Zumi - ya, it was mites

[Roo]

Poor Zumi..! :c

The Mite thing:
Last week, Loren and I noticed that Zumi had a couple scabs on her back. Just looked like a couple scratches. She didn't seem bothered by them at all, so we just kept an eye on them and made sure they were clean - assuming she had just gotten in a scuffle with Freya (they do a lot) and one zigged while the other zagged. They were on her lower back and seemed to be healing quickly so we didn't think much of it.

It's much, worse now. I think she's in pain.

The problem:
Scabs are more visible, there are more of them.
She's constantly scratching.
If we touch Zumi anywhere, she will bite and squeak. She doesn't break our skin, but we're pretty sure she's in pain.
She's also been really jumpy/clumsy and has fallen off the couch twice. (we outline the couch with blankets on the floor - she didn't get hurt)

I think it's:
Well, it sounds a lot like this: Clicky. Maybe it started to heal, then got all infected and such by her scratching and maybe from Freya trying to scuffle. I don't think it's mites. Zumi escaped onto the floor last night and when I managed to pick her up I did a quick check and didn't see anything. Also, Badger and Freya seem completely unaffected.

What we're doing:
For now she's in a separate cage because she was really stressed and squeaky when she was with the others. Food, water, hammock of course.
[s:99wg1xkz]Calling vet when Loren wakes up and hoping to get in today or tomorrow.[/s:99wg1xkz] Vet appointment at 1:20 today

Video:
Clicky - It seems to just be in that one spot, but fairly bad. I know I 'focused' on her bum and face, but that's just 'cause she's adorable!
Couldn't get a picture - she's afraid of the noise my camera makes when it snaps.

 

[jorats]

In the video, that looks like a bad case of mites. I'd definitely do a Revolution treatment regardless of anything else. You can also give her some ibuprofen to relieve some of the pain.

 

[mamarat]

Poor baby. Good luck at the vet.

 

[Roo]

In the video, that looks like a bad case of mites. I'd definitely do a Revolution treatment regardless of anything else. You can also give her some ibuprofen to relieve some of the pain.

Really? Oh gosh, I hope it isn't. The others aren't itchy or anything and she's had scabs since last week.

Poor baby. Good luck at the vet.

Thanks! We're leaving December 17th for two weeks, so hopefully it won't be anything too serious that our dear Ratsitter will have to deal with.

 

[jennifervb]

In the video, that looks like a bad case of mites. I'd definitely do a Revolution treatment regardless of anything else. You can also give her some ibuprofen to relieve some of the pain.

Really? Oh gosh, I hope it isn't. The others aren't itchy or anything and she's had scabs since last week.

Poor baby. Good luck at the vet.

Thanks! We're leaving December 17th for two weeks, so hopefully it won't be anything too serious that our dear Ratsitter will have to deal with.

administering Revolution is the easiest thing in the world to do. You just squirt it from the syringe onto the back of the rat's neck. It will absorb into the skin and kill the mites from the inside out.

My little rescue dude from Petsmart got Revolution for his skin issue on Saturday and it was quick and painless. :thumbup:

 

[temblabamomo]

Oh dear, poor baby. Do let us know what the vet says. I hope it is only mites and they can clear it up with Rev.

 

[Roo]

Yeah, it's totally mites. I learned a lot about them today. LOL
But at least it SHOULD be easy to fix...

Zumi was SCREAMING, running, jumping and biting like mad. I felt so bad, she was terrified and I couldn't calm her down. :cry4:

'twas super cute after though because I had brought Badger too (she needed a checkup for her URI) so Badger ran right over to Zumi, groomed for a bit. Then let Zumi groom her. Then Badger laid down and Zumi slept on top of her. Her legs were sprawled out and not even touching the ground. It was the cutest thing ever and I couldn't get a picture. :thud:

Gave everybody their treatment at home since Zumi was so stressed about it. Gave them a treat directly after so they didn't really pay any attention to it. Hopefully it works so Bamboo doesn't have to worry about it when she's ratsitting.

TREATMENT:
I was supposed to treat them each today and each again in 3 weeks. That's all. Sound correct? :3 I wanted to ask since I've never dealt with mites before. He said if the itching doesn't get better in 4 or 5 days to call him back.

Thanks everybody! I&#39;m disgusted that it&#39;s mites, but relieved that it&#39;s so easy. <3

 

[lilspaz68]

Yeah, it&#39;s totally mites. I learned a lot about them today. LOL
But at least it SHOULD be easy to fix...

