Ear Mite Remedies

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.

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?

Call me ignorant, but Revolution doesn't always work and it's extremely expensive (speaking from experience). Also, why would I poison my kittie's entire body just to kill ear mites? Much too dangerous....

I wrapped my kitty in a blanket like a taco and after the first cleaning she trusted me from then on, but before I thought of that she would hiss and scratch and bite so just take your time and wrap her up in a blankie

CAUTION: Cats and tea tree oil. I used to use tea tree oil in my cats ears faithfully until I talked with a herbalist (might be the wrong title) who works with essential oils. She told me that cat's bodies don't tolerate tea tree oil well. I'm suspecting my use of tea tree oil in one of my cats possibly caused him neurological or slight brain damage. He was the only one I had a problem with. I never confirmed this so this is ONLY my unprofessional gut feeling based on my conversion with the herbalist. To this day I do not use tea tree oil on my cats anymore. Love it for myself and my horses tho.

Since you are a vet, I would not expect you to have any other opinion. Being someone who has lost a few pets to a vet's incompetence, I am always looking for alternatives to the exorbitant and overkill methods presented by the veterinary profession.

I was alarmed and confounded to find that my 2 cats were infected with ear mites as I had faithfully been applying on each (on the nape of the neck as instructed), a dose of Revolution on a monthly basis for 2 years. What gives?

Hi Ted,

First off, Revolution offers a money-back satisfaction guarantee if purchased from a veterinarian. Download the form from their website. Fill it out and send in with necessary information. They will require a phone call from your vet, with a Case Number your vet needs to assign to your case, and probably the medical records indicating that your cats are on Revolution, and yet still got ear mites.

(Their own website states that if the product is used over a long period of time, the fleas, mites, etc. can become resistant to it, and it won't work anymore.)

Make sure to read the fine print at the bottom of the form. You should be able to get your money back. Here is the manufacturer of Revolution (Pfizer's) website address to get the form: https://animalhealth.pfizer.com/sites/pahweb/US/EN/contact/product_information/Pages/VMIPS.aspx

The above page is in a .pdf format, and most all computers can open a. Pdf form. On this page, just click on (EXPAND) next to where it says "Revolution Satisfaction Forms". Then click on "download form". Once downloaded, just click on it to open the form, print it out on your printer, fill it out, and take it to your vet.

What really gets me is, on this same page, where it says "How to report a product issue", if you click on that, it says " To report an adverse event such as your pet's reaction to a medication, the product not working as expected, or a quality issue such as leaking or damaged product, contact your Veterinarian. " What the heck???????

If the product causes an adverse reaction, or does not work as expected, YOU SHOULD BE CONTACTING THEM!! , not your VET! They should be taking responsibility for their own product, not pawning it off on your vet! Yet another reason NOT to use these products!

Revolution (and all other animal flea, tick, & parasite control products) is EXTREMELY TOXIC to pets and humans. Read the label!! The fact that it even HAS a MSDS (material safety data sheet) for humans should tell you all you need to know. If it is not safe for human skin, it is not safe for animal skin!

There are many, many all natural treatments for fleas, ticks, ear mites, and such, that work just as well, if not better, and will not harm you, your pet, or the environment.

My dog and cat currently have ear mites. I am treating them myself using natural cures, and herbal cures. Google "natural and herbal cures for ear mites" and see what you find. There are differing opinions on almost every treatment, so you need to decide which one will work best for you.

