Is there anywhere I can get ear mite drops for cats over the counter??

bigpinkelephant

Hi all,
My cat seems to be suffering with ear mites again- she's had them before, and I brought her to the vet and got ear drops.

The vet was closed before I finished work today and isn't open again til Monday- is there anywhere that sells ear mite drops over the counter?

I hate seeing her so uncomfortable. I tried 4 different pet shops and 3 different chemists today and none of them had it.

Or are ear mite drops only available with a prescription? It would be a little odd considering it is just anti-parasite medication, the same as flea treatments and wormer, which you can get in any pet shop and a lot of the supermarkets.

sorella

I only see these North, in Asda. The South seems much more restrictive. Not much use to you I know; sorry. I was amazed at the range of vet stuff you can buy North compared to here in the South.

carwash_2006

Get some Benzyl Benzoate from the chemist. It is used for alsorts of mites including sweetitch in horses, is gentle but effective. It will at least give some relief for now and id she still has a problem in a day or two you can go to the vet then.

comongethappy

it won't get rid of the earmites, but it will help to clean out the ears in dogs/cats/humans, and should decrease them.

mix a tablespoon of olive oil and 5 drops lemon juice, put in syringe / dropper/ baster, and put into cats ear, rubbing at the base, then turn it's head toward the ground to empty the ear and wipe it out with a bit of cotton wool.

Repeat in other ear. You can use a little bit of shampoo around the hair in the ears to wash the excess oil away afterwards.

The cat might be slightly bothered for a while if some of the liquid stays in it's ear (can happen the same as with humans when you go swimming), but it will work it self out in a day or two.

GeturGun

My vet gave me liquid paraffin to treat my 2 and it worked a treat.

lostinnappies

comongethappy wrote: »

it won't get rid of the earmites, but it will help to clean out the ears in dogs/cats/humans, and should decrease them.

mix a tablespoon of olive oil and 5 drops lemon juice, put in syringe / dropper/ baster, and put into cats ear, rubbing at the base, then turn it's head toward the ground to empty the ear and wipe it out with a bit of cotton wool.

Repeat in other ear. You can use a little bit of shampoo around the hair in the ears to wash the excess oil away afterwards.

The cat might be slightly bothered for a while if some of the liquid stays in it's ear (can happen the same as with humans when you go swimming), but it will work it self out in a day or two.

Essential Oils Potentially Toxic to Cats
(This list is not all-inclusive)


Peppermint
Lemon Oil
Lavender Oil
Melaleuca Oil
Tea Tree Oil
Cinnamon Bark Oil
Wintergreen Oil
Thyme Oil
Birch Oil
Other oils containing phenol

While the list does say lemon OIL i wouldnt put anything into a cats ear that hasnt been specifically designed to be put in there. I would imagine that the acidic lemon would cause more of an inflamitory reaction to an already sore ear.

bigpinkelephant

Plus cats hate the smell of citrus..

She has an appointment for tonight, hopefully she'll get sorted!
Might get her microchipped while she's there.

boomerang

Doesn't Advocate treat ear mites, as well as fleas and roundworms? Advocate is available from chemists that do veterinary supplies.

For kittens that are too young for ear mite treatment, two vets I know both suggest a spray of Frontline into either ear (not too much) but unfortunately it's not a pleasant experience for the cat!

bigpinkelephant

boomerang wrote: »

Doesn't Advocate treat ear mites, as well as fleas and roundworms? Advocate is available from chemists that do veterinary supplies.

For kittens that are too young for ear mite treatment, two vets I know both suggest a spray of Frontline into either ear (not too much) but unfortunately it's not a pleasant experience for the cat!

Hi, yeah I tried a load of chemists for Advocate but none of them do animal medicines, they just looked at me like I had 10 heads!

I don't know if a spray would work on my cat- she is terrified of any strange noises- aerosols, the hairdryer, the sound of the shower- think I'd probably kill her with fright if I sprayed her
She is usually the calmest cat you could ever meet- she is black, and I have noticed they are usually very calm and placid- but she takes exception to noises!
But I will try it on my other cats if they ever have ear mites- thanks a mill for the tip!

lostinnappies

boomerang wrote: »

Doesn't Advocate treat ear mites, as well as fleas and roundworms? Advocate is available from chemists that do veterinary supplies.

For kittens that are too young for ear mite treatment, two vets I know both suggest a spray of Frontline into either ear (not too much) but unfortunately it's not a pleasant experience for the cat!

Omg they didnt, poor cats. Advocate and stronghold do ear mites but are not as effective as direct application of treatment. There really shouldnt be a problem with young animals and ear mite treatment. Front line doesnt treat mites.

Alfasudcrazy

My vet would not pour any liquid into my cats ears - said it was dangerous. Put a few drops on a piece of cotton wool and use it to clean the ear as best you can. This process has to be repeated a few times (over a week or so) before the ear is relatively clean.

My cats ears seemed to clean themselves up after the bit of help from the cleaning.

bigpinkelephant

Well she's back from the vet's now, she has an ear infection.
She got 2 injections and some ear drops and has to go back in 10 days.
I will probably get her chipped then, by the time the vet was finished looking at her I just wanted to get her home and let her sleep.