Ear Mite Help...

[lobanz]

I have been raising meat rabbits for about 4 years. I currently have a 3 NZW does and an Altex buck for meat rabbits. We've only had one problem with ear mites in the past, and it wasn't bad. I noticed our previous buck shaking his head a little, so I did some research and dosed all the rabbits with Selamectin and the problem went away.

Anyway, the following is a description of how we have treated a bad ear mite infection so far. I'm wondering if we are handling it right and if anyone has any suggestions to treat it better and how to prevent them from happening in the future.

On Friday we went out of town for 1 night and my wife and kids got the bunnies squared away. Well, when we got back the next day (Sat, Day 0), our buck had a horrible looking case of ear mites. His whole left ear was covered with thick beige colored crust and it was heavy, drooping and quite warm. Couldn't even see down in it. The right ear has a little bit of flaking scabbiness down in it. One question I have is Does an ear mite problem really proceed that quickly?

So, we moved the him into a portable cage and put him in our sunroom. We dosed him (and all the other rabbits and cats) with Selamectin to kill the mites. ~12 mg/kg for the infected rabbit and ~6 mg/kg for the 3 does and the three cats. We also put some baby oil in both ears of infected rabbit.

On Day 1, the less infected right ear looks noticeably better just overnight. The left ear was maybe a little better but is still looking pretty bad. Some crustiness had come off and the ear didn't seem quite as warm as it did when we first found him. I could't tell if there is a secondary infection or if it's just crusty from the mites and from scratching. They cleaned his cage also.

On Day 2 we sprayed some topical Benadryl on both ears and then coated the crustiness in baby oil. We also gave him 1 ml of Children's Benadryl by mouth. We did this to relieve the itching some so he wouldn't claw it so much. When we put him back in the cage, he immediately started clawing at his ear so I had the kids hold him for about 15 min for the medicine to kick in. After 15 minuted or so, they said that he actually started holding both ears upright and that he didn't start clawing when they put him in the cage. They cleaned his cage also.

This morning, Day 3, the left ear looked MUCH better. Most of the crustiness was gone and we could see the ear. There was some pasty green stuff that had the consistency of mushed up wet alfalfa, but I doubt it was. We gently removed it with a q-tip. We sprayed some topical Benadryl on both ears and gave 1 ml of Children's Benadryl by mouth. When the topical Benadryl was dry, we coated the underside of the ear with baby oil. They held the rabbit for about 15 minutes and cleaned his cage.

I'm still not sure if there is an infection in the inner ear and I don't really know how to tell. We are going to start examining ears weekly and applying baby oil as necessary.

• Does it sound like we are going about this correctly?
• Anyone know how I can tell if there is an inner ear infection?
• What's the best way to prevent this from happening?
• Any other advice for me?

I've ready some about treating this with honey. Any experiences with honey? How about garlic oil?

Thanks!

 

[PSFAngoras]

Ear mites don't take over that quickly, so it sounds like he had them for quite a while. In my last experience, I picked up a Flemish buck with ear mites. I try to keep my animals as antibiotic and anti med free as I can in the event they end up on my plate, so I opted to only treat him with oil.

I used grape seed oil (what I had on hand, olive oil works just as well) land coated the inside of his ears every day for the first week, and then other day for the second week. After that, I coated his ears every four days for the next two weeks to help kill any emerging eggs. He never had ear mites again.

Most ear mite meds require a second dose or even a third at later dates to kill the newly emerging mites, as the eggs are typically impossible to kill. I've never heard of the med your using, but I assume its similar.

As far as an inner ear infection, rabbits will usually start to hold their head at a tilt if they have one, but just because he's not doesn't mean that one couldn't be developing. I'd watch him closely.

As far as prevention, I'd say to try and make sure that your giving the follow up doses of the meds. If your using wood shavings in the rabbits' trays, the that could easily be the source of the mites. Perhaps switching to a different brand may help solve the issue.

Haven't hear anything about garlic oil, bu I'd be careful using it in such a sensitive area as an ear, certainly as the oil works its way down the ear canal. Garlic can cause blisters if it's too strong, and in a sensitive area like the ear canal I'd have my worries, even diluted down in oil. I wouldn't risk it personally. As far as honey, I think the honey they typically use is makuna honey. I'm not sure that other honeys would have as strong of antibiotic properties, but you could probably rinse the ear out with honey diluted in water so long as you make sure that you rinse again after the initial honey rinse so there is not a sticky residue to attract dirt into the ear. Your buck will probably hate you for trying it though!

Hope this is helpful.

