Mites

[adreabri]

I'm currently staying at my moms and her internet connection is subpar and trolling through the old posts take forever so this is another repeat post. My gizmo has a LOT of sores on his back and some are open and bloody looking. Ive already figured that its mites. None of my other boys are showing any symtoms but he's acting really down and yucky. I gave him a does of baytril. I figured it couldn't hurt.

I've read many times to give revolution and am getting ready to head out to go to walmart to see what they have but would like some information before I leave. What kind of revolution do I need to get. Dosing information. Cost? And if its okay to put on open sores?

 

[victoria]

Revolution is only available from a vet or Pets Megastore based in Australia. Most people use the kitten one but you can use whichever, it's a question of size and concentration. You can also use Invermectin horse de-worming paste too, it's available without a prescription at tack shops.

Dosage for the Invermectin is a piece about the size of a grain of rice, for the Revo it depends on the rat's weight and type of Revo.

 

[adreabri]

Uh. There's really not a tack shop around here. Anything I could possibly get OTC? Won't be able to get to vets until next week. Swamped at work and I work everyday. I don't want this to wait.

 

[MomRat]

You can give an olive oil bath to drown some of the buggers, works for lice but I'm not so sure about mites. At the least, it will reduce the itchy skin.

The ONLY things that work for mites, to get rid of them, is Revolution(topical, prescription only) or Ivermectin(oral, non prescription). The revo you only have to give once, the ivermectin, at least 3 weeks once a week. Revolution is safe and easy, but it cannot be dispensed except by a veterinarian with whom you have a dr/patient relationship(ie, they have to have seen your pets at some point, you can't just walk into a new vets office and buy it. If you have a good relationship with your vet, you might be able to call in and ask to pick it up at the front desk without an actual visit - mite tests usually come up negative through chance, and you just go ahead and treat the symptoms anyway.

The Baytril isn't a bad idea, per se(we had a rat with bad mites get a skin infection from digging at them, and eventually needed abs to combat it) but you need to keep giving it for 2 weeks now, at least. Just one or two doses of it as a precaution will allow any bacteria in gizmo's system to develop a resistance to it, and that is bad. =/

Remember, mites are transmittable to other species. Lice are not, fleas are mostly not, but microscopic mites will eat wherever they land, so treat everyone at home - rats, other small animals, and other large animals. Freeze wooden toys or throw them out, wash all bedding, do your best to clean up once you get them treated. =)

 

[adreabri]

I'm wondering if this could work? I was worried about my ferrets having fleas and was recommended Natural flea spray for cats. made by Natural chemistry

The active ingredients are Sodium Lauryl Sulfate Cinnamon Oil Cedar wood Oil Clove Oil.

Don't figure this would work since the spray is quite fragrant and the rats have such fragile respiratory systems but just thought maybe???

Working on scrubbing their cage ATM. Fresh hammocks liners and everything plastic is being washed.

 

[SQ]

You need revolution.
It is the most effective method for getting rid of mites.
As previously said, treat all your rats and do a really good cleaning.

 

[MomRat]

Also, cedar wood is one of the things we always say to NEVER use as a bedding, because the oils contain phenols, which are HIGHLY inflammatory to the respiratory system. I would say using something containing pure cedar wood oil would be tantamount to deadly.