Table of Contents
Ear Mite Remedies
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DISCLAIMER
* Our readers offer information and opinions on Earth Clinic, not as a substitute for professional veterinary prevention, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult with your veterinarian before taking any home remedies or supplements or following any treatment suggested by anyone on this site. Only your Veterinarian can provide you with advice on what is safe and effective for your pet's unique needs or diagnose your pet's particular medical history.
3 YEA
[YEA] 02/07/2007: Lisa from Everett, WA writes: "We took in a kitten or rather young cat that was hanging out in our back yard. We bought a tag that said "Please call Lisa @ 555-5555 if this is your cat. She was really tame and we started letting her stay in our home longer and longer until she no longer sat by the back door wanting to get out. After two weeks we brought her to the vets for a check-up because there were other rather wild cats hanging around. We figured what they were hanging around for, but she really wasn't our cat, but then we said, to heck with it and took her in for shots and a check-up. The Vet reported that she was pregnant and had ear mites, but that he couldn't treat them without risking harm to the kittens. So we've spent the past month watching her struggle with ear mites. If only we looked at your natural remedies earlier we could have at least soother her discomfort with your recommended treatments. We will never neglect our pets again or wait for the local Vets to answer all of our concerns. Thank you so much"
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GENTIAN VIOLET AND RUBBING ALCOHOL
[SIDE EFFECTS] 01/21/2009: eLissa from New Brunswick, NJ writes: "A friend of mine, an animal breeder, gave me a remedy for ear mites: gentian violet and rubbing alcohol, I don't remember the proportions. She recently died and I took one of her rescued, feral kittens. He had ear mites, and it looked as though my older, beloved Oscar kitty had gotten them from the kitten. I found the mixture, had a friend helping me and things got crazy; I ended up accidentally getting a whole dropperful of the stuff in Oscars ear. The next day he lost his voice, it was down to a rasp. I am killing myself with guilt. This was 4 days ago and his voice has gotten only a little better. He is otherwise fine, playing and purring, and the mites are gone from both cats, with a second, vastly smaller treatment 3 days later. Does anyone know about this? I'm really worried that I might have done more harm and don't feel I can afford the vet right now. Thanks, eLissa"
06/26/2009: Jaime from Chambersburg, Pennsylvania replies: "I just chose to buy an ear wash and medicated powder from my local pet store. i've only used it for two days and already my dogs are doing better.
To the lady with the cat that has a raspy voice.... just as in people, the ears, nose and throat are all connected. you probably irritated his throat with the alcohol. next time take him to the vet unless you know the proper measurments."
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1 YEA
[YEA] 09/25/2008: Stephani from Tallahassee, FL writes: "to Delores in Hobe Sound - ear mites:
09/22/2008: Dolores from Hobe Sound, Florida writes: "What is the formula for ACV? My cat has eye problems and also ear mites. I use a commerical ear cleaner but they keep coming back. I hate putting her through the ear cleaning so often."
I have used NutriBiotic ear drops with tea tree oil & grapefruit seed oil in my dogs & cats ears. They had a lot of scratching and black gunk (i think that is from mites). Their ears are clear now. I got the drops at vitamin shoppe, but you can find them online too. Hope this helps. "
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1 BETTER BUT NOT CURED
[BETTER BUT NOT CURED] 04/17/2009: Serbella from Saint Louis, Missouri writes: "Green Tea and Ear Mites:
My other kitten, Coyote, is about two and a half months old. Last night I noticed that he was moping around, so I picked him up and looked him over. The inside of his right ear was encrusted with the nastiest looking brown crap I have ever seen. I brewed a tea tag of green tea in a clean, empty baby food jar, took several cotton balls and carefully cleaned his ears out. I noticed that deep inside his ears was really cruddy looking, but I was afraid to probe down there with a Q tip, so I squeezed some green tea down there and allowed him to shake it out. I did both ears, but the right ear was worse.
I decided that if he didn't clear up we were going to the vet ASAP. The next morning I examined the little fella (had to pull him away from beating his mother up) and his left ear looked very clean. His left ear, which didn't get as much green tea, was now looking a little worse.