 

[DogCatMom]

Here is a link to the WebMD article on manuka (monuka / all sorts of spellings) honey. Poor bunny!

 

[Diamond]

I find that the injectable ivermectin 1% solution for cattle works safely and effectively at 0.05 cc/ pound (10 pound rabbit = 0.5 cc) ..... ear mites do lay eggs in the environment and a repeat treatment is needed 2 weeks after the first.

I raise New Zealand rabbits and have a considerable herd (about 50 junior to senior sized rabbits plus the growouts), if I see ear mites in a rabbit I generally treat the whole herd because the mites don't show up until the population gets out of control, you can assume they are hanging out unseen in other rabbits if one is symptomatic.

I do not treat rabbits who will be processed within the next 30 days. I do sanitize the cages that my weanlings and growouts get moved into, for various reasons.

Usually about once or twice a year I notice somebody with crusty ears and initiate treatment. I always inspect my adult rabbits at breeding time, and also keep a vigilant eye on my sale pens.

 

[grumpy]

Ear Mite medications are without question, outrageously over-priced.
Some run as high as 2 to 3 dollars per cc. Look at the ingredients!!
Most are pyrethrum suspended in some type of non-toxic oil base.
5% to 6% is pyrethrum, the rest is inert oil.

Decades ago, a quick squirt of Ronson Lighter Fluid
down each ear and you were good to go.
In a pinch you could use charcoal starter fluid.
It all worked, folks.

Nowadays, things have changed. Maybe not for the better, but changed.
I went to a "fertilizer-application-company" that works with the farmers.
I asked for and received some commercial grade, organic, pyrethrum.
They gave me around a cup-full in a plastic container. Price: "N/C Grump."

Headed over to the pharmacy and bought two pints of Mineral Oil. Cost: $5.00.
Went home and pulled out an empty "Ear-Mite" treatment squirt container.
It is a 105 milliliter capacity bottle that cost me $18.00 new.
I took an insulin syringe and sucked up 5 ml's of pyrethrum and put in in the bottle.
Next, I carefully poured about half of a bottle full of mineral oil in it.
Shook the livin' snot out of it and filled it the rest of the way up with mineral oil.

Viola! Ear-mite medicine....A FULL BOTTLE!! Cost: Less than a buck.
And it's the same stuff you'll pay through the nose for.
It's no different. You can probably buy pyrethrum from any Ag/Service company.

I've made this for years and I've never had any problems.

All of these new-fangled nostrums, and high-powered, super duper
bug killers are made for one purpose and one purpose only.
"To get down deep, WAY DOWN DEEP, in your pockets."

Grumpy.

 

[Dood]

Just because it works doesn't mean it is recommended or safe.

Pyrethrum is also an ingredient in flea sprays and powders which are NOT recommend for rabbits as it is a neurotoxin and can have mild to severe side effects, including death, in small animals.

http://medirabbit.com/EN/Skin_diseases/ ... roptes.htm

Ivermectin is a recommend treatment and relatively 'cheap' compared to vet drugs which often have anti-inflammatories and/or pain killers added for the animals comfort.

 

[ottersatin]

EAR MITES
Are caused by the parasite Psoroptes Cuniculi which is a mite that likes to make it's home in the rabbit's ear canal. They irritate the rabbit to the point that the scratching can lead to infection.
SYMPTOMS
Shaking of the head, scratching the ears, and a brown waxy crusty substance will appear after awhile if not attended to.
TREATMENT
Place a few drops of any type of oil in the ears and massage the base of the ear gently to work the oil in. The oil will drown the mites. Treat one to three times a day for three days. repeat in ten days to get hatchlings.
This will work!
Ottersatin. ldtimer:

 

[michaels4gardens]

I use cut-heal in the ear, 1 x/day, for 3 days-for mites and infection, but they hate it, -and it is messy-but it works fast-and I love the spray bottle, [but as mentioned above lots of oils work], I have used cooking oil with success, when that is what I had to work with, -when the mite infestation looks gone,and the ears are all healed, I dose everyone with 1 cc of bovine ivermectin [sub Q].
not making recomendations, --this is just what I do--
I have had no ear mites for a few years, and don't plan to bring any more new rabbits in very soon-- so-- won't have to worry about mites for a year or 2.
--Back when I was a kid, the "old timers" used old motor oil when they did not have mineral oil, but I did not like it, as it was very ugly, and sometimes the rabbits got the runs from licking it. --that was when i tried moms liquid vegetable oil to see if it would work, -- it worked fine-

 

[grumpy]

Just because it works doesn't mean it is recommended or safe.
Within the suggested limits it is recommended and it IS safe.