Zumi was SCREAMING, running, jumping and biting like mad. I felt so bad, she was terrified and I couldn&#39;t calm her down. :cry4:

&#39;twas super cute after though because I had brought Badger too (she needed a checkup for her URI) so Badger ran right over to Zumi, groomed for a bit. Then let Zumi groom her. Then Badger laid down and Zumi slept on top of her. Her legs were sprawled out and not even touching the ground. It was the cutest thing ever and I couldn&#39;t get a picture. :thud:

Gave everybody their treatment at home since Zumi was so stressed about it. Gave them a treat directly after so they didn&#39;t really pay any attention to it. Hopefully it works so Bamboo doesn&#39;t have to worry about it when she&#39;s ratsitting.

TREATMENT:
I was supposed to treat them each today and each again in 3 weeks. That&#39;s all. Sound correct? :3 I wanted to ask since I&#39;ve never dealt with mites before. He said if the itching doesn&#39;t get better in 4 or 5 days to call him back.

Thanks everybody! I&#39;m disgusted that it&#39;s mites, but relieved that it&#39;s so easy. <3

if you used Revolution, that is all there is to it. You may not need to treat in 3 weeks, see if the mites are clearing up (scabs will dry up and fall off)...Livvy's are almost all gone now

Now you need to figure out how she got the mites in the first place. Do you freeze any paper/wood based beddings before use?

 

[Roo]

if you used Revolution, that is all there is to it. You may not need to treat in 3 weeks, see if the mites are clearing up (scabs will dry up and fall off)...Livvy's are almost all gone now

Now you need to figure out how she got the mites in the first place. Do you freeze any paper/wood based beddings before use?

Okay, cool. Revolution is what he gave us. He showed us a bunch of pictures of different kinds of mites - and I fail for not remembering which kind she has. But I asked him how he thought she got them, and why the others weren&#39;t effected (we&#39;re treating all of them just in case).

He said the kind she has lives under the skin and CANNOT live without an animal host even for short periods of time. He said he had no doubts that it did NOT come from bedding and he wouldn&#39;t be surprised if she had them for a year (or her entire life) and they&#39;re just showing up now because of her immune system not fighting them off. He said he thinks Badger and Freya have been fighting them without problems, but still recommended we treat them as well.

---^
Have you heard of that? Having them for a long time, just not showing it for months?

 

[*Rebel_Angel*]

Mite's are easy to treat! Hope she get's better soon!!

 

[MomRat]

Mites are typically asymptotic(no visible symptoms) They are also not species specific in every case, so if you pet the neighbors dog/cat, or your own that has been outside or whatever, and then handle your rats within 2-3 hours without washing your hands, you can pass them on. One of our boys, Dominic(rip) had chyletiella a few years back; our two recent adoptees had come from someone who ran a dog grooming business. They never showed symptoms, but when Dom lost his cagemate the emotional stress lowered his immune system and he got hit hard.

Revolution works like magic. If they are still suffering symptoms in a week or so, put them on abs for a skin infection - they sometimes happen from all the scratching.

 

[jorats]

Mites are typically asymptotic(no visible symptoms) They are also not species specific in every case, so if you pet the neighbors dog/cat, or your own that has been outside or whatever, and then handle your rats within 2-3 hours without washing your hands, you can pass them on. One of our boys, Dominic(rip) had chyletiella a few years back; our two recent adoptees had come from someone who ran a dog grooming business. They never showed symptoms, but when Dom lost his cagemate the emotional stress lowered his immune system and he got hit hard.

Revolution works like magic. If they are still suffering symptoms in a week or so, put them on abs for a skin infection - they sometimes happen from all the scratching.

MomRat, you have acquired a good understanding of buggies in rats, since you've been through a nasty bought. If you ever feel like sitting down and writing a post on the buggies, I'd love to sticky it in the Reference section.

 

[Roo]

That makes sense, momrat ♥
He did say that it was possible for us to transfer them like that (though I haven't touched another dog/cat for months) and we washed everything and got them new bedding just in case. Everything that had to do with the mites seems to be much much better. :cuddle:

 

[Roo]

Hmm... I fed the goobers just now. I generally just hold my hand out with food in it and they can take it and store it er whatever. Zumi wouldn't take it today, she just let me hold it and ate without touching it at all. She's definitely never done that before.

:gaah:

 

[lilspaz68]

Mites are typically asymptotic(no visible symptoms) They are also not species specific in every case, so if you pet the neighbors dog/cat, or your own that has been outside or whatever, and then handle your rats within 2-3 hours without washing your hands, you can pass them on. One of our boys, Dominic(rip) had chyletiella a few years back; our two recent adoptees had come from someone who ran a dog grooming business. They never showed symptoms, but when Dom lost his cagemate the emotional stress lowered his immune system and he got hit hard.

Revolution works like magic. If they are still suffering symptoms in a week or so, put them on abs for a skin infection - they sometimes happen from all the scratching.

the type of mites you dealt with aren't common and very nasty but what about the mites that just live in our rats naturally? Those are species specific and non-transferrable except to another rat.