Vet School 101 Ear mites gone wild!

Got mites? I certainly hope you don’t...but if you’re like some of my clients you may be convinced your cat just can’t get rid of her ear mite infection (though it’s been years now). Or maybe he lives mostly outside and he is chronically exposed and constantly infected, in which case you should really be doing something about it.

Whatever the case...there’s help.

In fact, ear mites don’t have to be a problem for you...ever. Really.

Here’s the skinny on these critters: Ear mites are tiny arachnoid-looking creatures that enjoy the warm, moist environment provided by the average ear. Though they’re more specific to cats, dogs can get them, too. Humans, even, have been known to catch a bug or two, though transmission takes some serious exposure (like playing with your ears right after rifling through a pile of ear mites).

If you’re curious on the human infection thing, there’s an actual account in JAVMA (Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association), circa 1993, where an intrepid (if somewhat masochistic) veterinarian purposely infected himself with ear mites. Apart from demonstrating to the world how kooky some veterinarians can be, his claim to scientific fame was that--get this--ear mite infections are really really itchy. Genius!

Indeed, if this veterinarian’s findings are any guide, cats with ear mite infections experience a crackly crunching sound in their ears...and they’re plagued with extreme itchiness, too, enough to yield the telltale signs of an infestation: claw marks about the ear and head from their vigorous scratching.

Looking at one up close is enough to induce delusional parasitosis, right?

Though usually easily diagnosed by swabbing out the ear and checking the characteristically brown-black, crusty material under a microscope for signs of seemingly extraterrestrial life, it’s not always that easy in some early cases...or when owners have already initiated a battery of OTC treatments.

If there’s one thing that makes me crazy it’s the sale of veterinary products (like parasitacides) at supermarkets and feed stores for conditions that are easily misdiagnosed by laypersons. Sure, they can work, but ear mite treatment is soooo much easier when...

1-You know for sure that’s what you’re treating (as opposed to another kind of ear infection), and...

2-you use the right stuff.

Acarexx and MilbeMite are two readily available preparations for the topical (in ear) treatment of ear mites. After two doses, two weeks apart, over 90% of my patients are cured (the remaining 10% get an extra treatment in another couple of weeks). No twice daily ear drops for indefinite periods of time. No pyrethrins toxicity as with some OTC products.

Need something to prevent future infections? Revolution and Advantage-Multi are both labeled for the treatment and control of ear mites. That means that both products will kill ear mites as well as prevent future infections. In kittens, I’ll use Revolution over the stronger Acarexx and MilbeMite in an off label manner: 3 doses, each two weeks apart. (The Revolution gets applied on the back of the neck, not IN the ears.)

See how easy it is? And you didn’t even have to put ear mites in your own ears to reap the benefits of this veterinary information.

January 28th, 2009

Add Comment46 Comments

Thanks for making me laugh this morning. "delusional parasitosis". I'm going to remember that one!

Hope everyone caught The View Crew having fun at PETA's expense this morning. :)

PJBoosinger January 28th, 2009 11:09:37 AM

Ferrets are also susceptible to ear mites--not sure if it's the same species as what cats get, but it's not uncommon, especially in shelter or large group situations. Their ears will smell terrible, be filled with blackish gunk and the ferret is likely to scratch enough to make the ears bleed. I believe we used Ivermectin drops on my guys when they came home from the shelter and I believe we used kitten sized doses, but ferret owners should check with their own vets.

Makes my ears itch just thinking about it...

regina January 28th, 2009 11:13:39 AM

I used to work at a large animal rescue facility. We usually had 100+ domestic rabbits at a time. Many rabbits came into the facility with ear mites or mange. We did not have much space to quarantine these rabbits, so we had problems with others getting mites. If you have never seen a rabbit with bad ear mites or an advanced case of mange, I assure you that these animals suffered horribly. We found that Revolution worked wonders for ear mites and mange too. After we began using Revoultion monthly, the cases of mites and mange disappeared. Revolution is applied topically - much easier than trying to give oral medication to rabbits, plus we did not have any negative reactions.