I warmed up the green tea I had left over from the night before and again carefully cleaned both ears out, treated the left ear just as equally as the right. I dripped green tea down inside both ears and waited while Coyote fussed and shook his ears out.
I've read that olive oil mixed with a little garlic works to kill the mites. I might try that. I also know that the ears need to be treated an entire month, because of the eggs. I have a bottle of that Mitricide but it states that it is not to be used on kittens younger than 12 weeks old. Coyote is ten weeks old. Might not make much of a difference, but I've had some bad experiences with meds that were vet prescribed, and I decided not to take the chance. There's a reason that caution was put on the bottle."
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1 YEA
[YEA] Katie from Emporia, KS writes: "I have found using green tea and olive oil will cure ear mites in cats. You first take a cotton ball and soak it in green tea to clean the ear of debris and then stand back to let the cat shake out the rest. Then you add 2-3 drops of the oil for 2 days a week and then once a week as the condition improves."
Griselda from Gandia, Spain replies: "I need to know more about the folk remedy for ear mites with green tea. The recipe is very vague. How do make the oil? Is the oil with green tea or alone ? What oil? Please send an urgent reply I´m getting so worried. The vet´s remedies were horrific and caused more discomfort than the mites I have been cleaning the ears with chamomile and eufrasia tea and then putting in 6 drops of almond oil but yesterday the ears were much worse after treatment and were scratched so badly they were all inflamed and stayed itchy for hours."
Ted from Bangkok, Thailand replies: "I have never heard of using almond oil, chamomile or tea used for ear mites I use sodium perborate or borax."
07/06/2006: Denise from Southport, FL replies: "If you first use green tea to flush and wash out the ears, then follow with drops of olive oil w/garlic (I put minced garlic in a small dropper bottle and then fill it with olive oil and shake). Do this daily and it will cure the ear mites in cats and dogs."
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4 YEA
1 WARNING!
1 QUESTION
[QUESTION] 09/02/2009: Carol from Zeigler, IL United States writes: "Ear Mites: I noticed yesterday that my indoor/outdoor cat was flicking his ear and holding his head down. When I looked, he had a lot of "crud" in there! I started checking the internet for home remedies and found this site with lots of different options that I had never heard of!! Like many, I can't afford a vet bill, but don't want my cat to be in distress. I am going to try the hand sanitizer first (I hope I don't have to try something else, but...) I put a couple drops on my finger and rub it in his ear as much as he would let me. Would it be ok to put a couple drops right into his ear? And how often a day and for how many days? I will definitely visit this site when other remedies are needed! It was very informative and helpful for remedies as well as things that are dangerous to my cat. Thanks for all the valuable info!!"
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[WARNING!] 05/27/2007: Jamie from Port Orange, Fl writes: "I read that someone suggested using hand sanitizer to cure ear mites, I would be very careful about doing so because if your pet has scratched their already inflammed ear, that would really burn!"
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[YEA] 05/19/2007: Marie from Sacramento, California writes: "My recently rescued male cat had ear mites so bad one ear canal was swollen nearly closed. He was delivered by a cat lover who's plate was full, but was kind enough to include an over the counter ear mite remedy. Wow that ear mite medicine made the gray skin inside his ears peel and and turn bright pink. Applying every other day was obviously going to cause sever damage in 3 weeks treatment. The long and short of this story is he arrived on Jan 4, 07 today in June 15, 07 and the problem is better but not cured. Olive oil, Vaseline, hand lotion any thing that wouldn't kill the cat and maybe smother the mites has been tried in addition to using a systemic flea/tick product. The current problem is the waxy discharge is sticky (it was bloody) and getting it out of his ears next to impossible. Thank you 4/1/2007: Lisa from Winfield, PA for suggesting Hand Sanitizer! The cat and I are very comfortable when I am treating his ears, the scratching stopped long ago, so there wasn't much danger of pouring Hand Sanitizer on an open wound. It cleaned him up better than any thing I have tried. I held him petting his favorite spots, for a few minutes until the Hand Sanitizer dried and I didn't have to worry about him getting it in his eyes or mouth. Great service you provide, bummer I didn't find you in Jan! I will send a progress report,"
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[YEA] 04/13/2007: Cherri from NEWARK, NJ writes: "A lady here stated that she used hand sanitiser to get rid of ear mites in her cats' ears. She said it took "a few applications". My question is: how many applications did it take, and how long did you use this treatment? Any response would be greatly appreciated. Thanx!"
