Um.. EAR MITES?!

Well my Leo yeah,
Has these little things in his ears which are like black and moving and ew.
I took him to the vet, and they said clean his ears, then looked it up and it said ear mites?
And when I washed his ears, they looked all bitten and bleedy.
My vet ain't seeming to be helping, but all I want is the best for Leo?
And he's sneezing, he has ear mites, bleeding ears? Is he going to die?
What can I do?

Did your vet give Leo any medication?

abbymarysmokey said:

Did your vet give Leo any medication?

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No, he just told me to wash him.

Did he give you a medicated shampoo to wash his ears with?

Ivermectin seems to be the best treatment for ear mites. Injectable ivermectin is best, but you can also buy spot-on versions such as Xeno 450 from some pet shops or via the internet.

This information is from the RWA website:

Ear mites

The ear mite Psoroptes cuniculi is responsible for the condition also known as "canker". Mites invade the ear canal, where they cause intense irritation and result in production of a crusty exudate (discharge) from one or both ears. This condition is quite common in rescue bunnies.

The first signs are subtle: owners may notice their bunny scratching its ears or that the base of the ear is sore to handle. Within two weeks there will be an obvious grey-brown scaly crust within the ear itself. If left untreated, mites and exudate spill out onto the cheeks and neck, which looks as disgusting as it sounds.

Ear mites require treatment by a vet. This will probably consist of ivermectin injections to kill the mites plus topical applications to soften the exudate. Anti inflammatory drugs may be used, partly for pain relief. Do alert the vet and ask for pain relief if you think your bunny is in pain. Antibiotics are sometimes required to control secondary bacterial infection and may be used either topically (directly to the ear) or systemically (injection or by mouth). Occasionally, the crusts are so painful that the poor bunny needs a general anaesthetic to remove them after a few days of treatment to soften up the crusts.

abbymarysmokey said:

Did he give you a medicated shampoo to wash his ears with?

Ivermectin seems to be the best treatment for ear mites. Injectable ivermectin is best, but you can also buy spot-on versions such as Xeno 450 from some pet shops or via the internet.

This information is from the RWA website:

Ear mites

The ear mite Psoroptes cuniculi is responsible for the condition also known as "canker". Mites invade the ear canal, where they cause intense irritation and result in production of a crusty exudate (discharge) from one or both ears. This condition is quite common in rescue bunnies.

The first signs are subtle: owners may notice their bunny scratching its ears or that the base of the ear is sore to handle. Within two weeks there will be an obvious grey-brown scaly crust within the ear itself. If left untreated, mites and exudate spill out onto the cheeks and neck, which looks as disgusting as it sounds.

Ear mites require treatment by a vet. This will probably consist of ivermectin injections to kill the mites plus topical applications to soften the exudate. Anti inflammatory drugs may be used, partly for pain relief. Do alert the vet and ask for pain relief if you think your bunny is in pain. Antibiotics are sometimes required to control secondary bacterial infection and may be used either topically (directly to the ear) or systemically (injection or by mouth). Occasionally, the crusts are so painful that the poor bunny needs a general anaesthetic to remove them after a few days of treatment to soften up the crusts.

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No shampoo, he said to rinse his ears with warm water.

I would advise you to find another vet in that case. I doubt ear mites would clear up from being washed in water :?

If you post your location, somebody might know a good rabbit vet in your area.

Amy

abbymarysmokey said:

I would advise you to find another vet in that case. I doubt ear mites would clear up from being washed in water :?

If you post your location, somebody might know a good rabbit vet in your area.

Amy

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Biggleswade.
Doubt anyone would hear of it. it's in midbeds.

Is Buntigford too far for you? There's a very good rabbit vet called Vanessa (although I think she's leaving soon) at the Woolpack practice in Buntingford.

Why don't you try ringing round some other vets near you, explain the situation and see what they say. If one of them expresses surprise that you haven't been given any medication, then it might be worth having a go with that one. I don't think leaving a rabbit with ear mites and no medication is acceptable I'm afraid. Alternatively - do you know which vet you saw? It might be worth ringing up and asking to have a word with the Head vet (assuming it wasn't the Head that you saw!) and expressing your concerns that your bun wasn't given any medication.

In any case if I were you I certainly wouldn't take a bun back to that first vet again!