Investigating the prevalence of Otodectes cynotis Mite in domestic cats

In this study, a total of 125 cat colonies were examined. These cats included 87 males and 48 females and belonged to three different breeds: British, Scottish, and Persian. The aim was to investigate the prevalence of feline scabies caused by Otodectes cynotis in domestic cats. Sampling was done from animals showing symptoms of contamination and selected from 5 centers for keeping and selling domestic cats in Tehran city. Then, the cats were divided into three age groups: under 6 months, under 17 months, and over 22 months, and their ears were examined using an otoscope. The characteristics of each cat, including age, gender, breed, color, and duration of stay at the center, were recorded. Sampling of the cats' ears was done using a sterile swab containing mineral oil. Then, the samples were placed on a slide containing paraffin oiland examined under a microscope at 42 magnification. The collected data were analyzed using analysis software, and the relationship between contamination and gender, breed, center of keeping, and age group was analyzed. The results showed that 32.43 of the cats were contaminated with this mite, and contamination was observed in the first age group with a ratio of 22.753 (16 cases out of 82), the second age group with a ratio of 353 (14 cases out of 42), and the third age group with a ratio of 53.333 (7cases out of 15). In order, 423 of British breed cats (14 cases out of 35), 38.83 of Scottish breed cats (18 cases out of 45), and 15.53 of Persian breed cats (8 cases out of 45) were contaminated, and no significant relationship was found between age group and breed. The population of male cats is 87, and the incidence rate of ear mites in this group is 33.333. There are 48 female cats with an incidence rate of 28..23. The chi-square statistic is 4.363 and the P-value is 2.236. These results indicate that there is a significant difference in the incidence rate of ear mites between male and female cats (P < 2.25). There is a relatively different trend in the prevalence of ear mite infestation between male and female cats. Overall, the results indicate that contamination was observed in 723, 443, 23, 273, and 43 of the examined centers. The presence of parasites in the centers can quickly lead to the spread of contamination, and therefore, control, treatment, and elimination of contamination in centers where parasites are observed are essential. The higher contamination ratio in the age group over twenty months may be due to the presence of only males in this group and the density and duration of stay at the center, but further research is needed.

Investigating the prevalence of Otodectes cynotis Mite in domestic cats Keywords:

Otodectes cynotis , External parasite , Ear mites , Domestic cats