Ear mites - treated, but what about the other buns?

[kirbyultra]

Penny went to the vet today for a baseline check up. I told the vet that she flings her ears around a lot and she does scratch them very roughly sometimes. The vet could see dried blood and a lot of debris buildup in her ear but couldn't visibly see the mites. She took a sample of the gunk and under a microscope confirmed that Penny had ear mites. She doesn't have a bad case of it, but it's there. So Penny was treated for it with a dose of Revolution. I have 2 more doses to take home. I can give Penny a 2nd dose in a month if I want to be cautious. I have a 3rd dose in case I happen to mess up.

Penny has had zero contact with Toby and they're not even in the same room so I'm not concerned but she lives in a pen next to Kirby. Their xpens are 3" apart and they've had 18 short bonding dates (2-5 minutes long each time). They do rub cheeks and have sat side by side, but the vet says that ear mites travel super slowly. She said a mite would have to make a beeline from 1 bun to the other to make it in even 2 hours, so it's probably safe to say Kirby isn't infected.

What do you guys think? Is Kirby probably clear since his contact with Penny was so short during each date?

The other question I had is, do I need to clean up the area that Penny lives in? I spot vacuum every day, but I just don't know how to clean an area where a bun with ear mites has been in :?

 

[bunnybunbunb]

As far as I know the ear mites rarely, if ever, leave the ears unless they have basicly ate all they can and then they move to the head and neck, ect. Did he check to see if they had moved to her fur? If she had ears mites it is likely she could have fur mites as well.

Do not know how the RO community feels about it but a friend rescued a hamster with mites and her vettold her to use seven-5 dust. She told me about it, I have used it on a few rabbits with no apparent problems. Whether it is considered safe among like Pam, Randy, ect, I am unsure. It has been two years since I used it.

Is there anyway you can look into his ear and see if you see anything? I have one of them ear scope things, not even my aunt nurse remembers the name, so I can check for ear infections and stuff. I got it after Z got sick. It is very handy for only $14

You can check their fur by looking through for little red dots. When I say dots I mean specks. They are on the hair shaft and the most heavily infested areas on around the shoulders and neck.

Edit: If one of the real knowledgable people come along and say Seven-5 is ok to use you could put that are the carpet for a little bit and then sweep it. The hard surfaces I would clean with vinagar. I hate using bleach myself but I am unsure if vinagar will kill mites.

So basicly my post is full of being unsure. Not sure why I even replied

 

[kirbyultra]

The vet said she didn't see any evidence of fur mites on her and the ear mite case is so mild that she almost didn't see them except under the microscope. I'll check her fur... But I have been paranoid recently and have been checking her fur anyway. I didn't see any dandruff or anything that appears "foreign".

Kirby's ears are very easy to peer down (he is blessed with a big outer ear canal) so I will take a look, but I kinda doubt I'll see much without magnification and proper lighting. I think the instrument you mean is called an otoscope. I don't have one of those

 

[bunnybunbunb]

When the mites swept through the farm I just noticed fur loss in some, others seemed normal. I checked and there was no dandruff, just the little TINY red mites that was impossible to see until I got an eye for them. They are smaller than a pinhead.

Have any family with children? They might let you borrow it if you promise to sterilze it I got my "ear looker thingy" from walmart for a mear $14. Haha. I had no use for one of the fancy ones for $20. I am still bad at finding the eardrum but it would be easy to use to look for mites. Any crust I would automaticly take as mites. I think I read somewhere it takes 10 days for the eggs to hatch or something? I am probably wrong though. Either way you need adults for eggs.

 

[kirbyultra]

Samantha, I just dug through Penny's fur and I don't see anything odd (whew). She was not happy because I've put her through so much already today. It looks pretty white and clean in her fur and on her skin. I suppose if she did have fur mites though, the Revolution will take care of that too within the next 30 days.

Kirby looks clean and his ears are clean as a whistle... maybe I shouldn't worry?


