Rabbit has ear mites and spread them to house?

[Ronbrgundy]

Hi this is my first post. The rabbit belongs to a close friend. Background - Rabbit has been well cared for and taken to the vet 2 or 3 times just in the last year. Rabbit lives in living room in his house (cage) and is allowed to run around the house for a few hours a day and is well tempered and behaved in general, very loving.

I slept over the last two days and noticed when I woke up I had a bunch of little bumps close together on my thumb like a rash only like little bug bites. I told the girl about it and slept over again to find more "rashes" in other spots. I typically shower twice a day and am very clean (I use 3 different dandruff shampoos as a full head to toe bodywash at least once a week which would nuke any external parasite). For the last week the owner has been telling me she thinks the rabbit is deaf. I began my research and was dismayed to find out he may have ear mites and they may have even caused deafness already. This was very sad for me because this animal is very loved and he has been to the vet twice recently for expensive bills (first time he had crooked head and runny eye I forget what this condition is called but it can kill.. second time I can't remember what for). I have seen the rabbit scratching his ears in the last week and feel when you put all the clues together it is likely ear mites or another type of mite definitely some type of mite. I forgot to mention the light came on when I was watching a show about a Vet on national geographic channel tonight and a rabbit was brought in with ear mites.

On the tv show, the doctor treated his ear mites with Revolution for cats for one month. Google is telling me to use mineral oil in his ears as drops. In addition, Google is telling me to vacuum the entire house until its spotless which I could borrow a friend's Kirby to do.

#1 Does the mineral oil idea sound good?
#2 Should I lift his ears and check for little spec marks which would indicate bites inside?
#3 The vet has been good at what she does when we took him.. but it is a hundred dollar bill or more typically to take him. Would you take him to the vet in this instance if I think I've identified the problem accurately? I am historically not a believer in doctors and vets unless someone has a real pain or illness then I tell them go for sure and quickly but I feel most problems can be solved just with good old fashioned research. Thanks for your answers.

 

[jamesedwardwaller]

Hi this is my first post. The rabbit belongs to a close friend. Background - Rabbit has been well cared for and taken to the vet 2 or 3 times just in the last year. Rabbit lives in living room in his house (cage) and is allowed to run around the house for a few hours a day and is well tempered and behaved in general, very loving.

I slept over the last two days and noticed when I woke up I had a bunch of little bumps close together on my thumb like a rash only like little bug bites. I told the girl about it and slept over again to find more "rashes" in other spots. I typically shower twice a day and am very clean (I use 3 different dandruff shampoos as a full head to toe bodywash at least once a week which would nuke any external parasite). For the last week the owner has been telling me she thinks the rabbit is deaf. I began my research and was dismayed to find out he may have ear mites and they may have even caused deafness already. This was very sad for me because this animal is very loved and he has been to the vet twice recently for expensive bills (first time he had crooked head and runny eye I forget what this condition is called but it can kill.. second time I can't remember what for). I have seen the rabbit scratching his ears in the last week and feel when you put all the clues together it is likely ear mites or another type of mite definitely some type of mite. I forgot to mention the light came on when I was watching a show about a Vet on national geographic channel tonight and a rabbit was brought in with ear mites.

On the tv show, the doctor treated his ear mites with Revolution for cats for one month. Google is telling me to use mineral oil in his ears as drops. In addition, Google is telling me to vacuum the entire house until its spotless which I could borrow a friend's Kirby to do.

#1 Does the mineral oil idea sound good?
#2 Should I lift his ears and check for little spec marks which would indicate bites inside?
#3 The vet has been good at what she does when we took him.. but it is a hundred dollar bill or more typically to take him. Would you take him to the vet in this instance if I think I've identified the problem accurately? I am historically not a believer in doctors and vets unless someone has a real pain or illness then I tell them go for sure and quickly but I feel most problems can be solved just with good old fashioned research. Thanks for your answers.

