Vetdle

Think. Diagnose. Play.

Vetdle Archive

Archive Case #112: Feline Otodectic Mange

Cat veterinary case - Easy - June 23, 2026

Clinical Clues

  1. A young cat is presented for persistent irritation around both ears.
  2. The owner notices head shaking and frequent scratching.
  3. Dark crumbly material is present in both ear canals.
  4. Otoscopic examination reveals small moving white specks in the debris.
  5. The pattern is a contagious parasitic otitis in a young cat.
  6. Otodectes ear mites commonly cause bilateral pruritic otitis with dark debris in cats.

Diagnosis

Feline Otodectic Mange

This case is most consistent with Feline Otodectic Mange because the cat has pruritic ears with classic dark debris and visible mites. The most important clues are the bilateral ear involvement and young age, which make allergic otitis less likely.

Learning review

Review the case evidence

Use the paired clues to explain how the evidence in this cat case supports the provided diagnosis, Feline Otodectic Mange, then compare your reasoning with the case explanation.

Evidence checkpoints

Clues 1-2

  1. Clue 1: A young cat is presented for persistent irritation around both ears.
  2. Clue 2: The owner notices head shaking and frequent scratching.

Clues 3-4

  1. Clue 3: Dark crumbly material is present in both ear canals.
  2. Clue 4: Otoscopic examination reveals small moving white specks in the debris.

Clues 5-6

  1. Clue 5: The pattern is a contagious parasitic otitis in a young cat.
  2. Clue 6: Otodectes ear mites commonly cause bilateral pruritic otitis with dark debris in cats.

Self-review prompts

  1. After clues 1-2, what evidence from this cat case shaped your initial interpretation?
  2. When you compare clues 3-4 with clues 1-2, what changed in your reasoning about Feline Otodectic Mange?
  3. How do clues 5-6 align with the case explanation for Feline Otodectic Mange?

Educational Use

Vetdle archive cases are educational veterinary games for diagnostic reasoning practice. They do not provide veterinary advice, diagnosis, treatment, or professional medical guidance.