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Mites - update, still after opinions!

A

AlisonA

Warren Veteran
Someone I know has emailed me to say that she has just taken her houserabbit to the vets and the vet thinks he has mites. Her bunny was neutered maybe 2 weeks ago now, so I guess he's picked the mites up having been a bit low after his op.

However, the vet told her that these mites would require bathing and he decided not to treat them at the moment as there are only a couple of small patches and he doesn't seem to be sore.

Does this sound right to you? I thought a single injection of ivermectin was generally accepted to deal with mite infestations? Will they disappear on their own once he gets back up to full strength after his op? I've told my friend I will ask you all and get back to her with your opinions! Thanks!
 
It doesn't sound right to me either. I thought they had to have the ivermectin injections to get rid of them, I didn't think that they just went on their own :shock: Maybe your friend should seek a second opinion?
 
Thanks - that's what I thought too. Are there any types of mites which require bathing rather than ivermectin, or is this possibly a case of a vet without much up-to-date knowledge on this sort of thing?
 
I know that guinea pigs can be treated using a lyme sulphur dip for mites, so I assume that rabbits can to. However, it is much easier to use ivermectin or an equivilent and is also less stressful for the rabbit. Hope this helps :D
 
there are bathing treatments for rabbits to clear mites but my experience and my vets oppinion is that these injections work much better. once tried bathing one of my rabbits with some stuff i bought and it didnt do a thing! it was a waste of money as i still ended up at vets for injections as well.(and flopsey wasnt impressed with being bathed either)
 
Both my rabbits have just had a second injection for mites, the vet never even said anything about bathing them. Alfie is ok but I had to rush Hope to the vet tonight as she has what looks like stasis. She has been given baytril so hopefully her system will start up again Can you all will her to eat tonight? Thanks
Tracey and wee Hope :)
 
My vet is a specialist in dermatology and she has given me shampoo to bathe the buns in for mites you do it a 2 week intervals I think it is called salveen, if it isn't a severe case of mites then it does work as I know it cleared a bun of mine. However a severe case of mites then an injection of Ivomec cures it. The shampoo you buy in pet shops doesn't do anything.
 
Twinkle had a real problem with mites earlier this year and neither the injections or the salveen shampoo worked - belive me it is no fun shampooing a cross bunny (think me, Lynda & Jim versus an irate Twinkle :shock: ).

They took ages to clear up and every so often it flares up again - I now use a mite spray I got in the Pet Shop on her once a week - I brush it into her fur (havign spiked the fur the wrong way first) and then rub it in and towel her dry.

so far so good. :D

Anyway I really don't think mites go away themselves so I would get a second opinion.

lol Pam
 
Hi yet again!

My friend has been back in contact to say that she went back to her vets today and asked if there was anything other than bathing could be done for her rabbit's mites. They told her that the mites were Listrophorus gibbus and that bathing is the only answer.

Having done a quick skim on google (which refers to ivermectin injections for this), this still doesn't seem quite right to me, and she is obviously reluctant to bathe her bunny if there is a less stressful alternative, but she's been quite categorically told that bathing is the only treatment.

What do you think? - Thanks!
 
try a different vet?? is there more than one at the practice?? or a different practice altogether. Also the vet nurses often know a lot about things like mites, could try asking the nurse
 
hi

I've just done a search on that mite you mention - that is it's old fashioned name - it's now known as leporacus - or fur mite...the fact that your friend's vet uses the old name suggests he/she may not be up to date with this.

The article below says that 3 injections of ivermectin over a fortnight will eliminate the mite infestation - baths will get rid of the grease on which the mites feed, but will not kill the mites!

Also mentioned is the importance of treating all carpets and cage etc with a suitable pesticide
http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Skin_diseases/Parasitic/furmite.PDF

I would get a new vet :)
 
Thanks all, I've passed your feedback onto her - it's what I was thinking anyway, but didn't have enough confidence in it to say so just on what I knew!
 
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