---many things here,,the health of the rabbit sounds poor especially with the weepy eye,,-revolution -I have not used,,instead try advantage and follow instructions to the letter--I would not spend one nickel on a dvm who isnot an exotic dvm specialist-,yes-the rabbit needs examined immediately by an e/spl/dvm---rabbits are prey animals they hide their illnesses (regretably)-to the point of dying,,--here is a link which will give a headsup on medical problems http://www.medirabbit.com --sincerely james waller :yeahthat::rabbithopurplepansy:

 

[JBun]

I know it's expensive, but taking the rabbit into the vet may be the best option. If you don't know for sure that it is ear mites, then you could be treating for the wrong thing. Fleas can also affect rabbits and could be the source of the bug bites. If you aren't seeing evidence of ear mites but the rabbit seems to be scratching at it's ears a lot, it could be ear mites, but an ear infection could also cause a rabbit to scratch at it's ears a lot. I guess what I'm saying is that unless you are fairly certain what is causing the problem, it could just be a wasted effort treating for the wrong thing, and the rabbit won't be getting any better if that's the case.

I've heard of people using mineral oil for ear mites, but it has to be applied every day, if it even does work. If the rabbit does have mites or fleas, Revolution would take care of both, and is really the simplest way to treat it, though it is more expensive and you have to get it from the vet. You basically apply one dose and you're done. Advantage isn't prescription but would only work if it is fleas. It isn't effective against ear mites. Just never use Frontline(fipronil). It is toxic to rabbits.

 

[Ronbrgundy]

Heres one thing Im having issue with. The bites I obtained while staying there were definitely a type of mite like parasite. I only got them while I was staying there although I could have picked them up before I came over its feasible I suppose. My roommate threw out that the bites could be Lice (yuck) and the bites match the pictures of any mite or lice bite on google. I will talk to the owner today and see what she wants to do. The rabbit has had a run of bad health lately but the owner has been very dedicated to the animal and sometimes calls him her son so its not a lack of care interest issue.

 

[missyscove]

From the information you've given us, there really isn't enough to confidently say it's ear mites. The rabbit ear mite, Psoroptes cuniculi, is species- specific to rabbits so even if the rabbit has them, you shouldn't be affected. If they were so bad that they were causing the rabbit to go deaf you'd likely notice a lot of built up dead skin in the ears (a rabbit with ear mites I once saw I described as although someone had stuck a big flaky cookie in his ears).
There are certainly other parasites like fleas that could be affecting both the rabbit and humans in the home. I'd recommend a vet check for the possible hearing loss and a parasiticide (e.g. advantage for fleas or revolution for fleas, ticks and mites; never frontline (fipronil) on a rabbit) to cover possible parasites. If parasites are suspected, a thorough laundering of bedding and vacuuming of the home would definitely be recommended.

It could also be a different parasite, bed bugs perhaps, not even related to the rabbit.

 

[Ronbrgundy]

Ok well the good news is its just scabies I got from a cruise to the bahamas so thats wonderful. I am taking permithrin and Ivermectin to treat it. The rabbit was taken to the vet by me and was given drops for his ears and revolution. Thanks for the help. I have a new issue.

The owner called me tonight and says theres something in one of his eyes. Could be hay, could be bedding, could be something well I don't know what. She tried to get it out but can't.

I read on another site that a vet will use saline water to wash it out and something else I want to say cotton but im not sure. Has anyone ever had to get something out of a rabbit's eye?

 

[JBun]

One of my rabbits is constantly getting bits of her fluff in her eyes. I just use plain saline eye solution and put a drop or two in, and that usually washes it out on it's own, or it will wash it to the corner of the eye, then I just use my finger tip to help it the rest of the way out. Just make sure to use the plain saline.

 

[Ronbrgundy]

One of my rabbits is constantly getting bits of her fluff in her eyes. I just use plain saline eye solution and put a drop or two in, and that usually washes it out on it's own, or it will wash it to the corner of the eye, then I just use my finger tip to help it the rest of the way out. Just make sure to use the plain saline.

Thanks for the tip. Owner is going to get some Saline solution the plain kind. Thanks again. Rabbit is ok and the spot isn't there anymore.