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[YEA] 04/01/2007: Lisa from Winfield, PA writes: "hand sanitizer works great for ear mites in my cats it also kills them. just put a dab on your finger and rub it into the ear. only takes a few applications and they are gone"
[YEA] 09/03/2008: JaJa from Zebulon, NC replies: "I am happy that hand sanitizer was suggested for the cure of ear mites. It was something I already had in the house and I didn't have to go out to buy anything. My two year old peekapoo was scratching his ear like crazy and I truly did not know what the problem was. A family member suggested that he may have ear mites. I went online looking for home remedies to cure ear mites so that i could save on a costly vet bill. I came across several remedies, however the sanitizer was at hand and I decided to use it. I used a bottle with a hand pump and used two sqirts in each ear and massaged it in. Within an hour he scratched once and by the end of the night he wasn't scratching at all. Thanks for the useful information. You guys saved me a trip to the vet. jaja"
11/25/2008: Kenny from El Paso, TX replies: "I HAVE A FEMALE PIT BULL AND SHE IS SUFFERING FROM WHAT i THINK TO EAR MITES i THINK THAT i WILL TRY HAND SANTIZER ON HER BECAUSE IT WORKED ON ME WITH POSION IVY AND OTHER PEOPLE S YUKY HANDS"
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1 QUESTION
[QUESTION] 10/22/2009: Donna R from Sarasota, Fl writes: "Pet Ear Mite Infestation
I have a question. You reccomend yellow dock tincture and water to kill ear mite which is applied directly into the ear. The latin name for yellow dock is rumex crispus which comes in a homeopathic pellet remedy made by Boiron. If the homeopathic remedy of yellow dock (rumex crispus) is taken orally via homeopathic pellet, will this kill ear mites as well?"
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2 YEA
1 BETTER BUT NOT CURED
1 WARNING!
[BETTER BUT NOT CURED] 01/12/2008: June from KC, KS writes: "I also use H2O2 for one of my cats who has been plagued with earmites since I found him abandoned as a kitten. I've never been able to completely rid him of the problem, probably because I have not been diligent enough, but the H2O2 definitely helps. As you know, it dissolves ear wax and earmites thrive in those waxy conditions."
[WARNING!] 08/10/2008: Lori from Beacon Falls, CT replies: "Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2) for Ear Mites: Just a warning for cat and dog lovers out there treating their pets with hydrogen peroxide in the ears:
H2O2 in an animal's (or human's, for that matter) eyes can blind them permanently. My vet told me that, and I also learned that in nursing school, but I'm not certain about the mechanism of action. I would personally try other remedies first, unless you have a very quiet and cooperative kitty.
Just wanted to warn ya!"
[YEA] 08/24/2008: Margaret from Upper Darby, PA replies: "I am being a foster mommy to an abandoned kitten with ear mites. I use hydrogen peroxide for cleaning only. It should not be thought of as a remedy. To avoid getting it into the cats' eyes, dab a clean q tip into the bottle, shake some off the q tip, then wipe only the parts of the ear that you can see. It is best to only wipe in an upwards direction to avoid debris from falling into the ear canal, and hold the cat on its side, so that anything falling will fall out. Next take kitty to the vet for some ear mite drops, and follow the directions EXPLICITLY! Otherwise, you will see how the mites will keep coming back."
[YEA] 02/01/2009: Andre from New York City, NY replies: "Of course if you pour H2O2 - or acid vinegar, or any of many standard vet medicines in your pet'eyes when they are supposed to go into their ears - it *WILL* blind them !!!!
As I mentioned a couple years ago I used the Ted's Mange cure (slighlty modified) with success on my cat - and so far, there has been only one small resurgence last year, immediately snuffed.
