 50 cm;
- through combs, hats, accessories;
- through bed linen;
- in the pool - a louse can live in water for up to two days.
One adult can reproduce many times within just a few days. When the next generations of lice lay eggs, the hair becomes tangled, tangles form in it, and an unpleasant odor appears. If at least one female remains alive during the fight against these parasites, she will continue to reproduce. With long and thick hair, treatment for head lice can be very lengthy.
Infection and susceptibility
When a beloved and well-groomed pet brings a parasitic organism into the house and suffers greatly from it, the question arises, how is demodex transmitted? Cats become infected through direct contact with a sick animal. Also, scabies mites in cats can appear through contaminated items used to care for an infected animal. This could be a towel, a comb, a sleeping place.
Susceptibility increases significantly when the cat has a weakened immune system or has inflammatory diseases. Poor nutrition significantly reduces the body's defenses.
Body lice
This species does not live on the human body. It lives and hides in the folds of clothing and bedding, which is why the fight against this type of lice is especially difficult and long.
This type of lice has a translucent body measuring 3–5 mm; they are dirty white in color and darken when saturated with blood. In terms of lifestyle, they are more reminiscent of bed bugs, since most of the time they hide in clothes or bedding and can make their way into the thickness of mattresses, pillows, and blankets. This is where the eggs are laid. They do not live directly on human skin or hair, but go there only to feed. Bites most often appear on the upper body - neck, shoulders, back and lower back.
A body louse - or as it is also called, a linen louse - lives for about 35 days, the female can live up to 45 days. During her life cycle, the female lays about 300 eggs. Development to adulthood takes no more than a week.
Infection with body lice occurs much less frequently than with head lice. It is often associated with an antisocial lifestyle, poor hygiene and a rare change of clothes and bed linen.
You can become infected with body lice:
- when trying on clothes;
- when wearing clothes of a sick person;
- when sleeping in a bed infested with lice;
- in crowded places with close contact with the carrier.
Linen lice also cause lice, just like head lice. This is expressed by bites, and they are not in the form of punctures of the skin, but lice can cut off micro-pieces of skin with their jaws. These bites take 4 or more days to heal. At the same time, they itch very much. The parasites' saliva causes hives. It contains a secretion that prevents blood clotting. With severe damage, body temperature rises.
Since linen lice can move from one person to another, they can also carry pathogens of dangerous diseases, such as typhus, etc.
Is it possible to get infected from animals?
This type of parasitic organism is not believed to be transmitted to humans. However, when examining a sick animal, it is still recommended to wear gloves. The disease is contagious to almost all mammals, but a person cannot become infected with subcutaneous mites from a cat.
When a tick gets on the epidermis of a pet owner, it dies. It is worth noting that there are still cases when demodicosis can be transmitted to a person from a sick animal and people become infected with this parasitic disease. In case of inflammatory processes in the body and chronic diseases, subcutaneous mites can also be dangerous for humans.
Learn about other types of ticks on cats >>>
Pubic lice
This is the third option of what kind of lice a person can have. They live on the hairline, but not on the head, but in the groin and armpits. They are attracted to these places by the secretion secreted by the apocrine glands.
These pests are smaller in size than body or head pests. Their length is only 1.5 mm. The body is light brown, flat, not elongated, like other types of lice, but more round. Their paws are designed to move along hairs with a triangular rather than circular cross-section.
The pubic louse feeds every 4 to 5 hours, so bites when infected with this type of lice are multiple.
The peculiarity of pubic lice - also called flat lice - is that they lay eggs at temperatures from 20 to 40 degrees. At higher or lower temperatures, they cannot breed. The human body temperature is ideal for them.
They cannot live outside the hairline, so the simplest way to combat them is to completely shave off the hair.
Infestation with pubic lice is also pediculosis, but its special type is phthiriasis.
Signs of phthiriasis:
- severe itching;
- bite marks, blisters and small hemorrhages in their place;
- traces of parasite activity on underwear.
Representatives of this type of lice also live for about a month. During her life, the female lays about 300 eggs.
In addition to the discomfort that pubic lice cause, they can be carriers of sexually transmitted diseases. They carry syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, etc.
You can become infected with this type of lice:
- during sexual intercourse with a carrier;
- just in close contact;
- when wearing clothes of a sick person and using his personal belongings;
- in common areas - swimming pools, baths, saunas, solariums, public restrooms, etc.
