So frustrated - seems to be a run of ear mites going on

[TinysMom]

I'm treating everyone today for ear mites - even though not every bunny has it. Its just so frustrating though because the majority of the times I've had a bunny come down w/ wry neck -they had ear mites and wound up with an inner ear infection (or so it appeared). You'd think you would notice the mites pretty easily - but when you have as many rabbits as I do - and some of them prefer to hide in the back of the cage when you feed them - it can be easy to miss the signs for a bit....or at least it used to be when I'd give in and say, "I don't want to scare them...I won't push them to come out..".

Now I'm checking everyone on a more regular basis and being the "big kahuna" bunny.

But here is my question about ear mites....I know they're very contagious- and I'm treating for them. But other than giving the meds and cleaning their cages (which I was doing anyway)- is there anything else I should be doing?

Most of the bunnies that have had the ear mites - they're way down in and not easy to see right off (I've had some where it was noticeable) and I first noticed that they were sick because they were off their feed a bit or they might be shaking their head some (but couldn't see anything without really looking down in).

I'm just wondering if there is something here that is harboring the ear mites....

 

[bunnybunbunb]

I was told to use vegatable oil to kill ear mites way back when. I have had to deal with them few times, mostly they came with a bunny I rescued or something but the oil worked great. Put it in and let it set a few minute then clean the ear and tada, no more ear mites. Just like magic! Whether it is dubbed safe by vets or not I do not know, I have not had to deal with mites in almost a year.

Mites can come in on anything apparently. Mostly I hear of bedding but also feed and hay. I read ear mites can come out of the ear and live on other parts of the body so that is kind of worry some.

 

[TinysMom]

bunnybunbunb wrote:

I read ear mites can come out of the ear and live on other parts of the body so that is kind of worry some.

I had that happen with two does....but it was easy to spot when it happened and the ivomec worked just fine on it...

I wish I knew where the mites were coming from....its driving me up the wall. I'm hoping that with this round of dosing - they'll go away.

I have four bunnies in particular that are prone to have ear mites every few months...no matter how often they're treated, etc. Miss Bea is one of them....

 

[pamnock]

Most rabbits generally carry a small population of mites and are asymptomatic. A healthy immune system keeps parasites in check, and it's generally only under conditions of stress such as illness, very young or very old that the mites take advantage of the weakened immune system and are able to overpopulate.

Oral ivermectin seems to be very effective in mite control.

Pam

 

[Maureen Las]

I had watched this video awhile back (it is disturbing) but I just watched it over to see if I could glean any new info from it .

The vet DOES say that if rabbits don't have direct contact they usually do not get it from each other although a human could carry it from one bun to the next when handling.
He also say that it can be brought in in hay or feed.
Mites is one of the fears that I have in using hay that is not from a small animal "business' like Oxbow. pet Diner etc., Kleenmama
It's also possible that either you are not killing the mites through all the lifeststages of eggs, larvae. thenmites
if you are using ivermectin it is hard to know why you still have them reoccuring...
unless it"s in bedding, hay or feed???
This video is from the library
I'm sure that you've seen it but I posted it again
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoZgnAE7LAY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoZgnAE7LAY[/ame]

 

[ra7751]

Interesting thread. A few things about mites. Revolution is the best treatment....by far. Ivermectin is effective but a distant second. But Revolution is a prescription only drug and is a little pricey. For ear mites, you can also use another prescription drug called Acarexx. It is a one time treatment. If you use oral, topical or injectable, it has to be timed for the reproductive cycles...the first treatment gets the adults, the second gets any that have hatched since the first treatment and the last is mop up. Mineral or any other type of oil basically just might drown the adults and does nothing for hatching eggs....plus I don't think I would want oil in my rabbit's ears. I know that practice has been around for years....but it needs to be in history of lessons learned.

Mites are blood suckers. Their life expectancy off a host is less than 72 hours. So the only way that mites could possibly come to you on hay is basically for an animal that is infected with mites to die on that hay and for you to bring that hay to your animals within the window of starvation of these mites. It's possible that some type of wild animal possibly died on a bale of hay. I have seen mites head quickly for the exit when we euthanized infected wildlife. Miteshave no use for a dead animal. Most wildlife does carry mites among other things. And whether you know it or not, at night there can be all sorts of wildlife in your yard that might have mites....rabbits, opossums or maybe a raccoon. Some mites fall or are knocked off the host during their nightly ramblings and disperse in your grass. You then walk across that grass.....and you bring the mites into your place on your shoes. Many parasites come in hitch hiking on your shoes. If you "go behind the scenes" at a major zoo or aquarium.....many times you have to step on a disinfectant mat...a bug rug...that is designed to prevent parasites from enteing an envirionment on someone's shoes. The shoes are often the route of travel of repeat mite infestations.

Randy

 

[Flashy]

I have no knowledge about ear mites, but I'm just wondering if maybe you need something additional to clean your hutches? No, I'm not saying you're not cleanign enough, but over here we have a spray that you can spray into the cages that kills mites, maybe something like that might be of use? because then after your cleaning, you can then spray it, and also any other area the bunnies go, and it might help beat the problem.

 

[Becknutt]

I ordered Revolution from here: http://www.totalpetsupply.com/

It's not too expensive but takes a good 2 weeks to arrive, they ship from Australia where you don't need a presciption to buy it. I only dosed it once and the earmites have not come back.

Let me know if youneed the dosing info, I have it written down somewhere...