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.
Lynn (Pottsville, PA USA) on 04/14/2007:
BACK IN THE 1970'S I USED A VETERINARIAN WHO SPECIALIZED MAINLY IN CATS AND ALSO DID RESEARCH ON CATS AND THEIR DISEASES, ETC. I HAD 12 CATS AT THE TIME AND HE WAS A GREAT BELIEVER IN NATRUAL WHENEVER POSSIBLE. HE RECOMMENDED I USE MINERAL OIL IN EACH OF THE CATS EARS CLEANINING THEM DAILY. IT WORKED SPLENDIDLY. THIS VET LEFT HIS VETERINARIAN BUSINESS IN THE 80'S AND WENT INTO FULL TIME RESEARCH. WHAT I LEARNED FROM HIM HAS SAVED ME MUCH EXPENSE AND HAS BEEN INVALUANLE OVER THE YEARS.
Candice (USA) on 03/14/2007:
Hi! I just wanted to reply to my previous remedy for mineral oil. I treated our 9 cats with the oil and so far all is well! Try not to use too-too much...haha otherwise they get funky hair do's!!! haha otherwise it worked perfect thanks, and good luck!
Candice (Victorville, USA) on 02/17/2007:
Hello. I just spent my saturday morning (today) at the vets office with one of my cats. She had been shaking her head lately for the past 2 weeks; and when I looked inside her ears (at first it was only in one ear), there was reside in them resembling small coffee grounds. Two nights ago she scratched her ear raw inside one of them. So I decided it was time to take her to the vet. He went ahead and started putting the MINERAL OIL in her ear and massaging it in (via the outside of the ear, so that she wouldn't shake it all out, right away), and then he used the long, medical Q-tips to remove some debris (the blackish gunk). I helped him hold her as he did this and he notified me that this should kill of of the living ear mites and to reapply in a couple of days, because of the eggs. So its gonna be a process but apparently mineral oil is what is used by professionals. I am going to try it but kind of weary of the q-tip! yikes...I am not going to try and go too deep in the ear since I am not a professional. I hope this helps someone! I will repost again to tell you if this worked! Thanks.
