Ear mites

[young1982 1]

I'm just wondering how everyone goes about dealing with ear mites, my ferts have them again so I'll have to take a trip to the vets after work to get some drops. The problem is that my mate who I go ferreting with has ferts that have them so when they mix in the box mine catch them, is there a jab they can have to protect them against them?

ATB

young1982

[kirstysdad 827]

go on e-bay and buy some powder called tep just dust inside ear no more mites about £12 a pot lasts forever i use on dogs if they need it a lot cheaper than going to the vets just do them all at the same time

[pigeonphill 69]

go to your local pet shop and ask for otodex veterinary ear drops for dogs and cats clears wax and kills mites and at £3 you can share it with your mate as well seems to do the job

[andy s410c 61]

Personally i would go to the vets & get the vet to make sure they have'nt spread into the middle ear.You'll have to clean & fumigate the cage, bed area & carry box out throughly otherwise they may get the mites back.It probalies will cost a few££ more but it's worth getting them sorted first time around IMO.....

[FUBAR 0]

My vet recommended a drop of front line in the lug holes from time to time to prevent ear mites

[droid 11]

My vet recommended a drop of front line in the lug holes from time to time to prevent ear mites

 

That's an old argument.

 

Started a long time ago, subject of a long 'debate' on the forums. Sticking Frontline down a ferret's ears isn't approved by the makers, and isn't therefore part of the veterinary 'cascade', where a med approved for treatment of a condition in one species can be used on another provided it is used in the same way and for the same condition.

 

So your vet was wrong to reccommend that.

 

But I suspect you knew that already.

 

Braces for incoming........

[Funfuret 1]

I put ivermectin on their scruffs once in a while just to make sure they haven't picked ear mites up from other ferrets or cats. You can buy the Beaphar version for small animals including ferrets at pet shops and it works out cheaper than the Xeno ivermectin product that vets tend to use. Stronghold (selemectin) is also effective against ear mites but I think it's a POM and only available from vets.

 

I would never put Frontline in any animal's ear because if the ear drum isn't intact, the active ingredient (fipronil) can get into the middle and inner ear and cause damage to the neurological structures in there, e.g. the balance (vestibular) organs and the hearing 'hair' cells. If you look at the information leaflet that comes with Frontline, you'll see that aural use isn't one of the licensed methods of application because of the damage it could cause used in this way.

Edited December 3, 2008 by Funfuret

[woodard 32]

BLOW TORCH IS BEST LOL

[Funfuret 1]

BLOW TORCH IS BEST LOL

 

 

Are you trying to start a heated discussion .......... sorry, I'll get my coat .........

[FUBAR 0]

With the greatest respect droid and funfuret I think the vet is probably better qualified

[droid 11]

With the greatest respect droid and funfuret I think the vet is probably better qualified

 

With the greatest respect to your vet, even the makers of Frontline don't reccommend putting it in a ferrets' ears.

 

And as far as I know it's not licensed for use in ears in any animal, therefore the prescribing cascade has not been followed.

[Funfuret 1]

Fubar, I suggest your vet contacts the Veterinary Medicines Directorate ( or the the RCVS) to find out the correct advice the people should be given about how to apply Frontline. Failing that can I ask you to contact the VMD yourself before posting again on forums about putting Frontline in animals' ears because this is a safety issue. The VMD are very helpful and are happy to deal with public queries about drugs.

 

BTW It is true that only vets (not even doctors) are qualified to diagnose and treat animals (and people shouldn't forget that ) , but the ultimate experts on drugs aren't the standard vets or doctors you meet in your local practice, e.g. you only have to pop into your local pharmacist to meet a Pharmacist and most of the drug safety scientists in the pharmaceutical industry just have some sort of non-veterinary, non-medical life science type degree.

Edited December 4, 2008 by Funfuret

[FUBAR 0]

Is frontline cleared for use on ferrets ?

[dog fox 16]

i know if you put frontline for dogs on a cat it will make it fit for days and can kill it ,be carefull which one you use (check with vet first) as i had a bit left years ago while doing the dogs ,i put some on the mrs,s cat and got nothing but grief for about a week

[young1982 1]

Spoke to the vets yesterday and they recommended I used something called "Stronghold". I'll put a link below to a website with some info if anyone is interested, but basically it's used to treat fleas, ear mites, some sort of worm, biting mites and some other stuff I can remember. It's not approved for use on ferrets but the vets said they've never come across any problems from using it.

 

Scroll half way down the page

 

http://www.noahcompendium.co.uk/Pfizer_Lim...old/-31090.html