Mites?

[xcheyennetaylor]

I’m not 100% sure, but I think my bun might have an early case of fur mites. I’ve never dealt with this before so I’m trying to get any and all information I can about it. I’ve read that Listerine can help. How does that work exactly? You just rub it through their fur? I impulsively bought this spray called eCOTRITION Pro Ultra-Care Flea and Tick Spray for Small Animals off the petco website. All the reviews on amazon and petco seemed pretty good. Said it helped with mites, but I was wondering what your overall opinion of the spray would be? I haven’t received it yet, but I’m wondering if it’s a good idea to use on my rabbit or not. I know a lot of people say stuff that hasn’t been prescribed by your veterinarian shouldn’t be used. I also have heard of ivermectin which I know is an injection you have to get from your vet 3x. How effective is that? And how costly? I’m jus trying to look into all options. 

[Bam]

The spray contains pyrethrins and piperonyl butoxide. Medirabbit says this about pyrethrins and piperonyl butoxide:

“The use of over the counter products against mite or ear mites should be avoided. Most contain pyrethrin. While one of the least toxic insecticides for animals and rabbits, pyrethrins/pyrethroids are neurotoxins which lead to continuous “firing” of nerves. Observed problems in rabbits include limb paralysis, seizure, coma, tremor, sometimes death.
Many of those products contain additives that prolong the effect of the pyrethrins, and inhibit the breakdown of these products in the body. They can lead to toxic reactions in rabbits. Piperonyl butoxide is one of them. If no immediate death, there should be **slow** recovery with time, around 48 h.”

Medirabbit as well as many members here recommend Selamectin, it’s bunny safe and effective, but you need a vet to get it. Ivermectin is another good treatment-option.

Whatever you use DON’T use fipronil (frontline, effipro etc), it is deadly to rabbits.

I don’t know about listerine and mites.

[xcheyennetaylor]

Hm okay I really don’t want to risk anything like that happening to him. I’ve heard that Listerine helps but I’m not exactly sure on how to use it on him. If I just spray it on him or rub it in or what. I was really hoping that I could take care of it without a vet since it seems that it’s just starting, and I’m not even sure if he actually has them, but I guess I’ll probably end up having to go regardless.

[Bam]

If it’s on a very limited area on the body, the small-pet spray might work. It is a product made for small pets, and no company wants their customer’s pet to drop dead from the use of their products (bad for business). So I would expect it to be reasonably safe if used on a small patch.

The Listerine sounds fishy though. I read about someone who’d put it on the back of her bun and the mites went away, but such anecdotal evidence is rather worthless, maybe the bun didn’t have mites in the first place or maybe the bun’s own immune defense fought the infestation off (can happen with very early infestations).

[Author]

Messages