The basics of treating lice and mites in pet rats.
This information should not be taken as veterinary advice. All information
here is based on personal experience. It is advised that you check with a rat
friendly vet before beginning any treatment.
Lice and/or mites are something that rat owners must deal with frequently.
This does not mean you are not properly caring for your furry friends, it's
just something that happens just as dogs get fleas.
Often your rats will come in contact with lice or mites from the bedding or
litter you buy at the store. Bags of bedding and litter often sit in warehouses
after production and this is where lice and mites yield their presence. Lice
and mites can also be transferred from other rats that you may bring into your
home.
A common symptom of lice or mites are scabs appearing on the rat, particularly
on the shoulder and neck areas. Often the scabs will be the first indication
of a problem as mites are not visible to the human eye and lice are hard to
see unless you are looking for them.
If you suspect that your rats have lice or mites you should get them to a
vet as soon as possible to be treated. Most vets will do a skin scraping to
verify that there are parasites present, however these tests often result in
a false negative.
Your vet will most likely prescribe ivermectin (or ivermec) to rid of the
parasites. Do not let the ivermectin be injected. This can often lead to an
overdose which can cause permanant nerve damage or kill your rat. All ivermectin
should be dosed topically or orally. Injectible ivermectin may be used topically
by placing the correct dosage on neck of the rat and allowing the rat to groom
itself, hereby ingesting the medication.
Dosages per weight for injectible ivermectin 1mg/ml dilution used topically
are as follows (as a precautionary measure, PLEASE double check these dosages
with your vet before using):
Do not dose babies or pregnant/nursing mom's without first consenting with
a vet.
Dosages should be given once every 10 - 14 days for a total of three treatments.
Injectible ivermectin should be kept out of direct light while in storage.
If a vet trip is not possible or if your vet refuses to treat without injecting,
another solution is available. However you must use great caution in using
this method to ensure the dosage is given properly. Ivermec can be purchased
in the form of an oral paste used for deworming horses. A common name is Zimecterin.
To dose with this paste you must empty the entire contents of the tube into
a plastic, coverable container. You will not use the entire amount, but it
must all be dispensed at once. Once in the container mix the paste up very,
very, very thoroughly. And then mix it again. It is very important to mix the
entire tube in order to make sure the medication is not concentrated in one
area, thus overdosing your rat. A horse gets the entire contents of the tube,
therefore it doesn't matter if it is mixed. However a rat is getting a tiny
portion so it must be mixed evenly before dosing.
Once you are certain the paste is mixed completely, you will dose each rat
in your colony with a bit of paste the size of an uncooked grain of rice. Some
rats will take the paste directly from the end of a toothpick, others will
need it hidden in food as a treat. Dose a total of three times - one dose every
7 days and then stop treatment.
Do not dose babies or pregnant/nursing mom's without first consenting with
a vet.
You will need to treat all rats in your colony, even if others are not showing
symptoms. Some rats itch and scab while others do not, but this does not mean
that some should go untreated. In addition to treating the rats you will need
to thoroughly scrub the cage (1 part bleach to 10 parts water is recommended),
throw out all litter, wash any cloth material in the cage and throw out any
wooden toys that are not sealed. If you have unused bedding or litter you should
freeze the bag up to 24 hours before using to kill off any lice or mites that
may be living in the bag.
You should notice less scratching and fewer scabs within 2 - 3 days of the
first treatment. Often a bath will help to sooth the skin of the rat while
waiting for the medication to kick in. Trimming the nails of the itchy rat
may also help the scabs to heal faster.
This information should not be taken as veterinary advice. All information
here is based on personal experience. It is advised that you check with a rat
friendly vet before beginning any treatment.
