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Flurolaner for Mites - Is this Medication OK?

YvonneBlue

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Mavis and Peggy have been scratching a lot so i took them to our exotics vet today. They have diagnosed a mite infestation. I was expecting Ivermectin but the vet recommended Flurolaner (EXOLT) as she says it is a better treatment and that she has used it successfully for other guinea pigs as well as rats and rabbits.

Has anyone else on the forum used this medication, much as a trust my vet i always like to ask on here before giving a medication i haven't come across before.

Why do things like this always happen just as you are going on holiday.
 
Mavis and Peggy have been scratching a lot so i took them to our exotics vet today. They have diagnosed a mite infestation. I was expecting Ivermectin but the vet recommended Flurolaner (EXOLT) as she says it is a better treatment and that she has used it successfully for other guinea pigs as well as rats and rabbits.

Has anyone else on the forum used this medication, much as a trust my vet i always like to ask on here before giving a medication i haven't come across before.

Why do things like this always happen just as you are going on holiday.

Hi

Googling it, is a potent insecticide mainly developed against flea and ticks in dogs and cats.

I haven't seen it used in guinea pigs before but there seems to be currently a bit of a push to find other suitable drugs away from ivermectin and selamectin due to increasing resistancy problems and over-use against Covid in the last couple of years (one of the fake cures that unfortunately have been making the rounds widely at times).

If your exotics vet thinks that it is safe and effective in guinea pigs and other rodents and has positive first-hand experience with it, then it is definitely worth a try.
 
Exzolt is specifically for poultry mites but is for laying hens so ok to the enter the human food chain so theoretically should be completely safe for mammals. Works in a very similar way to ivermectin but will kill ivermectin resistant mites. It is metabolised much faster than ivermectin so may have limited effect unless given continually as is recommended for poultry.
However, like ivermectin and certain dog breeds, there may be animals which cannot tolerate it and as far as I know info on small mammals is as usual non-existent.
Very experimental... if your vet even knows it exists and is able to access and prescribe it they are probably well up on current research and have used it safely off-label in practice!
 
Hi

Googling it, is a potent insecticide mainly developed against flea and ticks in dogs and cats.

I haven't seen it used in guinea pigs before but there seems to be currently a bit of a push to find other suitable drugs away from ivermectin and selamectin due to increasing resistancy problems and over-use against Covid in the last couple of years (one of the fake cures that unfortunately have been making the rounds widely at times).

If your exotics vet thinks that it is safe and effective in guinea pigs and other rodents and has positive first-hand experience with it, then it is definitely worth a try.

Exzolt is specifically for poultry mites but is for laying hens so ok to the enter the human food chain so theoretically should be completely safe for mammals. Works in a very similar way to ivermectin but will kill ivermectin resistant mites. It is metabolised much faster than ivermectin so may have limited effect unless given continually as is recommended for poultry.
However, like ivermectin and certain dog breeds, there may be animals which cannot tolerate it and as far as I know info on small mammals is as usual non-existent.
Very experimental... if your vet even knows it exists and is able to access and prescribe it they are probably well up on current research and have used it safely off-label in practice!
Thank you both for your advice. We will give it to them both tonight it is quite a big dose 2.5ml and the vet said it should be active for 60 days.

We are also deep cleaning the cage and have washed the bedding at 60 degrees, hopefully that will do the trick and we will be rid of the mites.

I will update this thread as to how effective it is, so that others have the information.
 
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Good luck 🤞 I’ve had experience with mites, it’s stressful and hard work, I feel for you and your babies, piggies constantly scratching is awful and when they draw blood and take scabs off it’s never ending, I remember using sudocrem put on with cotton ear bud to affected area quite thickly to help with healing, it helped a lot, in between using Xeno mini from vets,
 
So far so good. No negative reaction to the meds. No real noticeable difference to the itching yet but it has only been 24 hours. I have also ordered some of Gorgeous Guinea's Nice and Lice shampoo and will give them a bath once it arrives.
 
A very clear demonstration of the term. “showing your ar5e” there. But I’m sure that after their horrid medicine and bath they will feel much better. At least the GG shampoo smells lovely.
 
So far so good, the Exzolt (Flurolaner) seems to have done the trick. As a precaution i am going to give the girls a second bath in the GG lice shampoo after 7 days as per the instructions for use. They will be on holiday by then, so this job will fall to Paul to do, so i won't the one in the doghouse this time. :)
 
Hi sorry to butt in on this I’m currently getting some help from free ranger on here about mites which we have failed to get rid off and I have spoken to my vet about this post she wanted to know if this was your based? And a legal sold product was her words as she can only work with licensed medications this flurolaner sounds like it did the trick I just want these pesky mites gone but this vet has never worked with this product on guinea pigs and is very wary understandably I’m not sure what else this can come down to maybe another oral treatment or injection but I wouldn’t want them in pain she said she is a very old vet sounds lovely so hoping she can help but I just have no confidence in spot ons please let me know what you think guys x
 
I'm based in Manchester and my vets are Ashleigh Vets in Chorlton. The Flurolaner was given orally. I think it was prescribed by Aris one of their exotics vets. A lot of medications are not licensed for guinea pigs but can still be used, although you may need to sign a waiver to say that you understand this.
 