But firstly, you need to clean out the gunk (greasy, dark, and/or smelly earwax and such). You should do this on a regular basis anyway. It is easy and inexpensive. All you do is use either olive oil, or Almond Oil (available at most natural health food stores), and a bottle of 400 IU Vitamin E softgels. You mix 1/2 ounce (1 Tbsp. ) of either oil with one Vitamin E softgel capsule (prick with a pin and squeeze the oil out). You will need a dark colored small glass bottle with a dropper screw top (also available at any health food store), and a tiny funnel that will fit into the top of the bottle (both inexpensive). I quadrupled the amounts so I could use it later. Then once mixed, whenever you are ready to use it, sit the bottle in a bowl of hot water (don't cover the top part), to warm to body temperature - just a few minutes should be enough. Test a drop on your arm to make sure it is not too hot. Have someone else holding onto your pet, and lift up your pet's ear, and place 1/2 dropperful into ear canal (make sure not to go too far down with dropper so you don't damage the ear canal). Immediately (without letting your pet shake the oil out first) begin massaging the outside of your pet's ear canal to make sure the oil gets down inside, for about a minute or so. Then let your pet shake it's head, while still having someone hold onto your pet. Then, just use a soft cotton pad or cotton ball, and wipe out the entrance of the ear canal, to get the wax out.

It sounds more hard than it is. I have done it by myself without someone else to hold the pet. It is trickier with a cat, as most will not sit still to let you do this. I just covered my cat's body with a bath towel, on top of my bed, and used my own body to pin her down (without hurting her). Leaving my hands and arms free to administer the drops and massage them in, then clean them out with the cotton.

This oil also suffocates the mites, while soothing any swollen or inflamed tissues in the pet's ears. You need to do this once a day, every other day for 6 days (a total of three treatments). Then you let them rest for three days.

The second half of the treatment is necessary due to the fact that mites eggs can hatch out every 4-6 days, and you need to make sure you kill them also. There are several methods for this also. Diatomaceous Earth (must be Food Grade! ) can be purchased at specialty pet food stores, and it it CHEAP.

Food-Grade Diatomaceous Earth

• Do not use pool-filter-grade diatomaceous earth near your pets. However, the food-grade product will not harm them. Just put a pinch of the powder into the ears daily for a month to kill existing and newly hatched mites. or you can mix it with warm water, and use a dropper to administer.
  

(What if your cat licks any of this stuff off of its skin while grooming? Cats lick their paws, and their fur, while grooming themselves, including the fur on the back of their necks...... Then it is ingested by the cat, and will kill them, without immediate (and expensive) veterinary intervention. Even then, they still may die. It is highly poisonous, even says so on the label.)

Label also states: Flammable - Keep away from heat, sparks, open flames or other sources of ignition. AND.......

Following treatment with REVOLUTION, transient localized ALOPECIA (hair loss) with or without inflammation at or near the site of application was observed. Other signs observed included vomiting, loose stool or diarrhea with or without blood, anorexia, lethargy, salivation, rapid breathing, and muscle tremors. There have been reports of PRURITIS (chronic itching), URTICARIA (hives, or itchy, red welts on the surface of the skin), ERYTHEMA (which has many different types and can cause - redness or rash or raised spots or other lesions on the skin, fatigue, fever, flu-like symptoms, & itching, Joint pain, Arthritis, sensitivity to sunlight, sudden outbreak of tender spots, bumps, lumps, or lesions, usually on the legs, knees, and feet, target lesions - spots surrounded by rings of normal and red skin, looking like a target, rash on the face, Clusters of nodules (small round masses) and lesions on shins, forearms, thighs, and trunk, Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), the most severe forms of erythema have a different set of symptoms. Target lesions on the trunk, hacking cough, fever, and blisters around the mouth, eyes, nostrils, and anal and vaginal areas are the key symptoms of SJS, TEN will have symptoms of SJS that worsen to include peeling and detachment of the skin, pus-like infections, fluid loss, and even death.), ATAXIA (is the inability to maintain normal postures and perform normal movements. Movements are jerky and uncoordinated, without the smooth flow of normal motion. Ataxia may affect any part of the body. Ataxia occurs when there is breakdown in communication among the brain centers responsible for coordinated movement. These include areas responsible for sensation and balance. Symptoms may include tremors, involuntary back-and-forth eye movements, Postural instability, swaying while standing, wide-based gait, sometimes likened to a "drunken reeling", uneven stride, with steps of different lengths and not always straight forward) FEVER, and reports of DEATH. There have also been reports of SEIZURES in dogs.

