What should I do if my cat is sick? Taking good care of cats is something that every cat owner must do. At the same time, this is also the main responsibility of cat owners. However, no matter how you take care of them, cats will sometimes get sick. Therefore, everyone needs to understand the common diseases of cats, and then be able to take preventive measures in advance, so as to better ensure the healthy growth of cats. 1. Cat ringworm

Cat ringworm is a common fungal infection. The infection of cat ringworm is related to the cat’s own skin resistance and the dryness of the environment. Adult cats in good physical condition are generally less likely to be infected with ringworm.

Symptoms: Round or oval ringworm spots usually appear on the face, trunk, limbs and tail, etc., covered with gray scales, the coat color will become rough, and the coat of the ringworm spot area will be a handful. A handful breaks off or falls off, and the skin becomes red and slightly higher than the surrounding healthy skin.

Choose drugs: [clotrimazole cream], [ketoconazole cream] or [ciclopirox cream], which can be used alone or alternately.

Treatment: First use a cotton swab dipped in water to remove the skin flakes and hard scabs from the affected area, and then apply medicine so that the medicine can directly penetrate into the skin of the affected area. Apply to the affected area 1-2 times a day, and visible results will be seen after 1-2 weeks. ​​​​​​

2. Ear mites or ear canal fungal infection

Ear mites are a common problem for cats. In addition to ear mites, fungal infections of cat ear canals are also common. Moreover, the symptoms of ear canal fungal infection are very similar to those of ear mites, making it difficult to distinguish them. Both diseases are contagious, and while treating the affected cat, preventive treatment should also be given to other cats.

Symptoms:

My ears are extremely itchy and I scratch my ears with my hind paws from time to time. Dark brown secretions can be seen in the ear canal, some are oily, and some are dry and flaky. When scratching causes secondary bacterial infection, it can cause suppurative otitis externa and otitis media.

Selection of drugs:

【Erkang (Phellodendron Ear Drops)】, 【Eurofulin】, 【Ear Cleansing Water】

The symptoms of ear mites and ear canal fungal infections are very similar. Therefore, when choosing drugs, you should try to choose multi-effect drugs that can solve both problems at the same time, such as: [Erkang (Huangbai Ear Drops)] or [Ear Skin spirit]. Both of these are three-in-one medicine (ear mites, ear canal fungal infection and ear canal inflammation) and are recommended. If there is no [ear cleaning water], you can use [Erkang (Phellodendron Cortex Ear Drops)] instead.

Treatment:

　1) Cleanup

Hold the cat still, put 2 or 3 drops of [ear cleaning water] into the cat’s ears, and then immediately gently rub the base of the cat’s ears (at this time, you can hear the sound of liquid squeezing in the ear canal~ ) for a few seconds to allow the [ear cleaning solution] to be usedCan penetrate deep into the ear canal. Then let go of your hand and let the cat shake its head vigorously, so that the dirt in the ear canal can be thrown out. Finally, use a wet paper (tissue) to wipe away the dirt that has been thrown to the outer ear. Depending on the severity of your cat’s ear canal symptoms, you can repeat the above steps.

During the first treatment, your cat’s ear canal needs to be thoroughly cleaned. Subsequent treatments can be administered directly. If ear mites are severe, they need to be cleaned every day.

　2) Apply medicine

After cleaning, secure the cat again. Instill [Erkang (Huangbai Ear Drops)] into the cat's ear canal again, or use [Eurofulin], and squeeze it into the ear canal no larger than the size of a soybean. Gently rub the base of the cat's ears (at this time you can hear the sound of liquid squeezing in the ear canal) for a few seconds to allow the medicine to penetrate as deep into the ear canal as possible. It will take effect within 2-4 weeks.

Treat cats with whiskers once a day, and preventive treatment for healthy cats can be done 1-2 times a week.

3. Internal deworming

Internal parasites in cats include roundworms, tapeworms, hookworms, and coccidia. Among them, tapeworms and roundworms are more common. The infection of internal parasites is related to fleas and the social environment of cats. Therefore, before internal deworming, cats must first be dewormed externally. Cats living in groups need regular internal deworming treatment and prevention.

Symptoms:

Cats with severe internal parasite infections will generally show symptoms of malnutrition, such as rough, dull coat, weight loss, anemia, and poor energy. Some cats may also experience gastrointestinal symptoms, such as loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, blood in the stool, etc. With the exception of tapeworms, most internal parasites cannot be seen with the naked eye. When infected with tapeworms, tapeworm segments will wriggle out of the anus or be excreted in the stool. The tapeworm segments are flat, white, and retractable. They are less than 1cm when extended and look like rice grains when shortened. Some of the proglottids will be attached to the hair around the cat's anus and will look like sesame seeds after drying. Coccidiosis infections are more common in young cats. Symptoms are persistent weight loss and diarrhea.

Selection of drugs:

【Praziquantonazole】: Effective against tapeworms. The price is cheap, but the medicine has a strong taste and is difficult to administer.

[General killing]: Broad-spectrum anthelmintic, effective against tapeworms and roundworms. It has a certain taste, but the dosage is small, making it easier to take orally.

[Miaoba]: A broad-spectrum anthelmintic drug, effective against tapeworms and roundworms. Sugar-coated packaging is convenient to take, but the price is higher.