Ear mites? Or Fur mites?

[tfb4me]

Are they the same thing? I have been battling these ear mites all summer. They will not go away..Were treating with everything from mineral oil to tea tree oil all while constantly cleaning cages....It seems to slow them but then they are back within 2 weeks..I was told a product called lvermectin will be rid of all mites and worms, if injected..Is this true? Also are ear and fur mites the same thing? I was told by a vet that they are and that ear mites are in fact fur mites that are just seen in the ear. So now I'm totally confused..We do everything we can to stop these mites, were just frustrated at this point and looking for help..

 

[Piper]

I have not had mites, yet - so can not answer.
- It may help, when someone answers, if you add some more information.
Are your rabbits inside? Wire, wood cages or 'on ground colony'? Do you have any other animals that may be re-infecting the rabbits?

 

[tfb4me]

I have not had mites, yet - so can not answer.
- It may help, when someone answers, if you add some more information.
Are your rabbits inside? Wire, wood cages or 'on ground colony'? Do you have any other animals that may be re-infecting the rabbits?

They are in hutches that are hald wood boxes and half cages.They are outdoors off the ground. No there are no other animals re-infecting the heard..I have dogs but they dont have any mite issues and they are fenced in and a minimun of 75 feet away from the rabbits..Out of sight out of mind sort of thing for the dogs..

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I can't answer the question of whether they are the same mite, but I think it is highly doubtful. The wood portion of your hutches is probably the source of reinfection. Mites like to hide in crevices when they are not on the animal itself, and may be laying their eggs there.

I would recommend buying food grade Diatomaceaous Earth*, and dust the rabbits and wooden hutches with it. Continue treating the ears with oil twice weekly for the next month. Treatment is most effective if you clean the debris out of the ears first, so the oil can cover all surfaces. Rabbits have an "L" shaped ear canal, so you cannot puncture the ear drum when using a cotton swab to clean them. Swabs are somewhat abrasive when dry, so moisten it with whatever ear solution you are using- hydrogen peroxide, with its foaming action, is a good choice to loosen debris.

Ivermectin will kill all sucking insects, but your recurring problem is due to hatching eggs, which will not be affected by the Ivermectin.

*Do not purchase pool grade DE- it has been heat treated, which changes the molecular structure, rendering it poisonous and creating an inhalation hazard. It must be food grade.

 

[grumpy]

Ear mites = Fur mites??? I don't think so. Two different critters altogether.

A good mite medicine that is oil-based with pyrethrum will clear the ear mites up in quick order. But....you have to break up the crusted scabs within the ear to allow the medicine access to the mites themselves. That's where the "fun" begins. Your rabbit will not like it at all. As a matter of fact they may well screech to high-heaven. They aren't going to die. Nor are you being abusive. It has to be done to treat the underlying problem.

I treat the entire herd two-three times per year on a regular basis. Or, as needed, when I see the problem beginning to show itself. Usually, it's from an animal that came from outside the herd. I've not brought a new animal in for several months and I've not seen any signs of mite problems either. Yet, they're slated to be treated this upcoming week. All will get treated whether they like it or not. It's much easier to prevent the problem than dealing with it once it's well established within the ear canal.

grumpy

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

Ivermectin will kill all sucking insects, but your recurring problem is due to hatching eggs, which will not be affected by the Ivermectin.

Ivermec pour on not the injectable kind will kill them ..But like mamasheepdog said will not kill eggs. But you do it again when the eggs hatch out. Around 10 days. I would take the rabbits out and spray down the cages. Then but the rabbits back down. You can do the oil thing. But i dont like doing that as it puts allot of stress on the rabbit and scratching on me too. lOl.... So i prefer to use ivomec , I just put 3 drops in each ear. In 2 days they are gone and you can see there ears clearing up. In 10 days do it again. Done.