For reference, again this is what I posted
09/29/2007: Andre from New York, USA writes: "I tried the oil based treatments, actually using coconut oil since I heard it has antiseptic properties, and hydrogen peroxide. This only slowed down the ear mites. After a couple of weeks of this, I started with a mix of Borax (20 Mule Team), hydrogen peroxide, vinegar and a little Dr Bronner soap. After just two days the mites are disappearing. To prevent my cat from lcking off his wet fur, that I allow to dry naturally as indicated, I got him a collar. See his picture on Fickr, tag: ear.mite.cure.for.cats, or go directly to the page at http://www.flickr.com/photos/nycandre/1459080973/
Thanks a lot, Ted and everyone else here! nycandre"
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6 YEA
2 NAY
1 WARNING!
1 SIDE EFFECT
[NAY] 05/29/2009: K from Mason, WV writes: "I would just like to say that I have a cat and have taken him to the vet several times for ear mites which cost me $65.00 per visit. I have also bought my medidcation from the vet at $12.00 a bottle and have given it to my cat faithfully. My cat still has the ear mites after over a year and suffers terribly from this he has no skin on the backs of his ears where he has dug them so much so at this point I am willing to try anything to get my cat some relief. Hopefully this will work."
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[SIDE EFFECTS] 11/08/2008: Donna from Savannah, GA USA writes: "My kitten has ear mites (I think) and I put Ear Miticide in his ear last night. It didn't seem to do anything but irritate his ears worse to where he shook his head and scratched at his ears more than before. Today I rinsed his ears with two drops of vinegar/water mixed 50/50. I then put two more drops of Ear Miticde in each ear. He is sleeping all of the time and when he does get up he wobbles. I am really worried about him. Can someone PLEASE tell me if this is normal?"
EC: This website says to call your vet or local Animal Poison Control if you experience side effects from this product: http://www.drugs.com/vet/ear-miticide.html
11/09/2008: Doris from Orland, Ca replies: "I have used a 50 50 solution of Hydrogen Proxide and Rubbing alcohol I rub it really good and then clean it out with a cotton swab it works well and our big dobberman just loves it..."
11/09/2008: Marilyn from Shelton, Washington, USA replies: "Donna,
Balance is a function of the inner ear back of the ear drum. Your cat is suffering greatly and may even begin spinning in circles or begin to go crazy. As a child I suffered multiple ruptures of both ear drums. The doctor had us pour hydrogen peroxide into my ear and hold it there with my head tipped till it quit fizzing. I seriously doubt any mite can survive multiple doses of hydrogen peroxide plus a lot of them will come out when the peroxide drains out. The H2O2 will not hurt the cat's ears though you might dilute it by half. The cat will not like the crackling noise in its ears from the H2O2 foaming but if the ears feel better after, it will soon put up with the procedure. Do it with dropper or even a spoon held well away from the ear so no chance of the cat wincing and getting its ear stabbed. I have used this on a cat with a vets direction to do so. Perhaps once a day is enough. Be sure the solution is strong enough to foam."
11/10/2008: Janis from Renton, US replies: "I always used mineral oil for any animal that I have had for ear mites. Just use an eye dropper and put about 5 or 6 small drops in each ear. Check the ears each day. As long as you keep seeing the blackish or dark color,looking like the ears are dirty then keep doing it until that goes away. The mineral oil will suffocate the ear mites.This has always worked for me. Good luck. Hope the cat gets better soon."
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[YEA] 07/11/2008: Linda from New Caney, TX writes: "To treat ear mites in dogs I have very successfully used injectable Ivomec. Using a 1cc syringe, without a needle, you administer .25 for each ear. Ivomec can be found at feed stores, such as Tractor Supply. A bottle might cost $30 but last a real long time and can be shared with friends. Ivomec can also be used to prevent heartworms. I do have a chart if anyone wants it."
07/18/2008: Dar from Montgomery, Texas replies: "Wow, does it only take one treament? Also would love to have the chart for the heart worms. Thank You"
08/28/2008: Lisa from Theodore, Alabama replies: "While I have used Ivomec in the past to (succesfully) prevent heartworms in larger dogs, I have never attempted the ear mite remedy here described. Also, at this time I am the owner of a guinea pig sized "dog" whose tiny weight makes me apprehensive to attempt the application of Ivomec to protect his tiny self from heartworms. A chart would be GREATLY appreciated!"
