Information on ridding environment of fur mites

MandyK · Jan 12, 2012

Can anyone give me some information about how to treat fur mites? My rabbit was diagnosed by my vet and he gave me Revolution. He said "If this dose doesn't work, come back, I'll give you more Revolution and information about environmental factors". The first dose didn't work, so when I went back to get more, they gave me the meds but no information (even after I asked, the receptionist said the vet wasn't available for a week and rushed me out!)

I checked the links on this site but most of them are broken or don't have info about cleaning.

Is vaccuuming enough? Do I have to shampoo carpets? Do I have to clean rooms that the rabbits have never been in? I know I have to wash fabrics - does that include my bed blankets? What about things like couches and chairs that I can't wash? When should I start cleaning everything - before, during or after the medication doses?

Sorry for all the questions, I appreciate any help!

Korr_and_Sophie · Jan 12, 2012

It can take a few doses to get rid of the mites on the rabbit. It is usually 2-3 doses 10-14 days apart. This is to treat the adults and well as any larva and eggs that are present.

I am not sure about cleaning the environment. You should clean any blankets you use and clean them on a regular basis, like a couple times a week.
I am not sure if just vacuuming the carpet would be enough. I have heard that people will use a flea collar in the bag if they have fleas in the house (from cats or dogs), but I don't know if that will work for fur mites.
I did find a link that has some suggestions for cleaning the carpet. They reccomend using Borax or diatomaceous earth. http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/groom.html If you do use these, It would keep the rabbits away from the area for a while so they don't get into the stuff used and if there are any eggs or mites they don't get reinfected.

I would say to ask your vet about it, but they don't seem to be the best. You could try finding a god rabbit savvy vet and calling them for some advice.

Watermelons · Jan 12, 2012

Vacuum the entire house. Furniture, nooks, everything and anything. Toss the vacuum bag in a garbage outside when you're done. (or deep freeze for 48 hours so you can use it again)
Anything that can be washed - Pillows, drapes, blankets, clothes, sheets, etc, Wash.
If it cant be washed Freeze for 48 hours in a deep freezer.

Bedding or wood from the rabbit, needs to be thrown out. Toss the litter, shavings, wood hides should be tossed or frozen, plastics should have a run through the dishwasher, etc.

Every porus surface in the house needs to be cleaned, and yet that includes rooms the rabbit has not been in, because you've been in them.

I would vacuum every other day for the next while. You've got eggs in the carpet and couches that will be hatching that you need to get ahold of.

What was the dose of revolution given to you and how much does your bunny weigh?

Both rabbits need to be medicated, as do all other animals in the house.

MandyK · Jan 12, 2012

Thanks for the replies! I do like my vet, but I'm disappointed that I wasn't given enough information about the mites

The first time, I was given three doses of Revolution for one rabbit, 0.15cc every 2 weeks. I'm picking up more Revolution tomorrow (for both rabbits), I'm not sure what the dose will be but I assume it's the same. I don't remember what she weighs.

When cleaning things like tables and chairs, can I use Clorox Disinfecting Wipes? Also (this may be a stupid question), when you say every porus surface needs to be cleaned, does that include things like picture frames, a computer printer, etc? Or is it just walls, floors, tables, chairs?

One last question! How would she have got fur mites in the first place? I work with cats but none of them have ever had fur mites. Is it possible I just brought it in from outside?

Watermelons · Jan 12, 2012

.15cc...
Was it drawn up into a syringe for you? If it was do you know what colour of revolution tube it came from?
If their doing it like this, the dose may not be strong enough.
Need to know how much your bunnys weigh as the dose is 18mg/kg.
http://animalhealth.pfizer.com/site...fo or Package Inserts/US_EN_REVOLUTION_PI.pdf
According to this, Even if your vet used the strongest revolution at 120mg/ml (doubtfully because that would cost them more money) the dose they gave you of .15cc would only be sufficient for a 2-3lb bunny. And in most cases a much stronger dose is easily used to help rid of parasites.

This sounds like it's apart of the issue. Your vet is not giving you enough Revolution so you'll never get rid of the mites and they may possibly build up an immunity to it if you continue to administer it at such a low dose.

5 lb rabbit - 40mg dose
7 lb rabbit - 56mg dose
10 lb rabbit - 80mg dose

Depending on the colour of the tube, the strength (mg per ml) will differ so youre not administering 6mls onto a large breed dog.

Colour - mg/tube -- strength - ml/tube
Mauve----- 15 mg -- 60 ------ 0.25ml
Purple---- 30 mg -- 120 ----- 0.25ml
Brown----- 60 mg -- 120 ----- 0.5ml
Red------- 120 mg - 120 ----- 1.0ml
Teal------ 240 mg - 120 ----- 2.0ml
Plum------ 360 mg - 120 ----- 3.0ml

A rabbits normal dose is 18mg/kg (approx 8mg/lb) and can easily be given at a much higher dose if there is a severe issue (vet direction only). This is a nice bunny safe drug.

