WD-40 & ear mites

[mike17l]

I know that treating ear mites with WD-40 is controversial. I did not know how controversial it is. I was recently permanently blocked from the 'backyard meat rabbits' facebook group for doing nothing more than suggesting its use, and saying that I thought it worked great.

For me personally, it is super easy to apply, and it works great with no mess. There are thousands of rabbit breeders across the world who have never documented any issues with using WD-40 to treat ear mites. I would guess that over half of all commercially produced rabbits are treated with WD-40. I have even had a veterinarian, who by the way raises rabbits personally, recommend the use of WD-40 for ear mites.

So, my questions for this board, does anyone have any scientific documentation as to why WD-40 should not be used to treat ear mites in rabbits? I have never found any. Or, is this just a feel good issue, where people think they know whats best and really have no idea?

 

[BirchLane]

I have no idea about the efficacy or ethics of using WD-40 as an ear mite treatment, but I do know that you can get a bottle of pyrethrin ear mite medication very cheaply at most farm supply stores. It takes about 4-6 drops per affected ear and clears things up in about 24 hours. I don't have an ear mite issue with my herd, but I do occasionally run into the problem if I look at purchasing other rabbits from outside lines. Those buns get treated twice during their 30 day quarantine period, just to be sure.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

According to the material safety data sheet below, WD-40 is irritating to skin and eyes and has a "possible risk" of impaired fertility.

http://www.wd40.com.au/wp-content/uploa ... leaner.pdf

Most of us raise rabbits because we want to be sure that they are free of chemicals and raised as naturally as possible. WD-40 likely works because of the oil content. Olive oil, vegetable oil, or mineral oil will usually do the trick.

That said, there must be something additional in WD-40 since I know that it is a favorite "fly spray" for horses among the Hispanic population.

Out of curiosity, I also looked up the MSDS for Ivermectin, which is often the choice for eradicating stubborn cases of ear mites.

It lists skin and eye irritation as side effects, as well as possible reproductive harm in the male, but not the female... so WD-40 doesn't seem to be such a great evil in comparison, lol.

http://www.sciencelab.com/msds.php?msdsId=9924423

I know that treating ear mites with WD-40 is controversial. I did not know how controversial it is. I was recently permanently blocked from the 'backyard meat rabbits' facebook group for doing nothing more than suggesting its use, and saying that I thought it worked great.

BYMR has a couple of hot button topics that will result in banning. WD-40 is one, and feeding bacon or hotdogs to does to prevent them cannibalizing kits is another, and there may be others that I am unaware of.

You wont get banned here at RabbitTalk for bringing up controversial issues. We prefer to politely discuss the pros and cons of everything, and see if we can figure out the reasons behind the practices.

I personally believe that there is truth in the old wives tale of giving rabbits bacon or hotdogs, but it is not due to a lack of protein but rather salt and minerals. I have found that the only time a doe will eat her kits alive is when she does not have access to a salt/mineral block.

We also have a member here known as Michaels4Gardens that feeds his rabbits meat routinely, based on how people fed their rabbits during the depression.

This is highly significant in that MaggieJ, the founder of this forum, went pellet free with her rabbits because the only feed available contained animal tallow and she strongly believed that animal products should not be fed to them.

I am very proud to be a member here at RT because of the respect for the diverse ways in which people choose to raise their rabbits. Everyone is entitled to their opinions and we are all here to learn from one another.

 

[Dood]

Petrol chemicals are toxic and rabbits will rub their ears then lick their paws and it do not recommend using WD-40

verreaction:

And I don't understand and how it is more "easy" to use than ANY vegetable based oil that is perfectly safe for a rabbit to ingest ?!?!?

 

[Zass]

I've been using olive oil when I bring home rabbits from places with mites. It's done the trick just fine with no toxic side effects.

I would guess that the reason people get upset is because there just seems to be even easier to access and less expensive alternatives, with less potential side effects. :shrug:

Some people do have stubborn mite issues that may require more intensive treatments, but it seems to me when that happens, it's almost always with an animal that has an impaired immune system.

The Material Safety Data Sheet on WD40 actually states low oral toxicity and suggests that respiratory harm, from inhalation was the largest risk factor from it's use.

Then again, humans are much larger than rabbits..

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q= ... 3922,d.cWw

2 – Hazards Identification
Emergency Overview:
DANGER! Harmful or fatal if swallowed. Combustible Liquid. If swallowed, may be aspirated and cause lung damage. May cause eye irritation. Avoid eye contact. Use with adequate ventilation. Keep away from heat, sparks and all other sources of ignition.
Symptoms of Overexposure:
Inhalation: High concentrations may cause nasal and respiratory irritation and central nervous system effects such as headache, dizziness and nausea. Intentional abuse may be harmful or fatal.
Skin Contact: Prolonged and/or repeated contact may produce mild irritation and defatting with possible dermatitis.
Eye Contact: Contact may be irritating to eyes. May cause redness and tearing.
Ingestion: This product has low oral toxicity. Swallowing may cause gastrointestinal irritation, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. This product is an aspiration hazard. If swallowed, can enter the lungs and may cause chemical pneumonitis, severe lung damage and death.
Chronic Effects: None expected.
Medical Conditions Aggravated by Exposure: Preexisting eye, skin and respiratory conditions may be aggravated by exposure.