Susan G. January 28th, 2009 11:44:18 AM

Susan: Yep. I found a paper on the topical use of Revolution in rabbits. Until then I didn't know rabbits were so disposed. It's a different species of ear mites but it just goes to show how broad (and safe) a spectrum selamectin has in domestic animals.

Dr. Patty Khuly January 28th, 2009 11:56:35 AM

This is a timely post for me-4 out of 7 cats have ear mites and I suspect the rest do also. However, my vet just gives me Eradimite(sp?). Once a week for 6 weeks doesn't sound hard, but the cats learn Run, Run Away! when it's Ear Day. They can tell by just seeing another cat shaking it's head. Sigh......what to do?

rheather January 28th, 2009 01:17:09 PM

rheather: You know, I don't use the Eradimite product on cats. I worry about the pyrethrins, even if it's just in the ears (and a low dose, too). It IS approved for use on cats but I don't know...it just gives me the willies. Let us know how it goes. I'd like to hear about its efficacy.

Dr. Patty Khuly January 28th, 2009 01:59:51 PM

My cat has been getting groomed at the same groomers for awhile now. His last visit she said he had ear mites. How would she know something like that right away? I did go buy an OTC med, but it's been a couple of days and he's still scratching, so he's going to the vets tomorrow. He's also an indoor cat if that matters. Since Beanie past last month there hasn't been any other animals in my home.

Pam Beanie's mom January 28th, 2009 05:23:57 PM

Dr. K. do you think ivermectin works as well as Acarexx and/or MilbeMite? Is there a reasson to prefer one over the other?

KateH January 28th, 2009 05:25:02 PM

Acarexx IS ivermectin in an otic solution. MilbeMite is milbemycin in an otic solution. I do prefer the topical use of these drugs rather than their systemic use (oral or injected) as we once more frequently employed. I also find that the otic solution in these commercial ear mite products makes the application more foolproof.

Dr. Patty Khuly January 28th, 2009 05:28:18 PM

Dr.K. Can i send you an email through your myspace?

Pam Beanie's mom January 28th, 2009 05:31:23 PM

Dr. K. I just realized I can send you an email through Doolittler. Thanks!

Pam Beanie's mom January 28th, 2009 05:34:37 PM

I have not had a case of ear mites for decades. But I am curious if there is any thought to Frontline as effective in prevention and/or treatment?

Barbara A. Albright/22 yrs. USPS

Pocket's Story from NH January 28th, 2009 10:52:55 PM

I switched to Revolution for my kitties after the youngest ones joined the house and had earmites. I really wish they'd either had or known about that product 9 years ago when my one cat came into the house. He had earmites so bad he'd scratched himself bloody (of course that's how he ended up being a housecat instead of a stray though). We had to do drops for 1 1/2 months of Ivermectin to clear the darn things up. Poor cat had to be wrapped in a towel and manhandled to get the drops in and he would scratch and bite like crazy. Poor thing got so you couldn't even pet his head out of fear you were going to put drops in his ears. It took a year for him to get over that part. Revolution is SOOOO much better and easier, plus I don't have to cram the kitty Heartgard down them anymore.

cl January 29th, 2009 01:02:05 AM

I love scientists. Innoculting himself to prove that mites truely are itchy? That's even better than the guy who drank a beakerful of Helicobacter pylori to prove that it's a causative agent of stomach ulcers!

Megan January 29th, 2009 07:30:50 AM

Barbara: Nope. Frontline doesn't work. Neither does Advantage.

Dr. Patty Khuly January 29th, 2009 08:49:09 AM

Dr. K, is it possible that the use of Frontline/Advantage, although not directly effective, contribute to reducing the burden on the immune system allowing a pet to better fight off mites and other parasites just as a better diet improves overall health/immune function to the same end?