I'm based in Manchester and my vets are Ashleigh Vets in Chorlton. The Flurolaner was given orally. I think it was prescribed by Aris one of their exotics vets. A lot of medications are not licensed for guinea pigs but can still be used, although you may need to sign a waiver to say that you understand this.
Thank you very much so the name of the practice is Ashleigh Vets? I’m hoping I can maybe get my vet in touch with your vet if this is even normal practice but from one vet who’s used this to another who is very unsure it seems the best soloution I’m not sure what my vet would say if she was to contact your vet… thanks so much for this help x
 
Thank you very much so the name of the practice is Ashleigh Vets? I’m hoping I can maybe get my vet in touch with your vet if this is even normal practice but from one vet who’s used this to another who is very unsure it seems the best soloution I’m not sure what my vet would say if she was to contact your vet… thanks so much for this help x
Yes, Ashleigh Vets is the name of the practice. We have also had mites treated with an injected medication on another occasion (two injections, one week apart) but i am not sure what it was (this also worked well). Treatment varies even with the practice, depending on what that particular vet thinks is the best option.

I think most vets are happy to help each other with advice. The head exotics vet at Ashleigh is called Aiden and Lianne is also very good. I'm sure if your vet called or emailed them (i think that there is an email address on their website) they would be happy to help.

If you want my full name so that they can refer to my piggies records, please pm me. Please note that I am in meetings on and off today so may not be able to get back to you straight away.
 
Ok now I’m really stressed just saw the vet who told me there were no bugs! I said can I check marsh one more time and show you the black specs she looked under microscope and low and behold 2 bugs oval shaped black they weren’t moving I’ve been sent away with home spray she says I need to spray mattresses carpets every room all toys my children have been scratching their heads I’ve love combed and can’t see anything although I did find tiny white 8 legged bugs near our fire place which do look like dust mites or mites I dunno what to do I was £57 and she is going to try and work out what they are and is sending me a not very good picture of them tomorrow:( ! Help please I am so stressed 😩 x
 
I don't know much about mites but all I did was give my cage a deep clean and give the room a thorough vacuuming. I also got rid of the batch of hay I was using. Mites that guinea pigs get have no interest in humans. It's unlikely these are mange mites as they live under the piggies skin. More likely hay mites.

Please be careful using an insecticide spray (if this is what you vet has given you) near your piggies as I think this may be dangerous for them. Hopefully, one of the forum health experts can offer more advice.

Possibly try contacting Ayrs Guinea Pig Rescue they may be able to recommend a more knowledgeable vet in your area.
 
If there are bugs round the house they can't be piggy lice or mites - I'm sure these just don't survive off the pigs. I've never ever heard of this happening.

Do you have any other pets like cats/dogs which might have brought fleas in? Even if a cat has passed away you can still get things living in the carpet months later - over a year sometimes. You get red itchy bites round the ankles above the sock line. We got them once when I was a kid after the cat had died - but it was about a year and a half later. We had a shag pile carpet! The council man had to come round and spray it.

We did once get something living in our house and the pig cage but not actually on the pigs. These were teeny tiny little things that looked a lot like the 'springtails' you get in any garden ie. too small to see any detail but when you poke a springtail they 'boing' away. The little things in our house didn't boing. They were related to book-lice but they weren't book lice. They only survived at all because it was damp! Apparently they grazed on 'damp dust' which made me feel really good about my standards(!) and they seemed to be everywhere once I'd looked for them, although they could only move on hard surfaces so they never got upstairs. But upstairs we got moths in the carpet at the same time and that was that - we got the whole place sprayed. But actually these little lice were very fragile and a standard home insect spray (Insectrol: active ingredient called Permethrin) covered us for similar things happening in the future. Spray round the edge of the room and leave - kills them straight off and remains active for 2 weeks. Permethrin is very toxic for cats - and quite specifically cats - but it's safe for pigs although I didn't spray where they might come into contact. I cleared the pig area, sprayed round the skirting, vented the whole place till it dried (there was quite a pong) then just put the cages and fleeces back down.

It was actually at this point we changed from Correx to our current set up with plastic tray cages because I couldn't get the spray down the hollow tubes between the layers of plastic and they were on the floor. It does mess with your head when something like this happens, seriously, I do understand that, and especially when the kids are involved. I lifted my toddler daughter's mattress and saw dozens of 'maggots' crawling around in the wool carpet and up the sides of the mattress and went properly hysterical. In truth there was no issue with clothes moth larvae harming people - they just feed on wool - but the shock was terrific. they must have been there a good year and we'd never noticed before but, well... sometimes it just gets to you doesn't it.

