All the data and information collected from internet sources.

1. MINI PROJECT
PRESENTATION
1 OCTOBER 2014 – 31 DECEMBER 2014
NIK NOOR SYAMIMI BINTI ISMAIL
DIPLOMA IN BIOTECHNOLOGY
TECHNOLOGY PARK MALAYSIA COLLEGE
MAKMAL VETERINAR KAWASAN
KOTA BHARU (MVKKB)

2. MINI
PROJECT
EAR MITES IN STRAY
CATS AROUND
KOTA BHARU
Present by:
NIK NOOR SYAMIMI BT ISMAIL
DIP. IN BIOTECHNOLOGY
TPM COLLEGE

3. Introduction
Parasite
• A plant or an animal organism that lives in or on
another and takes its nourishment from that other
organism
• An organism that lives off or in another organism,
obtaining nourishment and protection while offering
no benefit in return
Ear Mites
• Commonly seen species in ear mites is Otodectes
cynotis which is an Ectoparasites

4. • Otodectes cynotis mites are a common cause of
otitis externa (inflammation or infection of the
external auditory canal) especially in the hosts of
cats, dogs, foxes, ferrets
Dog, cat, and ferret Fox

5. • Mites are usually found in ear canals, occasionally
skin of the head and feeds on tissue fluids and skin
debris

6. Objectives
• To determine the presence of mites in cat ear
• To compare the species of mites at different places

7. Clinical signs
1. Head shaking
2. Continual ear scratching
3. Ear droop
4. Pruritus (itching) is variable
5. Dark brown cerumen accumulation in the ear
1 2 43

8. Treatment and curing
• Topical: Medications (Acaricide, Moxidectin, Selamectin,
Ivermectin) treat for 2-6 weeks
• Severe: Medication of Ceruminolytic Agent (dissolve or
loosens earwax)
• Parasiticide treatment in the ears and on the whole body
for 2–4 weeks
• Environmental treatment is also advised (vacuuming/
washing/ insecticide)

9. The mites have 3 stages of life:
1. Larvae
2. Nymphs (Protonymph
& Deutonymph)
3. Adult
• A stage takes 3-5 days
minimum for next stages.
• The complete cycle egg to
egg takes about 3 weeks
(18-28 days)

10. Egg
• The egg is soft, sticky and
pearly white,
• The egg shape is oblong
• Eggs are large about 0.2
mm in length

11. Larva
• Eggs hatched become
Larvae
• Feed on the oil, tissue and
wax for a period of 4 days
• Ear mite larvae are
microscopic about 0.2 mm
• Three pairs of legs
• The front 4 legs have
cuplike structures at the tips
and the hind 2 legs have
long setae at the tips.
setae

12. Protonymph
(1st nymph stage)
• Larvae molts into
Protonymph
• This stage about 0.25 mm
long
• The last 2 legs are very small
Moults: shed old feathers, hair, or skin to
make way for a new growth

13. Deutonymph
(2nd nymph stage)
• Protonymph molts into a
female Deutonymph .
• Deutonymphs about 0.3 to
0.4 mm long
• 2 small bumps on the rear
called copulatory tubercles.
Copulatory
tubercles

14. Adult male
• Smaller about 0.05 mm
than female, 0.35-0.45 mm
• Has short pretarsi with
wineglass shaped
caruncles on the end of
each leg
• a pair of copulatory suckers
• The back has a pair of
suckers used to grasp the
female during copulation
(intercourse)
Pair of sucker
copulatory suckers
pretarsi

15. Adult Female
• Adult females are 0.35-0.45
mm in length

16. Egg Larva Protonymph
Deutonymph
(Female)
Adult male Adult female

17. FEMALE MALE

18. Methods
Pasar Pasir
Tumbuh Pasar Medan
Buluh Kubu
Kampung Kraftangan
RTC Tunjung
(a) Area samples collected

19. Total: 34 samples
• Samples collection
1. 4 samples from Pasar Pasir Tumbuh
2. 7 samples from Pasar Medan Buluh Kubu
3. 9 samples from Kampung Kraftangan
4. 14 samples from RTC Tunjung

20. (b) Samples taking
Give treats
Flip the ear flapCotton buds and
turn in and out
Take out cotton
budsPlace in plastic

21. (c) Direct Smear samples
Magnifying power 10x
microscope
Cotton swab of
samples
Labelled and scrap remaining
at the cotton swab of sample on
glass slide
Few drops of NaCl
onto glass slide
Cover slip placed

22. Out of all 34 samples, positive Otodectes Cynotis:
7 samples

24. Sample 2

25. Sample 4

26. Sample 7

27. Sample C

28. Sample 13

29. Sample 8

30. Sample D

31. Discussion
• The results were taken by qualitative of positive and
negative on samples tested. Out of 34 samples taken
from stray cats, found 7 samples positive mites of
Otodectes cynotis.
• The reasons; maybe because the cats area taken
were not affected with Otodectes cynotis.
• Next is because the samples itself from cat ear were
not enough (amount to put on slide) especially cats
that have clean ears such as abandoned pet cat.
• Furthermore, the wrong methods such as when
taking samples from cat ears using cotton swab. The
swabbing movements to get the ear wax and debris
or cerumen out and stick to the Q-tips.

32. • After that, wrong way of scrapping cerumen or
debris stuck at cotton buds. Due to this, small
amount or no debris scrapped and remained on
glass slide to be observed.
• Lastly, careless in adding liquid of NaCl to the
samples on slide till it overflowing and cause the
samples to excess outside the slide. This causes the
waste of samples because samples were limited.

33. Conclusion
• Through this experiment project, all the objectives
have been achieved. The area of stray cats that are
infected with these mites is at RTC Tunjung, Kota
Bharu as 7 samples positive out of 14 samples taken.
• The mites in cat ears are Otodectes cynotis.

34. References
• http://www.icb.usp.br/~marcelcp/Otodectes.htm
• http://www.animalhealth.bayer.com/4906.0.html
• http://www.animalhealth.bayer.com/4888.0.html
• http://stock-clip.com/video/5372228-veterinary-medicine-
ear-swab-of-a-cat's-ear-revealing-heavy-ear-mite-
(otodectes-cynotis)-infestation-microscopic-
magnification-of-mites-and-eggs-is-40x-normal-size-
slowmotion-1/2-natural-speed
• http://www.merckmanuals.com/vet/eye_and_ear/otitis_e
xterna/overview_of_otitis_externa.html
• http://www.dr-dan.com/earmites.htm
• https://c17cd87bdde7b086631c695855e14d66e4b32085.
googledrive.com/host/0B1IL5zI60TcWa1haSENaWE95WGs
/Otodectes.html

35. • http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3587741/
• http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3039897/
• http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4141585/
• http://vetbook.org/wiki/cat/index.php/Otodectes_spp
• http://ipm.ncsu.edu/AG369/notes/ear_mite.html
• http://www.banfield.com/getmedia/3c0c9853-d9d8-
450a-983d-1ce0208682bc/1_5-inside-the-ear
• http://www.capcvet.org/capc-
recommendations/otodectic-mite-ear-mite/
• http://loudoun.nvcc.edu/vetonline/VET133/Mites%20and
%20ticks.htm
• https://www.scribd.com/doc/39237021/2-Veterinary-
Ectoparasites
• http://www.icatcare.org:8080/advice/cat-
health/common-ear-problems-cats
• http://jad.tums.ac.ir/index.php/jad/article/viewFile/27/27