Treated for ear mites still SCRATCHING!

[Anemone]

Hi all,

I have a pretty doe who is due next week and I noticed about 4 days ago she had mites. Not too bad, just some itching and some crusties, but nothing I hadn't seen before. I have treated her for the last 3-4 days with baby oil, as the breeder suggested, and the crusties area all gone, but today she is SO ITCHY. Though the crusty ear mite evidence is gone, her upper ears are really red and I feel like the itching is more severe today than it was several days ago when I noticed it in the first place.

I'm worried she is going to injure herself with all the scratching. Has anyone had this happen before? What is going on? It seems like the mites should be dead, yes? I want to make her comfortable asap. Help!!

 

[craneman54]

I use mineral oil for ear mites.Just put a few drops in her ear every few days for at least 2 weeks. You have to do this to kill hatching eggs. Keep the rabbit separated from other rabbits and discard anything in the area that can't be sterilized (Wood Paper and such). Completely clean the cage, food and water dishes with something like pine sol or other disinfectant.

Keep an eye on any rabbits that she has come in close contact with including bowls/dishes. Any combs or brushes should be thrown out or at least disinfected.

 

[Anemone]

Thank you craneman54 for the reply! I have been doing that, but she was very itchy this evening. She seems to be settling down. I'm going to put her in a clean cage tomorrow and I have separated her from the rabbit she was with. My question, though, is how am I supposed to keep things sterilized when I have to put a nest box in next week??

 

[Dood]

Often baby oils have perfumes added that can irritate broken skin

In my experience it can take WEEKS to drown all the mites and oil won't effect the eggs so new ones keep hatching out.

Could you post pictures of your rabbits ears?

Ear mites are often deep in the ear canal and not near the tips, but there are fur mites and scabies/mange mites (which burrow under the skin and oil often won't reach them in their tunnels.)

 

[Anemone]

I think you are right, Dood, maybe the oils were irritating. I got ahold of the breeder, who said to stop doing the oils as it only takes a couple applications to work. I'll do it again in 10 days an 20 days, I guess?

Her ear was super red today; I tried to get a picture, but she wouldn't let me. She's eating, and doesn't seem to be scratching as much today. It was so scary when it happened!

 

[katiebear]

mineral oil is baby oil without the fragrance..olive oil works just as well. I like olive oil because I don't have to worry when they lick it off..Good luck they can be a real hassle to get rid of.
Diatomaceous earth .....the food grade kind .... works well for corners of wood hutches.

 

[hoodat]

I like campho phenique. The camphor is deadly to mites but harmless to the rabbit. I had a buck come down with fur mites on his face and vaseline did the job quickly. It took only two applications a week apart.

 

[SuburbanHomesteader]

I'm a fan of olive oil. Doesn't hurt the rabbit when it licks it off.

If the problem is in the ear, I only let a few drops go down into the ear because I don't want them all clogged up - I'll only put the drops in the ear about every-other day for two weeks at least. Even if it looks like the problem has cleared up, you have to kill the new ones after they hatch.

If the problem is outside the ear, I'll apply the olive oil every day. Sometimes morning and evening. I don't let it get to be too much as I don't want the rabbit licking it all off and then getting an upset stomach or something. But then it's never happened so either A) being cautious was a good thing, or B) it doesn't upset their digestive system. (I think if I downed a bunch of olive oil it'd mess me up, but that's another thread.)

I got a small bottle with a screw-in eye dropper at Walmart and put my olive oil in that. I use the eye dropper to apply it. Hope your rabbit gets feeling better and that your litter arrives with no problems. Good luck to you!