10/28/2008: Linda from South Bend, IN replies: "I would like the Ivomec chart that Linda (BertsBabe2008) talked about Thanks so much."
02/04/2009: Katherine from Dallas, GA replies: "i would love to have the chart. i tried almost everything on my dog but is taking a long time. i clean his ears with mineral oil and yes it leaves the ears so clean."
02/21/2009: Joanna Wessel from Grand Haven, MI, USA replies: "i would love the chart also. can you use the paste and if so can you mix it with water or somthing else?
joanna"
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[WARNING!] 05/15/2008: Merit from Phoenix, Arizona writes: "I used too much lanolin-based ear miticide (Zema) in my cat's ear. He continues to shake, now 12 hours after treatment. I know I have used rubbing alcohol to get water out of my ears. Can I use that on him to try to draw out the extra Miticide in the inner ear?"
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[YEA] 04/19/2008: Samantha from Sarasota, FL writes: "Well yesterday my cats ear swelled up. She had been lying around for about 2-3 days. Kind of depressed. For a small time before that every so often she would scratch her ears. Im in my early 20's and this is my first cat. Though its like she had always been there. Anyway, so yesterday her left ear swelled up . I called a emergency vet because it happened to be later on the weekend. But I really couldn't afford a emergency vet visit. So I went to the store and I bought Hartz Guard w/ Aloe. But first I put a small amount of Hydrogen Peroxide in a dropper to clean out the ear wax (which the mites feed off of.) So I put the peroxide in her ears and massaged it and then used a cotton ball. The cotton ball thing is alot more difficult then it sounds!! After administering that I gave her some time because if anybody has ever had peroxide in their ears you know it starts crackling as it eats the ear wax. Then I put one drop of the Hartz on the outer part and 5 drops on the inner, because she is a runt and under 15 pounds. It tells you on the back how much based on their weight. But it is a pesticide so I advise against putting too much in the ear. Well that was last night so we went to bed and this morning she's not 100% but she's up running around holding her head up. She seems happy again. Now I know what I need to do and how frequently. Please don't be as ignorant as I was to let it get that bad. We all love our kitties or we wouldn't be here. I got the idea for the peroxide off of this site. Because it was so late I had to go to Wal-Mart and all they had was the Hartz and no cleaning solution I needed something so thanks!"
05/26/2008: h8erboy from Jerome, ID replies: "Funny how some people are seeking products with pyrethrin because "it's natural and comes from chrysanthemums" and others here are wanting to avoid Hartz Mites Drops because "it's pesticide." Newsflash folks, the active ingredient in Hartz drops is pyrethrins, same as the natural cures you're paying so much for. And yes pyrethrins do come from chrysanthemum flowers."
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[YEA] 04/16/2008: Tim from Winters, California writes: "While trying to find out more about tea-tree oil's medicinal applications, I came upon the threads on Earth Clinic about ear infections in pet animals. I was disturbed and alarmed by the degree of inaccurate and incorrect information I encountered. Particularly of concern were the readers' comments soliciting unapproved and off-label uses of unknown parasite control products, especially in exotics.
A basic issue is the prevalence of ear mites. While very common in cats, it is virtually nonexistent in dogs under most circumstances. The people posting comments about the pros and cons of various treatment protocols for ear mites in dogs are most likely not even dealing with mites. And treating ear mites in cats these days is extremely simple and not worthy of prolonged discussion; a one-time (two at most) application of feline Revolution or Advantage Multi for cats should eliminate the pests. While a good product for flea control, Frontline is probably completely ineffective against mites.
I would recommend that this site be refereed by a competent veterinarian who embraces integrated (Eastern and Western) responsible practice.
Respectfully,
Tim Krasnansky DVM
Berryessa Veterinary Services
Winters, CA 95694
(530) 795-6090
BerryessaVet.com"
[NAY] 04/19/2008: Stella from USA replies: "re: Feline Mite Remedies. My feline had a scary seizure type reaction from a single dose of Revolution. I will never use it again. It is not worth losing my friend over, especially when there are safer methods for prevention and eradication."