I think the biggest issue I'd have is that it states prolonged exposure can be irritating, and I do not expose my animals to any unnecessary irritation if it's possible to avoid.

I also wouldn't want to eat an animal with that on it's skin.

Weighing the pros and cons, and with such safe alternatives, I wouldn't use it on mine.

 

[alforddm]

The people I got my first rabbits from used WD40 for mites. They said one of our local vets suggested it.

I was worried about what might be in the WD40 so never used it. This isn't the first time I've wondered if non-stick cooking spray might be as effective or almost as effective.

 

[Zass]

I've wondered if non-stick cooking spray might be as effective or almost as effective.

I don't see why not, any oil can smother mites.

 

[BirchLane]

I picked up the pyrethrin after unsuccessfully attempting to treat a doe's mite issues with various oils over the course of a couple of weeks. All I succeeded in doing was ruining a couple of shirts when she'd shake her head and sling oil all over the place. Weirdly enough, I also noted that she lost a considerable amount of fur on each ear after I administered oil treatments. At least in her case, the pyrethrin was a quick, effective method that completely eradicated her persistent mite issue.

 

[Zass]

The fur loss on the ears seems unusual to me BirchLane, since there was no hair loss at all when I treated my entire herd repeatedly.
Every time a rabbit came in from a mite-suspected herd I went ahead and treated everyone as a preventive measure, since olive oil is cheap and non-harmful. I'd also used mineral oil and no one had hair loss, but I prefer olive oil because mineral oil was recommended as a laxative(for a kitten) by one vet...

Are there any other factors in play that may have contributed?
Which oils did you use?
Were there abnormally high or low temperatures, abnormally high humidity or anything else you can think of?

(abnormal for the country, since what is normal in Florida isn't going to be normal in PA, etc)

Just to try and help to categorize risk factors from various treatments.

I do not believe there is anything wrong with using pyrethrin either, but many of us do avoid using anything we do not wish to ingest in our meat herds.

 

[SuburbanHomesteader]

Only time I've had problems with ear mites was with new stock being brought in. It was dark out and I only had a flashlight and obviously didn't check the ears closely enough. Glad to say that it's been over three years since I had to mess with mites!

Whenever the need presented itself, I've used Olive Oil and it's always worked just fine. You have to keep applying it for a couple of weeks to be sure you get the news ones that hatch out.

 

[TF3]

My gut reaction is "what?!" LOL so I wonder if people are just reacting without the info?
That said, it is good medical practice to use the least intervention that will do the trick~ so if any oil will do, it makes sense to start there with something safe.
I just had to do ivermectin injection for my one ear mite victim as he just can't lick it with the oil. It worked, so far.

 

[mike17l]

I picked up the pyrethrin after unsuccessfully attempting to treat a doe's mite issues with various oils over the course of a couple of weeks. All I succeeded in doing was ruining a couple of shirts when she'd shake her head and sling oil all over the place. Weirdly enough, I also noted that she lost a considerable amount of fur on each ear after I administered oil treatments. At least in her case, the pyrethrin was a quick, effective method that completely eradicated her persistent mite issue.

Exactly why I think WD-40 is great. It is significantly easier to apply than any of the cooking oils and it does not get spread everywhere when they flap their ears. I don't know about your fur loss issue, but I have never seen that with WD-40. <br /><br /> -- Mon Sep 21, 2015 11:00 pm -- <br /><br />

Petrol chemicals are toxic and rabbits will rub their ears then lick their paws and it do not recommend using WD-40

verreaction:

And I don't understand and how it is more "easy" to use than ANY vegetable based oil that is perfectly safe for a rabbit to ingest ?!?!?

It's easier because it is in an easily applicable aerosol can, vegetable oils in my kitchen are not. Unlike the oils it cleans up quickly, there is no mess, oil is not getting spread as they flop their head. I get none on me and get it exactly where it is needed. Additionally, it works, I have it on hand, and I can easily store it in my rabbitry.

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it"

 

[Dood]

its easier to keep smoking than to quit

It's easier to eat fast food than make a nutritious meal yourself

It's easier to keep doing what you've always done rather than change for the better

I can understand why you were banned, if you won't listen to reason, logic and science then fine, i just feel sorry for your rabbits and anyone who eats them

 

[alforddm]

Exactly why I think WD-40 is great. It is significantly easier to apply than any of the cooking oils and it does not get spread everywhere when they flap their ears. I don't know about your fur loss issue, but I have never seen that with WD-40.

Buy an aerosol bottle of non-stick cooking spray.

 

[BirchLane]

The fur loss on the ears seems unusual to me BirchLane, since there was no hair loss at all when I treated my entire herd repeatedly.

Are there any other factors in play that may have contributed?
Which oils did you use?
Were there abnormally high or low temperatures, abnormally high humidity or anything else you can think of?

