Cheyletiella Mites

[Primmers]

Lupin was diagnosed with these 6 weeks ago - he had a bald patch on his back and you could see the mites running around. We've been treating with fortnightly applications of Spot On and regular grooming. The bald spot is pretty much grown back but we're still getting lots of small dead beasties falling off him when he's groomed and he's rather dandruffy.

How long would I expect it to take for the infestation to clear?
Given that he's a house bunny, how did he get them in the first place? Might they have been in the hay or wood shavings?

Is there anything else we should be doing? I read up on Wikipedia which suggested weekly application of insecticide rather than the fortnightly application recommended by the vet. Would we expect to shampoo him or is the next step an injectable insecticide similar to the one given for fly strike?

 

[JBun]

Usually dosage once every two weeks, is enough. Normally you will see it cleared up after the first or second dose. Are you sure it's mites? Typically you can't even see mites except under a magnifying glass or microscope. Could it be fleas? If it is fleas, the ivermectin won't work. The precise dosage is also important in killing the mites. Also, we don't use ivermectin topically here in the US, so I don't know that it is the most effective way for controlling mites. We use oral or injectable solutions for mite control.

You do need to make sure to clean up their environment so reinfestation can't occur. It is possible they are coming from the hay or bedding. You may want to toss the old stuff out and get new.

You DON'T want to wash your rabbit. If it is mites, you could ask your vet for Stronghold/Revolution(selamectin). This spot on treatment only has to be given once and it last 30 days, though it's possible your bun may need a second dose. It's also effective against fleas, where ivermectin isn't.

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Skin_diseases/Parasitic/furmite/fur_mite.htm
http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Skin_diseases/Parasitic/fleas/Fleas.htm

 

[Primmers]

Thanks for getting back to me. I don't think they're fleas as they've never jumped but can be seen scuttling. They are very small shiny black things, maybe the size of a full stop. The vet gave us three lots of the Spot On to be used at fortnightly intervals and I've just applied the last lot. I collected some of the dead beasties in a specimen tube to take along to the vet with me if there's still evidence of infestation by next Monday. Lupin doesn't generally like to be handled but he's very compliant with this grooming - I guess he understands that it's making him feel a bit better. Poor bun. But on the positive side he's perked up and is scampering around again, he was quite passive when I first took him to the vet.

 

[Imbrium]

They do seem to know when you're trying, don't they? My boyfriend told me that when his cat got a bad case of fleas, Roo was actually shockingly compliant about getting a flea bath (and he's a stubborn, struggling fit-thrower about anything he doesn't like - you should see what a baby he is about nail trims!) because he was miserable from the fleas seemed to know that Jay was trying to get rid of them.

 

[JBun]

Shiny black things sounds like fleas to me. Usually when it's mites, you won't even see them because they are so tiny. Definitely bring some in(dead ones ) and show them to the vet. For fleas you want the Stronghold(selamectin). Ivermectin won't work, as evident by the fact that your bun still has them.

Also do a thorough cleaning. That link has some info on that, and you can also ask your vet what needs to be done to eliminate them from your rabbits environment.