The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Zoonosis
Posted by Adan (South Lake Tahoe, CALIFORNIA) on 09/09/2007
★★★★★
Reading some of your e-mails, i am trying to find out what really works to kill/control/repel ear mites. Since there are so many kind of these mites, does anyone know of zoonosis? Not only does the pet get them, but some people like myself (documented proof at UC Davis on file), how do you try to live a normal life with your pets? Anyone out there know the answer? I have tried all the above, or have heard of them, but chemicals are dangerous, so I'll pass on the vets opinion, use natural products, or stuff like mineral oil, Not nice to Lice shampoo, another thing that works is DermaTechRX also. That is my arsenal, any suggestions?
Vegetable Oil
Posted by Debby (Elko, Nevada) on 09/15/2007
★★★★★
Hi! I have two cats and my daughter has one. She didn't know her cat had ear mites when she moved into our home. Now I have to deal with all 3 of them having ear mites. I tried cat mite medicine from a store, plus the one called Adams. All it did was make my cats very sick and their ears heated up, and became irritated!! I was at my wits end when I thought I would look up about ear mites on-line. I was so happy to hear about your natural remedies!! I have been using vegetable oil,' for the past 3 days and it seems to be working!! If it doesn't clear them all the way up, I am going to try some of your other remedies. I like the vegetable oil, because it doesn't irritate their ears, and doesn't make them vomit. (the other remedies from the store made them vomit and run fevers.) They don't seem to be scratching as much with the vegetable oil either. It is a battle though putting it into two of the cats ears, as they don't like anything in their ears. Thank you so much for helping me deal with these pesky mites who seem never to leave!! Now maybe my cats and me can get some rest!! Thanks again. I will write more to let you know how they're doing. Thanks again!!
Mineral Oil
Posted by Jackie (Millerton, Pennsylvania) on 09/20/2007
★☆☆☆☆WARNING!
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.
Alum
Posted by Stan (Pikeville, Ky) on 09/24/2007
★★★★★
Using alum to treat earmites in dogs, Cheap to use and kills mites, eggs, and larvae by drying process. mix alum in water, apply to ear with dropper.
Ted's Mange Cure
Posted by Suzy (St. Paul, Minnesota) on 03/16/2007
★★★★★
I really appreciate all the great advice I've gathered from reading your site. But, if I had used the remedies that are recommended specifically for ear mites, I would have severely annoyed my cat and myself and she would still be scratching. Thank goodness I made the association between ear mites in cats and mange in dogs and used
Ted's wonderful mange cure. (My mixture was 2 parts apple cider vinegar, to 1 part hydrogen peroxide, and 1 part Borax; diluted in a gallon or so of water) And it worked like an absolute charm. Bathing a cat is never fun, but the next day her incessant scratching had stopped and has not returned. What a wonderful gift this man has given to animal lovers and caretakers around the world! Thank you so much Ted, for sharing and proliferating your extremely useful knowledge in the way that you have. And I'm sure there are millions of small four-legged creatures who no longer have itchy and infectious skin that are singing your praises as well. Thanks again.
Ted's Mange Cure
Posted by Andre (New York, USA) on 10/23/2007
★★★★★
Update: two weeks later. Kal romps around now without his collar, the mites are still there, as I see a small amount of residue, but clearly they are on the way out. Many thanks to Ted at earthclinic.com for his latest suggestions on using a more concentrated dose of H2O2 (hydrogen Peroxide) for the finish. .. Are there any other suggestions esp. re: diet to finish the ear mites? Maybe the drier air helped ..
Ted's Mange Cure
Posted by Ted (Bangkok, Thailand) 392 posts
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.
Ted's Mange Cure
Posted by Andre (New York, USA) on 09/29/2007
★★★★★
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's Mange Cure
Posted by Betsy (Litchfield, CT) on 01/05/2008
★★★★★
I tried the peroxide-borax remedy: Day 1. Dear Ted, In desperation searching for Hartz Mt. ear mite medicine, the best over-the-counter for cats I've found, I went to 10 stores but there was a run on the stuff! I turned to the web,found your site and read about the ear mite control. Bought the stuff, mixed it up, bathed my poor old cat's ears which were hairless on the outside, bad looking with the bloody stuff inside. So far on Day 1, this treatment has brought Nicki instant relief. She has been sleeping with her ear up for some days now, unable to go into deep sleep mode due to the ear mites. Right now she's in a deep sleep, all curled up like normal. I found all ingredients quickly in my small town but could not find Hartz Mt. ear miticide in faraway larger town after 3 hr. of searching. Thank you! Will let you know as things progress but so far, Day One is going well.
Advice
Posted by Rick (Minneapolis, Minnesota) on 10/25/2007
★★★★★
Many comments in the cat ear mite treatment area say to use q-tips to clean out the crud from your cat's ears. Please do not as this pushes debris further into the ear canal and makes the condition worse. To clean, gently spray the ear with warm soapy water followed by pure water. Repeat until clean which usually take three rounds.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Posted by June (KC, KS) on 01/12/2008
★★★★☆
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.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Tracey (Chicago, USA) on 01/24/2008
★★★★★
I use ACV for ear mites on my cat and itchy skin. They bite their skin-- I suspect allergies. They don't have fleas, but even if they did, I'd still use Raw Apple Cider Vinegar, because it's undiluted and has all the vitamins and minerals and potassium intact. The cats have stopped biting and scratching. I put it on a cotton swab for the ears, a cotton pad (round ones for removing makeup)for the fur, and I also put a tiny amount in their wet food. They do not like the smell, but the cats took to the ACV better than the ear mite medicine I had applied to the ear.I think the ACV soothes the cats' ears.
Medications
Posted by Sue (Shrewsbury, MA) on 03/25/2008
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!
Medications
Posted by CECILY (SONORA, CALIFORNIA) on 02/26/2008
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.
Medications
Posted by Lyn (Salinas, CA) on 03/06/2008
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.
Medications
Posted by Timothea (Newberry, FL) on 03/16/2008
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.
Medications
Posted by Lisa (In The Country, Massachusetts) on 02/26/2008
★★★★★
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!
Ear Wash
Posted by Sara (Dayton, Texas) on 04/02/2008
★★★★★
Here is a remedy that really works, I got it out of the book called The Whole Pet Diet--
2ounces-witch Hazel
5-drops-tea tree oil
5-drops- clove oil
Mix all ingrediants together in a clean bottle.Warm the bottle with your hands first, because cold solution is uncomfortable for pets. Squirt half an eyedropper into one ear.Try to do it quickly, then fold over and massage for 30 seconds. Afterwards let your pet shake it out, then treat other ear.
