Investigating the prevalence of Otodectes cynotis Mite in domestic cats

In this study, a total of ۱۲۵ cat colonies were examined. These cats included ۸۷ males and ۴۸ 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 ۵ centers for keeping and selling domestic cats in Tehran city. Then, the cats were divided into three age groups: under ۶ months, under ۱۷ months, and over ۲۲ 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 ۴۲ 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 ۳۲.۴۳ of the cats were contaminated with this mite, and contamination was observed in the first age group with a ratio of ۲۲.۷۵۳ (۱۶ cases out of ۸۲), the second age group with a ratio of ۳۵۳ (۱۴ cases out of ۴۲), and the third age group with a ratio of ۵۳.۳۳۳ (۷cases out of ۱۵). In order, ۴۲۳ of British breed cats (۱۴ cases out of ۳۵), ۳۸.۸۳ of Scottish breed cats (۱۸ cases out of ۴۵), and ۱۵.۵۳ of Persian breed cats (۸ cases out of ۴۵) were contaminated, and no significant relationship was found between age group and breed. The population of male cats is ۸۷, and the incidence rate of ear mites in this group is ۳۳.۳۳۳. There are ۴۸ female cats with an incidence rate of ۲۸..۲۳. The chi-square statistic is ۴.۳۶۳ and the P-value is ۲.۲۳۶. These results indicate that there is a significant difference in the incidence rate of ear mites between male and female cats (P < ۲.۲۵). 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 ۷۲۳, ۴۴۳, ۲۳, ۲۷۳, and ۴۳ 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.

کلیدواژه ها:

Otodectes cynotis ، External parasite ، Ear mites ، Domestic cats