To Danica:
 
>I also have another question.  I have been treating my fuzzies for ear
>mites with this stuff called OTOMITE.  (Active ingredientsPyrethrins 0.05%,
>Technical Piperonyl Butoxide ).05%) It has been almost 3 1/2 weeks and they
>still have them...
 
    First, if you are not cleaning out the ears first with a ceruminolytic
(something to dissolve wax) you will never get to the mites (which live
genrally indeneath the wax covering where they can det to the tender skin of
the ear canal and where the y are protected.  Additionally, in these
animals, the wax is full of eggs - if you clean out the wax you remove most
of the eggs.
 
    Check with your vet.  I would recommend irst to clean the ears with
something along the lines of Oti-Clens - squirt in a bit, then massage the
ear and let them shake.  Then clean out any looks gobs of wax with a Q-tip.
Then follow this with six drops of Tresaderm - also available at your vets,
which is much better on ear mites than pyrethrins.  Your ve may also
recommend an ivermectin solution for the ear which is okay too.
 
    The most important thing, though, is cleaning the wax out of the ear.
If you can't do that, then nothing will get at the mites.
 
Bruce Williams, DVM, DACVP
Dept. of Vet Path, AFIP
[log in to unmask]  OR
Chief Pathologist, AccuPath
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[Posted in FML issue 1285]