Medicines and injections
If this is your first time encountering this problem, it will be quite difficult for you to choose a remedy for subcutaneous mites in cats on your own. Since the disease is divided into two forms (depending on the size of the affected skin), localized and generalized. Medicines are prescribed after examination by a veterinarian.
Localized form
This form of the disease is characterized by small skin lesions. Choosing a remedy for subcutaneous mites in cats for this form is not difficult, since there is a large selection of ointments, sprays, and shampoos. The treatment is simple, the main thing is to start on time and follow the correct sequence. Remember, the drug is applied only after cleansing the skin.
Medicines for localized form:
- Sulfuric ointment;
- Aversectin ointment;
- Unoiled;
- Tsidem;
- Demos liniment;
- Amit;
- Ivermek-gel.
In addition, the animal will need a drug that will increase immunity. This could be Gamavit, Immunoparasitan, Gala-vet or Maxidin.
Generalized form
This form of demodicosis is more difficult to treat, since almost all of the animal’s skin is affected. You shouldn’t give up, even if your pet already has ulcers and severe irritation – you can cure your cat.
In order for the drug for external use to be well absorbed, it is recommended to cut the animal’s hair and bathe it with medicated shampoo. After soaking the skin with special medicinal oils and after drying, treat the affected areas with the prescribed drug. In more severe cases, injections will be needed.
Preparations for injection:
- Cydectin - single dose - 0.4 ml;
- Dectomax - the dose is calculated by the veterinarian depending on the weight of the cat.
If the disease occurs with complications, this means that a secondary infection has joined demodicosis. In this case, the doctor will prescribe antibiotic injections.
Antibiotics for complicated forms of demodicosis:
- Betamox;
- Amosin;
- Amoxicillin;
- Kanamycin;
- Baytril.
In case of a complicated form, it is important to balance your pet’s diet. Include foods fortified with minerals and vitamins. This can be boiled porridge with fish or meat, with the obligatory addition of vegetables.
What other types of lice are there?
As mentioned above, each type of lice lives only on “its” victim. In addition to human lice, people have to deal with pests on their pets. Lice eaters live on dogs and cats. Their difference from human lice is that lice eaters do not feed on blood, but on dead skin flakes and animal hair. In terms of symptoms, lice-eater infestation is similar to human lice. It is also expressed by severe itching. Lice eaters do not spread from pets to humans.
Lice don't just live on cats and dogs. They can live on mice and rats, sheep, horses, pigs and other animals. All types of lice have the same structure. Vary in size. The largest are pork hematopins, whose length reaches 5 mm. And the smallest are hoplopleurae, which infect hamsters whose size does not exceed 1 mm. Also, species can differ in color, although they are all brown-gray, and when saturated with blood they darken to black.
All types of lice have the same nits - capsules in which the larvae develop. They are round and translucent, attached with an adhesive substance to the base of the hairs.
What does a subcutaneous mite look like in cats?
Translated from Latin, Demodex means “worm,” and for good reason. Demodex actually looks like a microscopic worm, 0.2-0.5 mm in size (about the size of a semolina grain). The body color of the parasite is light gray. As it moves across the skin, it can cause tickling.
Types of subcutaneous mites:
- Demodex (Demodex cati or Demodex gato);
- Sarcoptic mange (Sarcoptes canis);
- Notoedros cati.
The adult is an adult parasite, often with an elongated body. It has eight legs and a small head (sometimes the head is not visible at all). The body is completely covered with a shell of chitin. When a tick bites a cat, it quickly grows in size, filling the stomach with blood.
Find out also about the diagnosis, routes of infection and treatment of ear mites in cats,
How to deal with all types of lice
Traditional methods of control can only work in the initial stages of infection, when there are not very many pests yet. For treatment, essential oils with pungent odors are used, as well as cranberry juice and vinegar. They make wraps with these products, wash their hair with them, and treat the skin. Another method is temperature. It is believed that lice die at -8 degrees.
But in case of severe infection, such methods are useless. You should use professional and effective pediculicides, for example, Medilis-BIO, Medilis-Permifen, Medilis-Malathion. They are used to treat the hair and skin of adults and children, as well as clothing and bedding.
How to treat subcutaneous mites in cats
Curing subcutaneous mites in a cat is not so easy. It all depends on how advanced the condition was. The first thing you need to do is bathe the animal using a special medicated shampoo. Experts recommend “Doctor” or “Elite”. Bathing is carried out to cleanse the skin of pus, dandruff, and ichor.