I thought the hair loss was fairly odd, too, but it could be attributed to the fact that she made an absolute mess of everyone and everything during the first treatment. We had olive oil everywhere. Ack!

I've used olive oil, sweet oil (commonly used for human ear infections), canola oil, and even a little mineral oil with no real effect. She wasn't nearly as crusty as some of the photos I've seen online, but her mite problem was still pretty stubborn about coming out. I only went to the pyrethrin drops after several failed attempts using my household food-grade items.

Pyrethrin, despite its very clinical-sounding name, is actually derived from the heads of chrysanthemum flowers and can be used in a powder or oil form. It is considered nontoxic to humans, dogs, cats, horses, rabbits, and other forms of livestock, and has been approved for use as an insecticide on organic farms. Pyrethrins degrade very quickly, especially with exposure to sunlight, and last only 1-2 days in most all applications. I chose a 0.15% pyrethrin solution in a mineral oil carrier with that in mind.

The CDC on pyrethrins: http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/phs/phs.asp?id=785&tid=153
Pymethrins in animals for human consumption: http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/templates/ ... __2000.pdf (Starting at page 126)

Note that the animals studied were orally and dermally dosed with pyrethrins for several days (27-37, depending on the species and the study), at two different amounts. Animals that were given high dosages showed traces of pyrethrins in their livers, fatty tissues, and kidneys, though those number decreased steadily once the daily application ceased. At all points, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization agreed that the amount of pyrethrin found in animal tissue were still well within the permissible amounts for safe human consumption.

Given that I administered 5 drops of 0.15% pyrethrin per ear back in March, we're well out of the woods with her. I would have been fine to eat her the same week, if I wanted, but I think she'll be sticking around for a while.

 

[Miss M]

its easier to keep smoking than to quit

It's easier to eat fast food than make a nutritious meal yourself

It's easier to keep doing what you've always done rather than change for the better

I can understand why you were banned, if you won't listen to reason, logic and science then fine, i just feel sorry for your rabbits and anyone who eats them

I think him being banned from BYMR is ridiculous, just like I think banning people for bringing up hot dogs and bacon is ridiculous. Just like I think your being banned from BYMR (or one of them, anyway) was very likely unfounded as well.

As much as we look over the ingredients of WD-40 and mull its toxicity, the fact remains that it seems to be quite widely used for rabbit ear mites, even being recommended by some veterinarians. Concerns of harm to rabbits from its use appear to be unsupported by any evidence of actual harm. Concerns of contamination of the meat have yet to be addressed by research, as far as I know.

I would not want to use WD-40 on the ears of a rabbit I was planning to eat, just because of the lack of knowledge. However, I have used Ivermectin on a couple of breeders that did not respond to oil. I would not want to use antibiotic injections on a rabbit I was planning to eat, but I have used topical antibiotic ointment.

I'm sure it is easier to use WD-40 and not have oil slung all over the place. It is not equitable to compare its use to things like smoking and overindulging in fast food, things which have lots of scientific evidence showing their harm. There is no evidence, scientific or anecdotal, as far as I know, which shows WD-40 is harmful to rabbits. If there were such evidence, then the folks at BYMR could have told him of it and sent him a link. There is none, which makes their banning of him a matter of arbitrary preference.

 

[Dood]

Forgive the miscommunication, I was not saying he should be banned, I despise censorship of any kind, but I can understand, and in this case relate too :roll: why he was banned from that group :cheesysmile:
Toxicity of WD40

http://www.wd40bike.com.au/wp-content/u ... HS_SDS.pdf

Ingredients of WD40 - 80% Stoddard solvent 15% mineral oil, 5% carbon dioxide

Stoddardd solvent (AKA mineral spirits) has trace amounts of benzene, toluene, dicholoromethane

Toxicity of the two main ingredients of Stoddard solvent - 1,2,4 trimethyl benzene and 1,3,5 trimethyl benzene

"7 of 10 rats died after an oral dose of 2.5ml of 1,2,4 trimethyl benzene in olive oil"

From - http://www.epa.gov/chemfact/s_trimet.txt



11. TOXICOLOGICAL INFORMATION

1, 2, 4-Trimethylbenzene: Oral LD50 3.4g/ kg (Rat); Dermal LD50 3.16g/kg (Rabbit)

1, 3, 5-Trimethylbenzene: Oral LD50 5g/ kg (Rat); Dermal LD50 5g/ kg (Rabbit)

From - http://www.marking-systems.com/msds_pdf ... %20Ink.PDF

 

[Miss M]

Thank you for the links, Dood! Those are some pretty large doses they're giving, but definitely deserves consideration.

 

[TF3]

This is not adding anything enlightening to the discussion, but I just saw this and thought of you all :lol:

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Oh, geez, TF3!!!

:rotfl:

Considering that RT is "family friendly", I almost felt compelled to delete that post.

But my unconventional sense of humor has trumped common sense, and I cannot help but let it stand... and after all, though "possible risk of impaired fertility" was cited as a possible side effect, clearly the benefits outweigh the risks according to the advertisement. :mrgreen:

Long live WD-40!!! :lol: