Veterinary drug Amitrazin: when and how to use it

If you own a pet, you understand the significance of maintaining the health and happiness of your animal companions. This occasionally necessitates using veterinary drugs as assistance. You may be familiar with the drug amitrazin. It is frequently used to treat specific dog ailments and can be extremely helpful when your pet requires more attention.

The main uses of amitrazin are for treating skin infections and parasites. It is an effective option that your veterinarian should take into consideration, as it targets particular issues. To protect your pet’s safety and wellbeing, it is essential to know when and how to administer medication correctly, just like with any other.

We’ll go over the salient features of amitrazin in this article. We’ll go over what it treats, how to take it, and any possible adverse effects to be aware of. You’ll understand this veterinary medication better by the end and feel more comfortable talking to your veterinarian about it. Together, let’s embark on this path to improved pet health!

When to Use Amitrazin	How to Use Amitrazin
For treating ticks and mites in dogs and cats	Apply as directed by your vet, usually on the skin
When your pet shows signs of infestations	Follow the dosage instructions carefully
As a part of a larger treatment plan	Monitor your pet for side effects

Description of the drug Amitrazin

Amitrazin is an advanced external acaricidal solution. The joint-stock company "Top-Vet" in St. Petersburg, which specializes in the manufacturing of veterinary medications, produces it. This product is a transparent, oily liquid with a pale yellow color that includes the following ingredients:

• amitraz (0.25%) is a weak organic acid that is an acaricide for many types of ticks; when it acts on them, the conduction of nerve impulses is blocked, which leads to paralysis and death of parasites;
• dimethyl sulfoxide (30%) – this component promotes rapid penetration of amitraz into deeper layers of the skin, and also has a local anesthetic and anti-inflammatory property;
• rapeseed oil – an auxiliary substance, which also has an antioxidant, bactericidal, anti-inflammatory effect; improves the condition of the skin and coat of the animal, promotes rapid regeneration of the skin.

There are 10 ml dropper bottles available for purchase.

For the most part, treating a cat with Amitrazine only requires one package.

How long can Amitrazine be stored

The medication can be stored for up to two years after the date of manufacture before being opened. The following storage circumstances satisfy the criteria for low-hazard substances:

• the product is stored separately from food products and animal feed;
• children cannot have access to the storage area of ​​the drug;
• the packaging must be protected from high humidity and from light, the ambient temperature: from 0 to -20 ° C.

The medication should be kept in a closed container for no longer than 30 days after the bottle’s seal is broken.

Indications for the use of Amitrazine

Cats may be prescribed amitrazine to treat a variety of skin conditions:

• otodectosis;
• notoedrosis;
• sarcoptosis.

Otodectosis (ear mange)

The ear mite Ototdectes cynotus, which develops and reproduces on the inner surface of the auricle, is the cause of this disease. The parasite colony’s vital activity causes its waste to clog the ear, which can cause otitis and, in more severe cases, even cause the animal to die. The illness’s initial symptoms include:

• itching (the cat often scratches its ear);
• contamination of the auricle;
• discharge from the eye – with severe infection;
• appearance of the third eyelid.

Video: Otodectosis in cats

Notoedrosis and sarcoptosis

Notoedrosis is caused by the subcutaneous mite Notoedres cati. Infection most often begins with the animal"s head, and in the absence of treatment it spreads throughout the body. The mite parasitizes the upper layers of the skin, which leads to its cracking, the appearance of pustules, thickening, and then baked reddish crusts form on the skin. In places of severe damage, hair may fall out. Because of itching, the cat constantly scratches itself, additionally injuring itself. Violation of the skin, which occurs as a result of the disease, not only causes suffering to the cat, it can lead to a decrease in immunity, secondary infection, the development of an inflammatory process and the death of the pet.

It is best to combat subcutaneous mites as soon as possible to prevent the disease from spreading.

