My cat has been diagnosed with harvest mites. She is constantly licking her paws and is now having trouble walking. How long does it last?
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Hi there. Sorry to hear that Cleo is having this issue.
Harvest mites live on the skin's surface and during feeding, they pierce the skin with their small, hooked fangs and inject powerful enzymes that digest skin cells, that become liquefied and are consumed by the larvae. The enzymes are irritating to the skin and result in intense itching. Itching causes the cat to chew or scratch itself, causing self-inflicted wounds.
Individual cats vary greatly in their sensitivity to the bite of the mites. Cats that are frequently bitten may develop allergies to the mites resulting in severe clinical signs. This may be what is going on with Cleo.
I am guessing you had to the vet to get the diagnosis? If not, I would get her there for an exam so you can be sure this is the problem. If she has already seen the vet I would call them and ask for some anti-inflammatory medication and antibiotics (if there are wounds present) so you can get her some relief.
The mites usually only stay on the cat for about 2-3 days but she may keep getting more mites OR she may have developed the allergy and even though the mites are gone the inflammation is still there.
I hope this helps. If you have more questions feel free to post again. Best wishes!
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