In the above paragraph, the words in italics were added by me, to describe what all of these conditions THEY list, really are, and what they can cause. The words in capital letters are the only things they listed, failing to mention what they are.

Believe me, I know from personal experience. The damage caused by these products, and the damage caused by annual (unnecessary) vaccinations, has been DIRECTLY CONNECTED to many, many health problems your pet may develop immediately after use or further down the road, by numerous studies and personal experiences of some of the most notable homeopathic vets in the country.

The evidence is overwhelming if you care to read it. The two best homeopathic vets are Dr. Richard Pitcairn, D. V. M. , Ph. D, (who has written 2 books) and Dr. Martin Goldstein, D. V. M. (who has written one book). I have all three books, and they are real eye openers! Dr. Goldstein's book in particular (which was a bestseller), has a whole chapter devoted to the "Dubious history of Vaccines", and also talks specifically about commercial pet parasite control products and their dangers to both animals and humans. Annual vaccination of pets has lead to more deaths, than any other single pet disease in the US, and had even been given a name.... Vaccinosis. Google that word, and see how much info shows up........ TONS. And, not only for pets, but humans also.

They also have websites. Dr. Goldstein's is : http://www.drmarty.com/

and Dr. Pitcairn's is : http://www.drpitcairn.com/

You can purchase used copies of all of their books on Amazon.com cheaply ($5. 00 or so). And they are VERY WORTH the money, if you care about your pet's health.

Good Luck!

Valerie J.

Thank you SO much for that very thorough sharing of gentle and effective ways to help our cat friends. Actually, I appreciate everyone who took the time to share their experiences. My cat protested so vigorously and got so long-term mad at me when I used vet recommended drops for mites ("apply daily for 6 weeks") that I gave up after the first few days. In time things got so bad I felt like an unfit care-giver. I wanted to do something, but not even start until I felt it would help and not harm, while being effective enough to be worth whatever protests/rejection my cats might dish out. Everyone's sharing has been helpful, but your post in particular has reassured me considerably. I'm ready for the campaign now. Again, thank you.

Read the label on Revolution, for cats, about mites. Does it not say something like "for the treatment and control of ear mites"? Not cure, eradication, not resolution... Besides, do you want a systemic pesticide circulating through your kitty when there are no long-term studies on safety? (My guess is that long-term, it'll shorten your cat's life.)

I tried an old-school (maybe organophosphate type) ear-drop miticide on my cats. Not only did it not get rid of the mites, but it caused severe inflammation and open sores that took weeks to heal.

Mineral oil worked FAR, FAR best for my cats.

I previously told you about weeks of misery from cat ear mites being gone in 24 hours. That was true.

Tommy, a small tiger-looking cat who conned me into taking him in, here in Saipan (my original four cats came with me from Japan), had been suffering for weeks from what was obviously ear mites according to my knowledge. The first squirt of "baby oil", consisting of mineral oil and "olive oil essence" with a very minimal odor, stopped the severely lowered ear position, head shaking, and scratching very quickly.

Three or four days later, those signs starting popping up again, slightly, so I gave one more squirt in each ear. Again, very helpful. Then five or six days later, a lower level of those same signs, so I just gave one squirt in each ear.

I think this is the same treatment a vet might charge $50 for. Depending on the severity of the infestation and your cat's overall health, diet, and freedom to exercise and get sunshine, you might need to treat with mineral oil more than once, up to perhaps five or six times, to get complete resolution.

I took Tommy's brother, Toby, to the vet several weeks ago for the same condition. Although I avoided examining the bill for details ( "anger management" ), I suspect I paid $40 to $60 for a squirt of mineral oil in each ear.

It's not a magic cure, but the best thing I have found for ear mites so far.

Pups àre at high risk.

Frontline is completely ineffective for fleas and it has been that way for years. It makes me so angry to see it at Walmart because it does not work for fleas! Please don't waste your money.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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!