The mite Sarcoptes canis is the cause of sarcopentosis. Unlike Notoedres cati, it reaches deeper layers of the skin, causing skin damage and irritation. Localized redness of the skin in the ear, eye, and eyebrow regions is one of the initial symptoms of sarcoptosis. These areas start to show cracks and tiny bubbles after a few days, which eventually burst with the release of ichor.

The primary indicators of subcutaneous mites are skin blisters, redness, and hair loss.

Sarcoptosis and notoedrosis share a similar general course, and only a thorough analysis performed in a veterinary clinic can accurately identify the disease’s cause.

Video: subcutaneous mites in cats

How to use Amitrazin

There are various strategies for using Amitrazin to treat subcutaneous and ear mites.

The procedure for treatment of otodectosis

Treatment with amitrazin for otodectosis is administered as follows:

After moistening a swab with the drug, carefully clean the inner surface of the ear from all dirt. Not all veterinarians advise cleaning the auricle with a remedy for combating mites, since it is still somewhat toxic. For this purpose, you can use milder drugs, for example, lotions with an anti-inflammatory effect: Bars, Cliny and others.

Any cat-specific ear lotion can be used to clean the pet’s auricle prior to administering amitrazine treatment.

As per the Amitrazin usage instructions, two treatments are sufficient because the tick’s complete life cycle lasts approximately nine days. In a week, all of the eggs will hatch into larvae, which will perish following the second treatment. However, this is a perfect scenario. Because of the intricate structure of the auditory auricle, the disease will eventually return if there is still one tick present in one of the folds. Thus, in order to guarantee the elimination of every parasite, it is still preferable to administer multiple treatments.

The medication must be applied carefully if the skin or inner ear cavity are injured because it can cause excruciating pain if it gets on an open wound.

Only a veterinarian can prescribe additional treatment to relieve the inflammatory process if the tick infestation has already resulted in the development of otitis.

Video: how to clean a cat"s ears

Scheme for using Amitrazine against subcutaneous ticks

The process of using amitrazin to treat subcutaneous mites:

1. It is advisable to trim the hair in the affected areas to make it easier to apply the drug, while taking into account that 10 mm of healthy skin is captured in the border zone.
2. Clean off all scabs and crusts from diseased areas. To soften the scabs, you can use warm water with the addition of tea tree oil extract, calendula, kelp or other substances with keratolytic and disinfectant properties.
3. Apply Amitrazin with a swab to the affected areas starting from the border zones, moving towards the center. The dosage is calculated using the formula 0.2-0.5 ml (depending on the degree of development of the disease) per 1 kg of the cat"s weight.
4. For 15-20 minutes, the animal should not be allowed to lick the drug. For this, you can use a veterinary cone or simply wrap the cat in a towel and hold it in your arms.

The cat can wear an Elizabethan collar for 20 minutes following the application of Amitrazine to the skin.

Depending on how the illness is progressing, this procedure is done two to five times every five to seven days. Treatment for severe damage is administered in two stages: the first involves treating one half of the body, and the second is done the following day. This safety measure is required to prevent a drug overdose. A repeated treatment procedure is required when fighting microscopic mites because the drug only affects the larvae and adult parasites, not the eggs.

The outcome of the veterinary clinic’s analysis dictates the animal’s prognosis.

This article will discuss Amitrazin, a veterinary medication that is frequently used to treat ticks and demodectic mange in dogs and cats. We’ll go over how to use amitrazin, when it’s appropriate to use it, and some crucial safety tips to maintain the health and happiness of your furry friends. Knowing this medication can assist pet owners in making well-informed decisions regarding the care of their animals.

Is it always possible to use Amitrazin

The drug is a member of the third class of hazardous substances. It has no local irritating or sensitizing (increasing sensitivity of the body to allergens) effects when used at the recommended dosages. There are limitations on its application, and amitrazin isn’t always prescribed:

• in a weakened state of the animal"s body;
• during infectious diseases;
• pregnant and lactating females;
• kittens up to 8 weeks of age.