PJBoosinger January 29th, 2009 10:25:51 AM

PJBoosinger: No evidence to support that...but never say never...

Dr. Patty Khuly January 29th, 2009 12:05:42 PM

Hi, Patty,

How is Revolution tolerated by older cats? I've got a 20+ year old who is basically healthy but doesn't weigh so much any more. No thyroid problem, so far, just skinny. She's suffers terribly from recurring bouts of mites, so news of Revolution is welcome news. And is Revolution prescription only? I ask because the nearest vet is over 2 hours away and does not have a good reputation among local pet owners. P.S. Great opportunity out here for a vet with a mobile clinic!

Caroline January 29th, 2009 01:08:43 PM

Caroline: I find that if Revolution is essential to the quality of your pet's life (i.e., an ear mite-free existence), then it's worth the minor risk. Absolutely. Never seen a bad reaction...but never say never...

Dr. Patty Khuly January 29th, 2009 03:01:13 PM

Do any of you vets know of the situation with a topical drug called "Advocate", available in the UK. It is labeled for mite control (including demodex: nothing like that here in the US). The people on some of my dog lists swear by it. Will it become available here?

EmilyS February 1st, 2009 01:39:48 PM

hmmm. I did a little more research.

"Advocate" is sold in theUSA as "Advantage Multi"

http://www.advantage-multi.com/ Same ingredients as Advocate (imidacloprid + moxidectin)

On the Advocate site, it's promoted as "A whole NEW species of flea, nematode and mite control"

On the Advantage site, it's promoted for control of heartworm, hookworm, roundworm, and whipworm. NO mention of mites...

EmilyS February 1st, 2009 03:51:51 PM

Just a side note on "chronic mites", lacking ongoing reinfestation, the problem is often otitis, secondary to ear mites. Another possible cause is failure to treat long enough(mites life cycle is up to 21 days after eggs are laid for them to hatch) if not using ivermectin-based products. I agree that treatment difficulty is also a factor if not using long-acting products.

John February 6th, 2009 10:58:01 AM

my dog has ear mites - can i use avarexx, or is it only for cats?

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For dogs and cats the thing to get from your vet for ear mites is Advocate which is produced by Bayer... my nine cats were infected by these pesky things by the cats next door. The vet told my neighbour that the ear mites pass from cat to cat very easily - so if a cat is socialising with a infected cat and your cat begins to scratch his ears... he probably has them.

Advocate needs a prescription from the vet but one dose usually does the ear mites and as it's placed on the base of the skull directly on to the skin so there's no trying to hold the cat down for ear drops - so much easier :)

see this website for details:

http://www.advocate-spot-on.com/4406.0.html

Denise June 6th, 2009 05:28:41 PM

I have been using Frontline Top Spot on my mostly outdoors kitty, and it was keeping her free of fleas and the numerous ticks in the woods around here. About two weeks after her last dose, I think she got ear mites, but I am not sure about it because I could see them walking around in her outer ear. I always heard ear mites are almost invisible, but these looked like tiny ticks. She also had the black "coffee grinds" in her ears, but I wonder if they were actually some kind of nymph stage of ticks since I could see them easily. They were not attached and sucking blood like usual ticks, though.

She was due for another Frontline dose when I decided I must do something about the mites or whatever they were. I tried Advantage Multi, but it did nothing for 4 days. Then I went to the vet and got some Acarexx. It worked right away. It has been a few days, and I wonder if I should try to clean the ears out with an ear wash solution now, or just leave the ears alone.

My vet does not carry the Revolution spot-on, but I am thinking that it is the only thing that would prevent re-infestation of ear mites. Unfortunately, it seems like NONE of the vets in my community carry Revolution. I wonder why. If I use Revolution, how am I going to also prevent ticks, a major problem here (worse than fleas)? Is it safe to use both Revolution and Frontline, and how far apart should they be used?

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