No, nobody I know has an ear looking thingy, not even the families with little kids!:biggrin2:

 

[bunnybunbunb]

I would not worry but I would check him every few days at least. They may have to get to such a point before they are noticeable *shrugs* I do know that mites can live on humans for three days and be transfered very easily. So if you held Penny while she had them and some got on you then if you touched one of the other rabbits without washing within the three days you could had transfered them to that rabbit. They have to live and expand somehow or they would all die out

I am starting to itch....

 

[kirbyultra]

LOL - believe me, I have a huge fear of creepy crawlies and ear mites just creeps me out bigtime. I've been itchy since the vet's office!

I handle Penny and Kirby every day at least twice since I've been trying to bond them. But it's like a couple minutes max. I wear different clothes to do that beacuse rabbit fur sets off my allergies. At least my rabbit contact clothes are somewhat isolated. I held Penny for the longest today actually, when we were in the waiting room at the vet's. I had her in my arms for maybe 20-30 minutes. I came home and immediately dumped that outfit, along with the bonding outfit and other recent clothing I've worn into the wash and set it on Hot.

That's good advice - I will check the buns once every few days just to be cautious. I dont want to medicate Kirby if I don't have to, even though I have the dose available to me.

 

[kirbyultra]

BTW, since she is being treated and the life span of ear mites is 21 days... should I cease bonding for the next 3 weeks or so? I guess the answer should be obvious but... I just need to hear it from someone else who knows better than I do

Or should I give Kirby the extra dose and say the hell with it and bond them anyway?

 

[tonyshuman]

Because ear mites are so easily treated with Revolution and the drug is readily tolerated (few adverse reactions), I would just use it on the bunnies, at least on Kirby. Once the dose is applied, it will prevent the mites from gaining a hold if they haven't gotten on him yet, and will treat/prevent for a month. I know it's not the cheapest, but if it were me I would get a dose for everybun in the house, and use steam cleaning and/or powder on the fabrics/carpet. Listerine is also supposed to do a pretty good job (plain listerine) at getting them away, but I wouldn't want to put that in a bunny's ears. It might be good to use in the steam cleaner--I have a Bissel Little Green, and instead of using the cleaning solution, I might add a bit of diluted listerine to the tank and use that to clean stuff.

So, if it were me, I'd get doses for all of them, so that Kirby and Toby get a dose this month, and save one dose for Penny for next month. Also, I'd clean with listerine and/or steam.

 

[kirbyultra]

Thanks for the advice Claire. I'll give Kirby the extra dose as a precaution... so that means I can continue to try to bond them? I think Toby might be ok, he's pretty isolated. I only have 2 more doses since Penny got one today, and I want to give her the 2nd one in May.

I don't have a steam cleaner though Is this the Little Green you have? http://www.bissell.com/ProductDetail.aspx?id=2865How does it do on large area rugs? Is it too small to do a large area rug?

I don't think anyone I know owns a steam cleaner... I always thought it'd be handy to have a one but I have no idea where I'd store it in my apt after I'm done with it, plus I'd have to buy one in the first placelol. Or maybe I can rent one? Sigh.

 

[hln917]

Helen~Not sure if you r/c my msg via FB re: the steam cleaners.

 

[tonyshuman]

My Little Green does not do steam or heat the water at all. I just use hot water. It doesn't really steam clean, for that you usually have to rent a machine from the grocery store or hardware store. That's why I'd use listerine in the liquid that goes inside. I haven't done it, but it's just what I'd do based on what I've read.

 

[bunnybunbunb]

We have a HUGE carpet cleaner, have had it for years. It is such a pain lugging it out to clean a single spot. I want to get the little green machine for spot cleaning.

 

[kirbyultra]

Helen- yep I got the msg!

A friend also told me that it's possible to rent steam cleaners from home depot. I may look into that too if the price is right.

I gave Kirby a dose of revolution tonight. Hubby didn't get all the liquid on the skin. Some got on his fur and it sorta dripped down lower than I wanted, therefore making it partially in lickable distance from his tongue.. When it dried his fur got "hard" as if hairgel was on it. I didn't think him licking it was good so I tried to wipe some off with a wet towel. Sigh. He hated the smell. He's been annoyed with his fur since.