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.

hi, I have a four month old munchkin male kitten. I just got him neutered, but the vets office said he had ear mites. I just got him a little over a week ago when this happened. I have another cat and two chihuahuas I know it can spread. The vets office did say the treated the ears, but I still see the black looking stuff in his ears. I do own zymox will that kill ear mites? Also I see the same black stuff in his nose is that ear mites as well? My brother told me I could use alcohol and peroxide- will that work or will it hurt his ears since he has been itching them?

The medication is Frontline Plus. My vet did the same thing.

To Lisa, in the country, Massachusettes..I'm confused by what u mean by any flea/ tick medication. I'm assuming the tiny container of liquid that is rubbed onto the area between cats shoulder blades..if not would you please let us know what you mean as I currently cannot afford a vet because I am getting several strays neutered to get them homes before winter and can only afford the basics.

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.

I would caution against using Milbo-mite in certain cats, especially if they are older, sick, sensitive etc. I just read where a woman gave it to her cats and the one who was 14 ended up having to be put to sleep because of it. After using it in her ears, she became lethargic and slowly started going downhill. I think it's a neurotoxin and harmed the cats nervous system. Her other 2 cats who were younger were ok. The 14 year old was perfectly healthy..eating, playing right before the Milbo- mite. Certain cats can be pretty sensitive. Also, don't use the "natural " Pyretherins made from the chrysanthemumflower, they are supposedly ok for dogs, but toxic to kitties.

I have 12 cats, and ear mites. Some of my cats groom each other and I don't want to use anything not safe. What can I do that is safe and afforable, my husband is the only income.

Hey Tasha,

You might make up a small batch of Ted's Mange remedy and use that to flush our your cats ears. Make sure you warm the solution up before using. If you can hold your cat in place with an ear filled with solution so much the better, but chances are they will not tolerate it and just shake their ears to get the wetness out. Enough of the solution may remain to be effective. It is cheap and cannot hurt and can be very effective if you can get the solution in the ears. I might treat 4x day with the solution in the ears, and may be 4 days in a row - and then go to every 2 days IF you see results, and then to every 3 days. You may find you have to treat long term - every 3 days for 30 days- to eliminate the mites.

I've been dealing with cat's ear mites for months...now going to try mineral oil. But I have question & concern & can't find any information on my cat's issue. He has daily discharge of mites' gunk in his eyes every morning...just like in his ears. Has anyone experienced this problem with cat's eyes? It's definitely the mites coffee ground/dark discharge coming from my cat's eyes. Any advice and/or similar experience with would be appreciated. Thanks! Roxanne

You need to take your kitty to the vet. From my experience with a dog it was inner ear infection and it's deep into the ear. A vet has to look at it. Don't forget that cats are good at hiding pain, I am sure at this point that your kitty is in a lot of pain. I wouldn't hesitate, I would try to get it seen as soon as possible.

If you have been dealing with it that long it probably needs antibiotics...

That's my take. Good luck!

My poor baby girl 3 month old kitten has ear mites. I am using mineral oil to treat her ears and so far so good. Just after a day of use I can see down her ears, But what kind of natural shampoo can I use/make to make sure they do not spread to other parts of her body?

hi can someone tell me where do I get mineral oil from

Hey Trudy!

You can find mineral oil at your regular drug store, and sometimes grocery stores carry it too - not hard to find. You might also consider olive oil - the cooking kind. You can crush garlic and add it to the olive oil and let it sit over night, and then use that for ears.

Hello! I have been trying for sometime now to help cure my dog of an ear problem, at first I thought it was like a yeast infection because of the smell and I treated her for that. Then she started itching like crazy and decided that ear mites were the problem. I read up on all the things the vet said to and tried the drops prescribed but they didn't work. I read about mineral oil here. Can you tell me how many times a day do I have to apply it on my dog?

