A cat that suddenly starts to shake his head constantly may suffer from a mild to severe disease and needs veterinary treatment. Whether the problem is an underlying ear infection or a more serious condition, it is necessary to quickly understand the problem and consult a veterinarian so that treatment can be started, and your cat can start to get some relief.
Ear infections and ear mites
Cats do infect their ears, just like dogs. In fact, of all the reasons a cat shakes its head, ear infections will be the most likely cause. 1 When you take the cat to the veterinarian for shaking your head, your veterinarian will first observe your cat's ear canal using it. The help of otoscope. This allows them to assess any potential inflammation in the ear canal and determine whether the eardrum (also known as the eardrum) is intact. This step is important because some ear medicines may be toxic to the inner ear.
2 Once the veterinarian can check the status of your cat's ear drum, they will collect secretions samples from your cat's ears. From there, they will perform microscopic evaluation of these swabs. On an oscilloscope, your veterinarian may see two different types of bacteria: cocci (rounded) or rod-shaped bacteria, budding yeast, or ear mites.
What is ear mites?
Otodectes cynotis is an ectoparasite that is not entirely common, but is certainly more common in cats than in dogs. They can cause a strong itching sensation, which will surely cause your cat to shake his head to relieve symptoms. Depending on what you see on the microscope (and depending on whether your cat's ear drum is intact), your veterinarian will determine what medication to use to treat potential infections or ear mite infections.
allegations
Like us, cats may be unfortunate patients with allergies. In cats, allergies can come from contact, inhalation, food or insects (especially flea bites), most commonly manifested as severe itching around the head, neck, and ears, and may include head shaking.
Experienced veterinarians may prescribe some medications to relieve itching, but they will also want to try to find out allergens. They may want your cat to receive a different monthly local flea prevention, regardless of the risk your cat is at for them. They may also want to change their cat's diet to prescription hydrolyzed food for rigorous food trials.
Food trials are very strict - nothing can pass through your cat's lips except for the prescribed six to eight weeks of food. This includes snacks, human foods and flavoring supplements. However, if you can stick with it, and if this is a prescription from your veterinarian, completing a food trial will clearly diagnose your cat with food allergies.
polyps
Ear polyps sometimes appear in cats, also known as cat inflammatory polyps. These are benign growth originating from the cat's middle ear or external ear mucosa. The symptoms of ear polyps will vary depending on where they are located, and the polyps can only be effectively treated through surgical resection.
Insect bites
Cats are natural enemies and are easily bitten by insects, mainly on their faces and claws. Some cats have local reactions in bite areas, including swelling, inflammation, itching, urticaria and head shaking. 6 If your veterinarian suspects that your cat is bitten by an insect, they may take antihistamines or steroids to treat inflammation. In rare cases, your cat may experience an allergic reaction, which requires immediate medical attention.