Side effects that are possible when taking the drug

Amitrazine is not well tolerated by all animals; in fact, some animals’ bodies react negatively to it. Among these phenomena are:

• allergic rashes, redness, itching, swelling;
• a state of general loss of strength;
• aggressive behavior of the cat due to unpleasant sensations.

Should this kind of reaction happen, the medication needs to be eliminated by using a cotton swab to wipe it away with warm water. In the event that the animal’s condition does not get better, you need to get in touch with the vet.

The following signs could indicate a drug overdose or poisoning (should the animal inadvertently lick the medication):

• nausea and vomiting;
• diarrhea;
• dilated pupils;
• refusal to eat;
• bradycardia;
• general weakness of the body.

In this instance, it’s essential to:

• remove the product from the skin if possible;
• give the cat plenty of fluids;
• give an absorbent (activated carbon is used for this purpose at a rate of 2 g / kg of weight), Antisedan can serve as an antidote;
• deliver the pet to the veterinary clinic as quickly as possible.

Table: advantages and disadvantages of Amitrazine

Advantages	Disadvantages
Efficiency of use for many types of skin diseases	Side effects are possible
Simple method of application	There are examples of poisoning with the drug
Relatively low cost (72-85 rubles. per bottle)

Folk methods of combating skin diseases

If using amitrazine is not an option, you can try traditional healing techniques. Every three days, the cat is bathed with tar soap or specialty shampoos to prevent subcutaneous mites. Next, tinctures made from herbs that have anti-inflammatory and bactericidal properties are applied to the wounds on the body:

• sage;
• chamomile;
• calendula;
• Echinacea.

The otodectosis can be treated with the following recipes:

Brew two heaped teaspoons of green leaf tea with a glass of boiling water. Leave until completely cool, then strain. Instill 2-3 drops daily in each ear for a month.

Green tea has potent antimicrobial qualities.

• lavender;
• chamomile;
• tea tree oil.

Without a doubt, traditional methods have a more gentler effect on the body than pharmaceutical drugs. However, the outcome of their application is less successful, and these treatments are limited to the initial phases of the illness. Using them to contain the disease until veterinary drugs are no longer available might make sense. However, the treatment plan should be reviewed with a veterinarian in any case.

Table: comparison of Amitrazine with other analogues

Name of the drug	Composition	Application	Cost
Amit Forte – liquid acaricide for external use	Active ingredients:

• diphenhydramine;
• diflubenzuron;
• fipronil.

• fipronil — 5 mg;
• chloramphenicol — 10 mg;
• lidocaine hydrochloride — 50 mg.

• 0.05% avermectin C;
• auxiliary components.

• notoedrosis;
• sarcoptosis;
• otodectosis;
• demodictosis;
• felicolosis;
• trichodecosis;
• linognathosis;
• ctenocephalosis.

Photo gallery: acaricidal drugs for cats

Amit Forte is a reasonably priced and well-liked remedy for cat ear mites. Dogs and cats with otodectosis, sarcoptosis, and notoedrosis—including those made worse by bacterial microflora—are prescribed Dekta Forte. A highly practical dosage form for the medication is drops on the withers, which are administered to the animal’s skin in a painless and safe manner. Aversectin ointment is used to treat a variety of skin conditions.

Knowing which medications are best for our furry friends is crucial to maintaining their health. Amitrazin is an effective tool in a veterinarian’s toolbox, particularly when it comes to treating specific pests and skin issues in cats and dogs. Many veterinarians and pet owners choose it because of its efficacy in controlling ticks and mites.

Amitrazin use necessitates paying close attention to application and dosage. To protect your pet’s safety and wellbeing, always heed the advice of your veterinarian. Since every pet is different in how they react, it’s important to keep an eye out for any side effects. Following treatment, you should monitor their behavior and health to help you identify any problems early.

In the end, when administered properly, amitrazin can greatly enhance your pet’s quality of life. By combining it with routine check-ups and preventive care, you can ensure the health and happiness of your cherished pets. Recall that the best advocate for their pet’s health is an informed pet owner!

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