★★★★★
I returned late in the evening from a two-day trip and noticed my clearly aggravated cat constantly twitching his ears. After researching ear mites and finding this forum through Google I tried a vinegar treatment using a garlic flavored red wine vinegar I had on hand. He clearly showed relief after two treatments eight hours apart and has shown no further symptoms since his third treatment.
I used a paper towel folded in half twice, then rolled corner to corner to form a loose roll with pointed ends. I dipped an end into the vinegar, blotted it lightly on the side of the container until it stopped dripping, then inserted it into an ear holding it in place for about 2 minutes while soothing him. I used the other end of the roll for the other ear, then folded the two used ends together and dunked the center of the roll into the vinegar and without blotting it lightly dabbed outside of his ears and on the top of his head while avoiding his eyes.
It has now been four days exactly since I first came home and found his discomfort, he has received a total of five treatments and I intend to follow through with two additional treatments per week for the next month after taking note of the comments concerning unhatched eggs. The damp paper towel prevented any risk of damage and blotting it lightly before inserting it into his ear limited the chance of dripping liquid in his ear causing him to seriously fight me.
Olive Oil and Peppermint Oil
★★★★★
I adopted two kittens in November and both were infested with fleas and ear mites. They were babies, only four weeks old, but the mother stopped producing milk, and the woman who owned the pregnant cat said she'd had enough of the constant bottle feeding.
My key goals became to rid them of the fleas and mites, but the vet I have told me to avoid any medications at their young age, especially since one of them was the runt of the litter and barely weighed 14 ounces. The other was one pound.
Anyway, he suggested I mix 1/4 cup of olive oil with 10 drops of peppermint oil and then store it in a bottle. Every day, I'd put three or four drops of this oil mixture into their ears and then massage it in. I'd follow this with a bath in warm water with baby shampoo to kill off as many fleas as possible. Then I'd use blunt-tipped tweezers to pick off fleas that climbed to the head. Wrap them in a blanket and dry them off some. Then I'd use a flea comb to remove any other fleas that escaped. I was told that by bathing them right after the oil treatment, any mites that escaped the ear were washed away by the shampoo.
After two weeks, I took them back to the vet and heard the words I was waiting for--both kittens were completely flea and ear mite free. They are eight months old and never had fleas or ear mites again. So obviously the olive oil and peppermint oil mix did the trick. Now I have my two boys who weigh 11 and 13 pounds (the runt is 13) and as I've been told they are obviously part Maine Coon, the vet's told me to expect them to be huge. Given the size of their paws, I'd already expected that!
★☆☆☆☆
Multiple Remedies
Ear Mites and People
Green Tea
★★★★☆
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.
Ear Mites and People
Ted's Mange Cure
Mineral Oil
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 :-)
Yellow Dock
★★★★★
"In order to actually kill the mites, there are a couple of natural remedies that you can make at home.
The first one is a mixture of 9 drops of Yellow Dock Root Extract and 1 tablespoon of water.
Use an eyedropper to insert the treatment into the pet's ear, being sure to massage it well prior to the animal having the opportunity to shake it out. Administer the treatment once every three days for a period of six weeks.
The second treatment mixes 1/2 an ounce of Almond Oil with 400 IU's of Vitamin E. Warm up the mixture to body temperature and apply 1/2 an eyedropper into each affected ear. Massage the mixture around in the ear and remove the excess with cotton balls. Administer the treatment for a period of six days, leave it for three days and then repeat."
However, according to http://www.healthynewage.com/ear-mites.htm (which claims to have gathered their information from William Pollak D.V.M. and the Fairfield Animal Hospital), the treatment regimen listed above is inaccurate in some ways: It explains these treatments as two separate remedies (whereas the following info describes them as two steps of the same remedy), and the administration differs slightly.
I am not sure which is more or less accurate, but seeing as the following information was provided by medical professionals, I personally trust it a bit more. The following info is also more specific and gives reason for each application of treatment. Of course, you have the final say in what you end up using for your pet, so I can only recommend that you do extensive research and become educated on anything you may be considering before deciding on any one remedy.
www.healthynewage.com's remedy is as follows:
Step 1: Make a mixture of 1/2 ounce of almond or olive oil and 400 IU vitamin E in a dropper bottle. Warm to body temperature and put about 1/2 dropperful in the ear, massaging the ear canal well for a minute or so. Let your pet shake its head and then gently clean out the opening with cotton swabs. Q-tip type applicators many times compact material already in the ear canal. Apply the oil every other day for six days. Then let the ears rest for 3 days. (The oil mixture will smother many of the mites and start a healing process.)
Step 2: Using Yellow Dock Root Extract, dilute it with water, 9 drops to 1 Tbsp of water. Treat the ears with this mixture once every 3 days for 6 weeks. Ear mite eggs are quite resistant to just about anything after they have already hardened, that is why a 6 week period of treatment is recommended. The eggs will continue to hatch out in cycles and if medicine is present for 6 continuous weeks (medicine administered will last for four days) there will be no more eggs present.
I also found this tip very helpful: Instead of trying to place the drops directly in the ear, lay the dropper across the entrance of the ear so that the liquid first goes onto the outside and then drains in.
Ear Mites and People
My friend's Rottweiller has ear mites and 3 vets tried to treat her but she wouldn't let them -- (this is what I'm told?) but she's such a sweet dog and I roughhouse with her almost every day and I've broke out in a rash and I feel a crawling sensation and tunnels on my hands AND my ears are being bitten-up. OF COURSE NO DOCTOR WILL EVEN LOOK but only gave me topical medication for scabies - AND I DO NOT HAVE SCABIES.
My question is: is it possible I got infected by canine ear mites? All this stuff sounds crazy to me but it's the only thing that makes any sense. I'd appreciate whatever help I can get and thanks so much! Artie G.
joanna
Olive Oil, Garlic Oil
★★★★★
Avoid Water When Cleaning Ears
★★★★★
Also, you can always tell if a Vet is a good one or not. Just ask: "How many animals do you have?". They usually have few dogs and cats in the house. They will tell you stories of previous animals, and they will also treat your animals with respect. If you do not see these qualities, then, you need to find a new Vet.
Happy days with your pets!
Iris
Coconut Oil
this is site is great. :P i'm learning so much.
Medications
Multiple Remedies
★☆☆☆☆
Emily is a spunky sweetheart damaged in her back, legs & spine from puppy mill abuse (leaving no bowel control and little bladder control): she so doesn't deserve more pain in her short life.
I've so far used olive oil, vit.E, hydrogen peroxide, aloe juice -- so far E and Aloe seem to soothe her the most, but it has gotten worse.
She has been shaking her head, and whole body, a LOT. When I first checked her ear I saw nothing but thinner fur near her one ear, with a black dot which I thought might be emotional or have been a bug bite from rolling around 'love noshing' with her puppy friend. What is the difference between what mites and a yeast infection look like?
Coconut Oil
Thanks everybody for sharing your stories and thanks EC for bringing this wonderful site to us!!
★★★★★
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
Diatomaceous Earth
★★★★★
★★★★★
I grew up with a lot of ear infections and my grandmother always treated me with a lil boric acid and in no time, I was better. My bestfriend grew up on sweet oil for ear infections; so I figured it couldn't hurt to try it.
I use about a tablespoon of warm water to an 1/4 tsp boric acid; soak a cotton ball and swab out the ear. Then I use an eye dropper and apply 4 or 5 drops of sweet oil to each ear. I usually do this every other day. The washing usually only has to be done once per treatment. Use judgement based on look of ears.
★★★★★