05/01/2008: M. R. from Odessa, Missouri replies: "I appreciate the vet comments on 4/16. There are several items available like Revolution. Milbe-mite is one. I have one indoor/outdoor cat and 8 barn cats. Revolution, Advantage, and Milbe-mite range in price from $20+. I cannot afford these things. So I welcome affordable alternatives. Does any one have info about what to do about a kitten while treating the other cats?"
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[YEA] 02/26/2008: Lisa from In The Country, Massachusetts writes: "Ear Mite Remedy - Perfection. Here is one I heard from a vet....who also admitted they will never tell you this in the office since it will cause them to lose out on some profit. This worked for my male adult cat who would never let me near his head - ever. Take the flea and tick medication (I cannot for the life of me remember which brand I used) and put one drop and one drop only in each ear. I did this for my cat, literally all I did was put one drop in each ear, no rubbing, no rinsing, nothing. The ear mites disappeared, never came back again, and he was a brand new cat that just loved attention! Give a try and see for yourself!"
02/26/2008: CECILY from SONORA, CALIFORNIA replies: "PLEASE PLEASE....THERE ARE SO MANY POSSIBLE REMEDIES FOR EAR MITES FOR MY CAT...BUT I JUST CANNOT GET THEM IN HER EAR....SHE WAS AN ALLEY CAT IN HER FORMER LIFE AND DOES NOT ALLOW PEOPLE TO TOUCH HER THAT MUCH AT ALL.I LIVE ALONE WITH NO ONE TO HELP ME TO HOLD HER DOWN...I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW OF ANYTHING I COULD PUT IN HER FOOD TO CURE IT AS HER EARS ARE A MESS AND I FEEL SO BADLY I CANNOT GET TO HELP HER. THANKS FOR ANYONE TO SUGGEST SOMETHING."
03/06/2008: Lyn from Salinas, CA replies: "Lisa from In the Country, Massachusets: PLEASE revisit and tell us exactly WHICH medication you used. I doubt that all of them are effective and some are significantly more expensive than others."
03/16/2008: Timothea from Newberry, FL replies: "To Lisa from In the country, massachusetts--Please come back and tell us exactly what flea/tick med you use-one drop /ear to end mites. Thanks."
03/25/2008: Sue from Shrewsbury, MA replies: "I read a posting from "In the Country" MA regarding one drop of flea and tick treatment to rid cats of ear mites. Is there any way you can contact her to find out what product she used? If not, would it be safe for me to try ONE drop in each ear of Frontline on my cat for ear mites? Thank you for your help!"
04/29/2008: Tia from Auckland, New Zealand replies: "Hi Cecily, and others with similar problems, I know how this is going to sound, but when we love our cats sometimes we have to do things they hate in order to help them, what I've done with cats that I've rescued and needed things like ear drops, pills, etc, is to use the sleeve of a thick coat, and literally put the cat through it so the head only comes out the end, and YES the cats in question would dislike me for a few days, but with patience and treats they always trusted me again.You can buy a cheap thick coat at an op shop, ones with liner are better, as it helps get the cat in and out, and you can cut the sleeve off with extra material around the entrance."
06/16/2008: Meredith from Greenwich, CT replies: "I know that I'm not supposed to mention a product name, but perhaps the filters will let this through for the sake of information. Revolution kills ear mites. I have used it with great success (and no harmful side effects) on two of my cats. My mother is a vet tech, and she advises 2-4 drops in each ear. Be advised that Frontline does not kill ear mites, so make sure that you buy Revolution. The good news is that even though it's expensive, you only need to apply it once. For the cat who will not suffer ear drops, you can apply Revolution topically to the neck (a normal application as described in the Revolution info packet) and it should kill the mites. This is, of course, not a holistic remedy. However, when cats have chronic ear problems, it really affects their quality of life. Sometimes you need to bring out the big guns. Hope this helps!"
EC: We've had a lot of requests for the name of the medication from Lisa (who never responded to the questions), so thanks for this...