Pyrethrum is also an ingredient in flea sprays and powders which are NOT recommend for rabbits as it is a neurotoxin and can have mild to severe side effects, including death, in small animals.

Toxicity:
Rat and rabbit LD-50(Lethal Dose) levels are very high (safe), with doses in some cases of about 1% of the animal's body weight required to cause significant mortality. Thus humans can eat it in quantities of many grams without harm.


http://medirabbit.com/EN/Skin_diseases/ ... roptes.htm

Ivermectin is a recommend treatment and relatively 'cheap' compared to vet drugs which often have anti-inflammatories and/or pain killers added for the animals comfort.

Show your source of knowledge before making a blanket statement.
Most miticides contain pyrethrum/pyrethryn.
YES....it is toxic....At highly elevated levels...but ONLY to
certain individual animals within the test group.


SOME show an allergic reaction....not all.
Just like some humans are allergic to certain drugs,
while other humans are not.

grumpy

 

[Dood]

Toxicity:
Rat and rabbit LD-50(Lethal Dose) levels are very high (safe), with doses in some cases of about 1% of the animal's body weight required to cause significant mortality. Thus humans can eat it in quantities of many grams without harm.

Yes, if taken ORALLY - but when applied topically the toxicity is higher

Pyrethrins are not well absorbed by the digestive system and have minimal toxicity since there are very few nerves lining the throat, stomach and gut. Skin on the other hand is dense with nerves so when coated in a neurotoxin there are negative effects.

You've fallen for one of the many loop holes drug and chemical companies utilize to make their products look safer than they really are.

 

[mommaofmany]

For future reference,

Garlic oil is GREAT for human ear infections.

You crush a clove, and warm some olive oil ( with the crushed clove), then let it cool to touchable temperatures ( remember you're about to put it in your ear), then drip the oil into your ear and plus with a cotton ball.

Some people I know just take the clove out and stick it in their ear, lay down for a bit and then throw it away.

 

[Diamond]

with a large rabbitry, I find the Ivomec injection to be the most efficient way to treat for ear mites..... if I had only a few rabbits things would be different.

 

[grumpy]

Toxicity:
Rat and rabbit LD-50(Lethal Dose) levels are very high (safe), with doses in some cases of about 1% of the animal's body weight required to cause significant mortality. Thus humans can eat it in quantities of many grams without harm.

Yes, if taken ORALLY - but when applied topically the toxicity is higher :

Exactly the opposite, Dood. Rate of topical absorption has little to no effect on the species.


Pyrethrins are not well absorbed by the digestive system and have minimal toxicity since there are very few nerves lining the throat, stomach and gut. Skin on the other hand is dense with nerves so when coated in a neurotoxin there are negative effects.

You've fallen for one of the many loop holes drug and chemical companies utilize to make their products look safer than they really are.

I've not fallen for any loop hole. I've got the bottle of Ear-Mite medicine down at the barn....It has pyrethryn in it!!! Most companies place a disclaimer on their product about usage on rabbits. NOT BECAUSE of the possible toxicity...but because they chose not to spend the money researching the product on the species.
Why? NOT ENOUGH PROFIT to warrant the research expense!!

All I did was duplicate the ingredients listed on the container
for less than 1/4 the cost. BTW: It has "rabbits" listed on the bottle.

Bio-Gram ear-mite medicine. 4 oz. 118 ml. Look it up.

I haven't had one rabbit drop dead yet from this medicine.
And, I'm confident I never will.

I've read the studies done at Cornell University on this topic.
FIFTY times the normal topical dosage and "some" have an allergic reaction.
Not all....just some.

You can probably take tetracycline with little to no worries.
It's an excellent antibiotic.....(for most folks)

Myself....if I take it....I nearly die!!
It does gruesome, wicked things to my body.
It starts shutting down my system, inside and out!

Ivermectin worries me more than the organic compounds in pyrethrum.
I used it in the past on my racing pigeons as a wormer
when it first came out back in the early 80's.
It was/is extremely neurotoxic when over-used.
I finally stopped using it because of my concerns
and went back to the older, more reliable, piperazine.

Allergic reactions are very rare....
but they do occur in rabbits, and in people.

We'll have to agree...we disagree.

grumpy.

 

[mystang89]

If it is ear mights I just use cooking oil and rub it in with a Q-tip. Has worked everytime for me and I haven't had to pay lots of money for medicine. That said, I've never seen ear mights develop that quickly.