I hope you can get this sorted x
 
If there are bugs round the house they can't be piggy lice or mites - I'm sure these just don't survive off the pigs. I've never ever heard of this happening.

Do you have any other pets like cats/dogs which might have brought fleas in? Even if a cat has passed away you can still get things living in the carpet months later - over a year sometimes. You get red itchy bites round the ankles above the sock line. We got them once when I was a kid after the cat had died - but it was about a year and a half later. We had a shag pile carpet! The council man had to come round and spray it.

We did once get something living in our house and the pig cage but not actually on the pigs. These were teeny tiny little things that looked a lot like the 'springtails' you get in any garden ie. too small to see any detail but when you poke a springtail they 'boing' away. The little things in our house didn't boing. They were related to book-lice but they weren't book lice. They only survived at all because it was damp! Apparently they grazed on 'damp dust' which made me feel really good about my standards(!) and they seemed to be everywhere once I'd looked for them, although they could only move on hard surfaces so they never got upstairs. But upstairs we got moths in the carpet at the same time and that was that - we got the whole place sprayed. But actually these little lice were very fragile and a standard home insect spray (Insectrol: active ingredient called Permethrin) covered us for similar things happening in the future. Spray round the edge of the room and leave - kills them straight off and remains active for 2 weeks. Permethrin is very toxic for cats - and quite specifically cats - but it's safe for pigs although I didn't spray where they might come into contact. I cleared the pig area, sprayed round the skirting, vented the whole place till it dried (there was quite a pong) then just put the cages and fleeces back down.

It was actually at this point we changed from Correx to our current set up with plastic tray cages because I couldn't get the spray down the hollow tubes between the layers of plastic and they were on the floor. It does mess with your head when something like this happens, seriously, I do understand that, and especially when the kids are involved. I lifted my toddler daughter's mattress and saw dozens of 'maggots' crawling around in the wool carpet and up the sides of the mattress and went properly hysterical. In truth there was no issue with clothes moth larvae harming people - they just feed on wool - but the shock was terrific. they must have been there a good year and we'd never noticed before but, well... sometimes it just gets to you doesn't it.

I hope you can get this sorted x
My goodness those situations especially the maggots must have been awful! My sisters car brought in fleas to us a good 5 years back he was staying for 2 weeks it was awful I kept seeing red bloody looking spots apparently this was the cat scratching and the flea poo coming off the cat I was pregnant it was very stressful so on the flea front I understand I still wonder if they are lying dormant. I just feel a little lost now with what to do and I’m concerned because this vet is saying the picture I will attach is an egg… the first vet told me this was a type of mite which type he couldn’t determine… I can clearly see this bugs legs wrapped around the hair shaft at the top and legs towards other end the bugs I saw today were fatter looking more oval they don’t look like your typical round mite or a flea they look more like lice to me but I’ve no idea my own heads been itchy my kids are itching the vet has said to use this can of spray in every room every soft furnishing soft toys hard toys everything I doubt one can will manage all that I’m not keeping well mentally to be honest and the thought of having to tear the house apart spraying every nook and cranny and mattress horrifies me are these in my clothes my skin hair I just don’t know here’s the first pic I was shown I don’t have todays one as she struggled she’s sending me what she got I think it’s a video actually so maybe someone can tell me what is going on 😩
 

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I can't tell what that is - and I'm wondering whether the vet has given you this household spray because that's something they routinely give to people with dogs and cats who get parasites. Dogs and cats are often all over people's houses and beds and clothes so things can drop off them. And they can pick up stuff like ticks which people have to be a bit careful about. It seems a bit of a belt and braces approach for guinea pig 'passengers'. I've never heard of a spray being given to a piggy owner before so at first I was thinking "Wow - what could they suspect? Some new piggy bug?" but now I still can't help but think that it's something pretty standard and the vet is covering all bases (perhaps while they get advice off someone senior as to exactly what's going on). There's definitely something on that hair... if it wasn't moving maybe it's an egg but there's also something called 'static lice' (pretty harmless) so presumably the adult lice just sit around too!

I know you and the kids might feel itchy but have you actually seen anything in your hair? Because if you happen to have people-nits anyway it could just be a bit of a coincidence. Or have you seen any rashes or spots on your skin? Or is it just a general sense of itchiness which may be related to anxiety about this? After that cat flea trauma I wouldn't blame you! (Though I think after 5 years you'd be on very safe ground) I got itchy a couple years back and it drove me nuts but it turned out it was 'just' my age: dropping oestrogen causes horrible itching in some people. I spent weeks in increasing discomfort thinking it was my imagination because I don't get allergies or anything. The soles of my feet itched when I walked. My legs itched as I sat. My gums itched when I ate! Finally it drove me to the GP who suggested a one-a-day antihistamine (loratidine) and it worked like a charm. Who knew! Davina never told us about that in her menopause documentary.
 
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