08/24/2008: Margaret from Upper Darby, PA replies: "RE: Holding down a cat:
An easy, friendly way to hold a cat so that you don't get shredded during care is to toss a quillt over their back, as they are unsuspecting, then wrap them up in your arms and hold them like a baby. you can hold them with one hand and give care with the other. Have all your supplies on a table beforehand, so you can easily grab them with your one hand. Eventually your cat will know that when you do this he/she does not need to be scared. My cat no longer needs to be wrapped up when I cut her nails. She growls quietly, but is never violent."
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[YEA] 04/15/2007: Mike from Charlotte, NC writes: "after an extensive search i found milbemite for dogs. haven't had an opportunity to try it yet it but should have been spelled w/ an E instead of an O. good luck."
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[YEA] 02/27/2007: Deb from New Orleans, LA writes: "I managed a veterinary hospital for 6 years. The only truly effective and safe method of ridding your pet of mites is "Milbo-Mite". It is a one time treatment and they don't come back. All my cats are free of mites... dogs too! Don't balk at the price. If you think of all the money you waste on things that don't work and the discomfort it causes your pet, it's worth it's price and then some!"
10/26/2008: Melissa from Hilton Head, South Carolina replies: "I would like to purchase Milbe-mite but cannot find it at PetSmart or WalMart. Please tell me where I can purchase this product. Thanks."
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9 YEA
1 WARNING!
[YEA] 02/09/2009: Donny from Hummelstown, Pennsylvania writes: "My wife and I have a 3 year old bull dog that has had a serious problem with earmites in the past year. The cheapest way that I have been told to cure earmites is with Fragrence free Baby Oil... This home remedy really does work with persistant use. I would recommend twice daily for 2 weeks. Apply liberally using an ear dropper or syringe, place 3-5 drops in ear and massage for 30 seconds, then clean the excess dirt and oil using cotton balls or Q-tips... USE CAUTION WITH Q-TIPS..."
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[YEA] 12/30/2008: Mae from Elmo, Utah writes: "Thanks for the advice on checking for ear mite eggs around the fur around a cat's ears. My cat Taya has been diagnosed with ear mites and I've been treating her with mineral oil and I noticed that she had an infestation of eggs around the base of her ear. To say the least she got an impromptu bath and a radical assault of mineral oil squeezed into her ears with a bulbous syringe. No she wasn't happy about the impromtu bath or 'mom's' sudden zealous assault on her ears but she's feeling better and is sleeping peacefully on 'mom's'pillow. I'm also going to be instituting the ear mite med I got from walmart. Can anyone plz tell me if the adult mites die after laying eggs or do they continue living with their offspring making kitty's ears a living nightmare for some owners?"
[YEA] 12/31/2008: Rosy from Orlando, Fl replies: "Mineral Oil kills all mites in cats ears, so you shouldn't have to use the mite meds from Wallmart. Just add a small dropper full of oil in ears everyday until mites are gone."
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[YEA] 11/13/2008: Jenny from Augusta, Georgia writes: "we were very worried about our kitty, mint greene. she had been scratching her ears constantly. i dipped a cotton swab in mineral oil, rubbed it on the outer ear (not the ear canal) and she hasn't scratched since!! YAY!! tomorrow i will do this again, and massage some into her ear canal as well. if this works for mint then the other four cats, and three dogs will be next!! i am so glad i found your website. it has been a very big help."
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[WARNING!] 09/20/2007: Jackie from Millerton, Pennsylvania writes: "NAY on Mineral Oil -- I read Adele Davis' book Let's Eat Right to Keep Fit in the late '60s. It's served as a basis for our family's natural nutrition guide ever since. She was a nationally recognized biochemist/nutritionist in her day, and emphatic against the use of Mineral Oil for either ingestion or topically (since the skin is the body's largest organ). Here's a link (below) to read why, and why I wish to caution against using it as a "natural" ear mite solution. We love our kitties or would not be reading this info. Also, thank you for the info here on ear mites. Just rescued a tiny kitten (stray). Using DE for the fleas (it works!). Now tackling the ear mites. Also found great recipes for home made food by searching "natural food for kittens/cats". He loves the Chicken Stew with lots of veggies included. Good luck to all. - Jackie
http://www.healthy-communications.com/otheringredientsandmyths.html
MINERAL OIL
MYTH: A beneficial moisturizer.
