How to know if a fur mite issue is gone?

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This topic has 2sd replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 4 years, 10 months ago by LBJ10.

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- 04/23/2021 at 1:52 AM
  st3phvee
  Participant
  11 posts
  Hello everyone! I recently posted a thread about my bun having a fur mite issue. Both my buns have gone through 2 applications of selamectin to treat the little buggers. It’s been a week since their second treatment and I’m definitely seeing an improvement with the appearance of dandruff in the affected bun. However, I still see dandruff in some areas which I’m not sure to attribute to residual dandruff or lingering mites. I don’t notice movement like I did before, but there are definitely still some flakes here and there. I was wondering if there was a way to really know if the fur mites are completely gone? My bun didn’t have the usual symptoms of fur mites like crusty areas or missing fur to begin with so I don’t have a point of comparison besides the amount of dandruff that’s reduced since before treatment. Please let me know what your guys’ observations were if your buns have ever gone through it!
- 04/23/2021 at 5:20 AM
  Bam
  Moderator
  17029 posts
  <p style=”padding-left: 40px;”>When my bun Bam had fur mites (I found him outside, he had mites upon arrival), I treated him, brushed off the skin flakes 2 days after applying the drops, did repeat treatment after 2 weeks, brushed him, and after that I never saw any signs of mites on him again. Sometimes a 3rd and a 4th repeat treatment is needed.</p>
  Sometimes, although rarely, you need to switch from Revolution (selamectin) to Ivermectin or Advantage II or plus, because in some areas, fur mites have become resistant to selamectin.
  
  There’s no way you can absolutely be certain that all mites are gone. Vets can do a tape test and microscopy of whatever got caught in the tape glue, but thats not fool proof either. If the number of mites is low, they may just not catch any mites with the tape.
  
  A low nr of mites is as a rule not a problem. Most rabbits carry some fur mites from babyhood, and coexist with them “peacefully”. Problems arise when the rabbit experiences stress (not necessarily severe stress) of some kind. The rabbit’s immune defense is then (temporarily) weakened, and the mites seize the chance to proliferate in a major way.
- 04/23/2021 at 6:59 PM
  LBJ10
  Moderator
  17225 posts
  I agree with Bam. You could try doing a thorough brushing and then see if the dandruff reforms.
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