Sounds like a gimick for more money.

MandyK · Jan 12, 2012

Yes, they put it in the syringes for me. I didn't see the tube, but the prescription says "REVOLUTION BLUE", so I assume a blue (teal?) tube.

I'm starting to think it's a gimmick for more money too. When he said "If this dose doesn't work, come back and I'll give you another dose and information on cleaning the environment", I thought "Why doesn't he just tell me about cleaning now?" Hmm.

What do you suggest I do? Go to another vet? He seems like a nice guy. :/ I'm picking up the other doses of Revolution tomorrow, I'll let you know what they are.

EDIT: I just checked her records, she weighs 1.52kg.

Watermelons · Jan 12, 2012

Revolution blue is one of the cat ones.
Blue 45 mg/tube 60mg/ml 0.75ml/tube
Same strength as the Mauve dog one I listed above just a different amount in the tube to make it easier for cat people.

Regardless that dose is not strong enough unless you have a little 1 lb bunny.

I caution you to not pick up another dose from this vet unless he is going to give you the proper strength.
Dont want them getting used to the drug and becoming immune to the drug..... Mutant mites! Give them the full strength dose.

If I knew how much your bunnys weighed I could provide you with the recomended dose for them and you could just ask for a full tube the best colour suited to their size.
(you cant go by the weight on the packages as the dog/cat dose is only 6mg/kg vs the bunnys 18mg/kg)

In the long run... it may be easier on you and your wallet if you just find a new vet now.
Anyone can be nice if youre paying them

Its the only thing keeping me polite at work

MandyK · Jan 12, 2012

I just checked her records, she weighs 1.52kg. Do you think 0.15cc, every two weeks for three weeks is enough for her?

Watermelons · Jan 12, 2012

So her dose would be approx 27.3mg

The colour of revolution your vet used for her was blue... to get her dose out of the blue, he would need to give you a syringe with just under .5ml ( .5cc) so .15 is WAY less then what she needs.

EASIEST thing for you to do would be purchase a pack or a few tubes of REVOLUTION PURPLE and give 1 dose every 2 weeks until the issue is resolved. (guess 3 doses should cut it)
The purple is 30mg per tube which would be perfect for her size. Administer the full tube.

Now you do need to medicate BOTH rabbits with the proper dose even if only 1 looks to have the mites. As well as any dogs, cats, or other small animals in the house.

MandyK · Jan 12, 2012

I'm not sure if my last post was clear, sorry if I made it confusing. She got 0.15cc every two weeks.
(Not 0.15cc spread out over two weeks.)

Does that make sense? I'm not sure if I was clear or not.

Would I be able to purchase Revolution "over the counter", or does it have to be prescribed by a vet? They said they had to special order the meds for my other rabbit (he is 11 pounds). I'm wondering if they're going to say "We already put these meds in syringes, you have to buy them, you can't buy the whole box of Revolution", you know what I mean?

Watermelons · Jan 12, 2012

No I totally understood that the .15cc was 1 single dose. And its no wheres near enough.

Some clinics will sell revolution OTC, but its rare.
You cant continue to buy what they are giving you if its not the right dose and it's not going to solve your problem.

Your females full dose is 30mg
Your males full dose is 90mg

Actually LEGALLY, they are not supposed to sell single tubes or break the tubes and only sell you whats in a syringe unless they administer it themselves in the clinic, because LEGALLY they are to provide you with the massive sheet of paper that comes inside the boxes and revoltion doesnt provide one paper insert for each tube.

If they have seen your rabbit and have her weight on file they should be able to sell you an entire box of revolution purple.

You could also purchase a box of Revoltion Taupe (most vets dont carry this colour, its a cat box) as its 60mg/tube so you could do .5ml for your small bunny (half the tube) and do a tube and a half for your larger bunny.

Same can be done with Revolution brown (half tube for the female, one and a half tubes for the male) However its a stronger concentration so .25ml for the female is half the tube.

MandyK · Jan 12, 2012

Thanks for your help, Watermelons. I think you've been replying to my other thread as well about snoring, so you can see that the Revolution/mites are the least of my worries now.

Hopefully her snuffles symptoms get sorted out tomorrow and I can worry about the Revolution later.

Watermelons · Jan 12, 2012

I did reply to your other thread but I will say it again here just for the forum.

Since you will be taking her to the vet, try out a new vet. Your current one doesn't appear to understand bunnys and their medication doses. So doesn't seem bunny savvy at all.

Try out a new vet, bring both bunnys since theres the chance your male may have what your female has.
Get a weight on both of them and while you're there, ask to purchase a full box of revolution BROWN. This will make your life easier, and be much easier on your bunnys.

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