FACT: An oil manufactured from crude oil. It is a mixture of liquid hydrocarbons separated from petroleum. Dr. T. G. Randolph, an allergist, has found that this and many other cosmetic chemicals cause petrochemical hypersensitivity. The allergic reactions can become quite serious in time leading to arthritis, migraine, hyperkinesis, epilepsy and diabetes. Taken internally, mineral oil binds the fat soluble vitamins A, D and E and carries them unabsorbed out of the body, and although little mineral oil is able to penetrate the skin, this tendency is so dangerous that Adelle Davis in Let's Eat Right to Keep Fit says that she "personally would be afraid to use this oil even in baby oils, cold creams and other cosmetics"
(New York: Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich, 1970, p. 46). The fact that mineral oil does not penetrate the skin well makes it inappropriate for use in an absorption base in a skin cream of any kind. In fact, mineral oil-containing cosmetics can produce symptoms similar to dry skin by inhibiting the natural moisturizing factor of your skin. Petrolatum, paraffin or paraffin oil and propylene glycol are other common cosmetic forms of mineral oil. Toxic. Avoid them (Hampton). Has tendency to dissolve the skin's own natural oil and thereby increase dehydration. Mineral oils have been found to be probably the single greatest cause of breakouts in women who use a new product (Chase). Serious carcinogens are commonly found in Mineral Oil."
09/23/2008: NYCandre from New York City, USA replies: "I did use oils to clean the mites initially - then using TED's mange cure worked after the requisite 3 week period to get the second mite egg generation as well. Followed the advice to use Borax also on the floor, and now a year later still no problem. Since it does work and I had tried a few other approaches, I thought it worthwhile to repeat here the older posts below:
09/29/2007: Andre from New York, USA writes: "I tried the oil based treatments, actually using coconut oil since I heard it has antiseptic properties, and hdrogen peroxide. This only slowed down the ear mites. After a couple of weeks of this, I started with a mix of Borax (20 Mule Team), hydrogen peroxide, vinegar and a little Dr Bronner soap. After just two days the mites are disappearing. To prevent my cat from lcking off his wet fur, that I allow to dry naturally as indicated, I got him a collar. See his picture on Fickr, tag: ear.mite.cure.for.cats, or go directly to the page at http://www.flickr.com/photos/nycandre/1459080973/
Thanks a lot, Ted and everyone else here! nycandre"
Ted from Bangkok, Thailand replies: "Thanks for the information! The Dr. Bronner soap has the lavender and tea tree oil that I always like. So its great you use it. The house should lightly be sprayed with some borax solution or sprinkled borax powder if possible to prevent reinfection. You can also use a small amount of borax, and sprinkle it like a talcum powder on the localized area. Not only the borax kills them, the powder also cause the insects to be suffocated. Those are optional."
03/31/2009: Chris from Albuquerque, NM replies: "Ted says he likes the essential oils in Dr. Bronner's. Tea tree oil, lavender oil, peppermint oil, etc. ARE DANGEROUS TO CATS. TOXIC. CAN CAUSE SEIZURES AND EVEN DEATH. Tea tree oil is especially dangerous. DO NOT USE ***ANY*** ESSENTIAL OIL on a cat. CAts cannot metabolize EOs, because they don't have the "wiring" in their livers to do so.
I would also like to recommend that people see their vets about ear mites BEFORE treating them. There are several other conditions that APPEAR to be ear mites to the untrained eye (that means "us" :-)) but are something else entirely. Ear mites are microscopic; identification is important so that the right condition is treated. I notice that some people write that "x" remedy isn't working "yet", and asking how long does it take, etc. If it were the right thing for the right condition, it WOULD be working. Please be sure your cat has ear mites instead of an infection or injury before treating her/him. Deafness and/or nerve damage are permanent conditions.
Thank you :-)"
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