After bathing, it is important to disinfect the affected area with Chlorhexidine or hydrogen peroxide. When the skin dries, the main treatment should be applied, which involves external preparations (for mild forms) or injections (for severe forms).
If you do not help the animal, the subcutaneous tick in cats will begin to lay larvae, that is, to multiply. In especially severe cases, the animal dies.
Can it be treated at home?
If the lice-eater infestation has occurred recently and the damage is minor, you can try to treat the animal at home. To do this, you should purchase drugs against ectoparasites (fleas, ticks, lice):
- pet shampoos (“Demos-Lux”, “Flea&Tick Cat Shampoo”, “Bolfo”, “Shampoo B”, “Rolf Club”, “Mr. Kiss”, “Bars”, “Clandestine”, etc.);
- drops (“Bars”, “Clandestine”, “Biafar”, “Frontline”, “Barrier”, “Hartz”, “Advantage”);
- aerosols and sprays (“Bolfo”, “Acaromectin”, “Flea & Tick – 14 Residial Spray”, “Delix-spray”, “Serco”, “Frontline”, “KiSka”).
These medications should be used with extreme caution if lice eaters are found in a kitten.
For small animals with weak immunity, you should use a lower dosage, which your veterinarian will help you choose.
Folk remedies used by animal lovers at home are not as effective as specialized drugs. However, they may well be used in the early stages of infection. For example, an animal can be bathed in a strong decoction of chamomile, string or wormwood.
Folk remedies
Treatment with folk remedies for subcutaneous mites in cats is permissible only if the veterinarian has not found any contraindications. Of course, if the animal already has a complicated form, then you should not waste time on home treatment. After all, natural drugs are much weaker than pharmaceutical ones, so you will need 2-3 times more procedures. But the generalized form will not wait long. The pet may simply die.
Folk remedies for the treatment of mild demodicosis:
- Bathe your cat daily in medicated shampoo, and after the procedure, wipe the affected skin with a decoction of sage and chamomile. To do this, add a large spoon of each herb to 500 ml of boiling water and boil for 10 minutes. Let cool to room temperature. Before each procedure, the decoction should be slightly warmed.
- Bathe your animal with tar soap. After each procedure, wipe the affected area with calendula infusion.
- Treat areas where hair has fallen out with kerosene every two days. After the procedure, do not bathe the animal for 2 days.
During treatment, be sure to disinfect the place where the cat sleeps and all pet care items. Any medicine for external use should be at room temperature.
Do not forget that alternative treatment can lead to poisoning of the body or other serious complications.
Main symptoms
Despite the mild symptoms and small size of the pathogen, an attentive owner can easily detect it. The main changes concern the behavior and appearance of the dog. These include:
- loss of activity, poor appetite and irritability;
- intense itching, affecting the quality and duration of sleep;
- the appearance of dandruff and deterioration in the quality of wool (fragility, the appearance of tangles) as a result of active exfoliation of the epidermis;
- focal hair loss at the base of the tail, on the inner thighs, head and ears, accompanied by inflammation and redness of bald spots.
If you notice these symptoms, be sure to do a small test. Point the switched-on lamp at your pet and warm its skin for 10 minutes. Pooh-eaters love high temperatures, so they will definitely get closer to a heat source. At this point they can be seen under a magnifying glass.
Once you are sure you have trichodectosis, immediately make an appointment with your doctor. All insecticidal preparations are very toxic, so their dosages and duration of administration are selected individually.
Prevention of the disease
Prevention of lice eaters is:
- Pet hygiene means regular washing and combing of the coat.
- Minimizing the dog's contact with stray animals.
- Timely treatment of your pet against parasites, using any of the means of protection - drops, collars or sprays.
No product gives a 100% guarantee and will protect your pet from all misfortunes. For more complete protection and peace of mind for the owner, products can be combined using different active ingredients in different forms - for example, a collar and drops or a collar and spray.
Complications
If you do not respond to the symptoms of the disease in time, the disease can lead to complications.
What are the consequences of ignoring treatment?
- abscesses of hair follicles;
- intoxication of the body;
- weakened immunity;
- slowing down metabolism;
- deterioration of apatite;
- disruption of the sebaceous glands;
In addition, if the subcutaneous mite from a cat is not removed in time, tissue necrosis with signs of rotting occurs at a late stage.