We have a british bulldog that had mites she lost all her fur on front legs and neck, vets could not cure after 1,000 pounds and 1 year of treatment. We used flower of sulphur mixed with linseed oil and after a week she was cured. It has not returned 4 years on.

Mineral oil/olive oil/coconut oil are great to break up hardened mite "junk" in your kitty's ears, but the thing I have found that really knocks them down and out and will keep the ears totally clear for months is diatomaceous earth (FOOD GRADE ONLY). I simply dip my pinkie finger in some and apply it inside the ear and try to rub it in if possible. Do this every day and try and remove the debris as you apply. I trapped two feral kittens who had horrendous mite problems - they have been completely clear of ear mites for literally years. (Also treated our other cats so as not to keep this passing back and forth). This works great on my dogs too. They usually stop scratching and shaking their heads the same day, and are a lot more cooperative about the process!

After having tried coconut oil and olive oil, I finally tried mineral oil. Weeks of misery gone in 24 hours! My guess is that biological oils - - meaning plant and animal oils - - are more of a natural environment for the ear mites, and thus don't work well. If your kitty has ear mites, try mineral oil first, and save yourself time and money, and you and your kitty misery.

I read where you used 'flower of Sulphur, mixed with Linseed oil'. Did you use this on the skin/fur only? or can it be used on EAR MITES IN DOGS? I have tried everything and nothing works for long. Would love a reply back asap, thanks. Kathryn

Kathryn, for over 40 years, I have always used olive oil, just a couple of drops inside ear and then massage ear to work it down and it has always worked with a return very rarely.

Please do not use baby oil in your cats ears to kill earmites. It is mineral oil BUT, it also has fragrance which will burn or sting terribly when you put it in a cat's ear. I made the same mistake. It was horrible. The cat never trusted me again. It ran & shook it head. Ran n shook. Hid from me. I felt horrible. I'm here to help. Them not harm them. Did you know many cities have free or low cost. Spay n nuetering. In Utah it is 1800 PETSFIX ext 10. Free if u are low income. $15 / $25 dollars if not. Lets love the ones that are already here. We have plenty. Thank you!!

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.

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 :-)

also my doctor of homeopathy suggested to use dry walnut leaves, place under the bed in the room, it kills all fleas and mites

Hello, I'm a big supporter of the more naturalistic methods when it comes to any sort of health as a first resort. I want to give the mineral oil a go for my cats, I use it for my own ears every so often. But for pets, is there a certain brand or specifications I should look into for mineral oil? Your guidance is appreciated!

Andy, Pleasantville, (New Jersey)

Mineral oil is a petrochemical product and has undesirable side effects. Instead a low percentage of hydrogen peroxide (less than 3%) and or warmed olive oil with garlic are usually helpful.

Neem oil is excellent for ear mites and needs only a few applications for the removal of mites.

Namaste, Om

I use witch hazel to clean kitty's ears. Its very gentle and it was an ingredient for kitty q tips at the store.

How long should I keep putting the baby oil in the cat's ear??

Hey Lauren!

You might consider treating your cat for 1 month to ensure the infestation has been eradicated.

My cats have ear mites, they got it from one cat that was shipped to me. The poor guy was treated only once, so it spread. I have used Tresderm from the vet, but that gets expensive. I have heard about reg. Vegetable oil, I have a syringe. I have 6 cats and seems only 5 have been bothered by the mites. I just want to give them some relief.....does everyone think the BG oil will work, breeder also told me to use it as well, would like feel s'ok please.

Hey Cindy!

Can you clarify please?

What is "reg. Vegetable" oil and what is "BG" oil? I tried to look at the original post and did not see anything about these two oils. Also what does "s'ok" mean?

I did read through your post and can only advise that if you are using Tresderm - and antibiotic - on ear mites - a parasite - that you will spend a lot of money NOT curing them of parasites.

EC has many good home remedies to try, so I can only advise that you treat ALL cats at the same time, even if they appear not to be infected by ear mites.