# Harvest mites - any experience?



## Werehorse (Jul 14, 2010)

Took Oscar to the vets today. He has "harvest mites". Apparently they are very common round here. We have been given some Frontline spray and told to use every two weeks. And not much other information to be honest. Nor any hope as to when they'd go away etc etc.

The vet irritated me but that's a rant I'll spare you.

Does anyone have any experience with harvest mites and getting rid of the horrible little orange things?

Poor little Oscar.


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## Nonnie (Apr 15, 2009)

One of mine recently had these.

Frontline is the only treatment i know of that kills them. Its pretty effective. Within 12 hours of application they had gone from orange to brown, then scabby. About 72 hours later i just scraped off what was left.

I dampen cotton wool with the spray and dab it on. I dont like spraying my entire dog.

Plus he had his on his face.


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## Werehorse (Jul 14, 2010)

We'll end up spraying/dabbing most of him as they've turned up everywhere on him!

He has a patch on his face as well.  Obviously will dab on there - don't want to get Frontline in his eyes.


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## Nonnie (Apr 15, 2009)

Werehorse said:


> We'll end up spraying/dabbing most of him as they've turned up everywhere on him!
> 
> He has a patch on his face as well.  Obviously will dab on there - don't want to get Frontline in his eyes.


They can be a nightmare. One of my cats had them badly one year, and it took a few applications to get rid of them.

Thankfully my dog only had three patches on his face.

Make sure you check between the toes, it seems to be a favourite location of theirs.


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## Werehorse (Jul 14, 2010)

Yep, the little *swearword*s have practically built citidels between his toes! I reckon the garden must be full of them!!


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## Werehorse (Jul 14, 2010)

We frontlined him last night - not an easy task with a very wiggly puppy, but he was so good, especially about letting us spray between his toes! Just after he was done he ran around really madly - to be honest an alcohol based spray on reasonably sore skin must have seriously smarted!

He did seem much better this morning, very sparky and not as itchy-scratchy. The areas where the mites are seem scabbier, so hopefully some of the little *swearword*s have died and will come off in the scabs.

Having not seen him itching all morning he then decided to try and scratch his ears and chew his back feet at the same time!

Would it be normal for his glands to be quite "up" if he's covered in mites?

He's definitely enjoying cuddles at the moment because he's getting lots of itches scratched!


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## Horse and Hound (May 12, 2010)

How do you spot them, and where are they likely to pick them up from? Just curious as we walk through fields a lot. He's flead regularly with Advocat as that prevents lungworm as he's always sniffing around snails and the like.


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## Werehorse (Jul 14, 2010)

Apparently Frontline is the only thing that will kill these! I spotted quite obvious orange patches on his skin which on closer inspection were clusters of orange lumps just visible to the naked eye.

I'm an ex-botanist so I had a x20 hand lens lying around - I had a look through there and could see that the lumps were individuals and some were crawling around. 

They are common in some areas at this time of year, very common round here the vet said. In vegetation and clumps of soil. I reckon he's got these from the garden- he's been scrobbling in the undergrowth a lot and we've just dismantled a really poorly made compost heap that was here when we got here and I wouldn't be surprised if the were in there. I think they just latch on for 2-3 days but obviously if they keep getting replaced the dog could have a population of them for the whole season. We are considering nuking the garden!

I found something that said they are particularly common in gardens where soft fruit is grown. We have a pear tree but I'm not sure that counts.


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## Horse and Hound (May 12, 2010)

Werehorse said:


> Apparently Frontline is the only thing that will kill these! I spotted quite obvious orange patches on his skin which on closer inspection were clusters of orange lumps just visible to the naked eye.
> 
> I'm an ex-botanist so I had a x20 hand lens lying around - I had a look through there and could see that the lumps were individuals and some were crawling around.
> 
> ...


Cheers for that. I havn't noticed anything to be fair but I check him every day anyway just to make sure nothing is hiding or lurking, never can be to careful when he's mixing with other dogs, cats and horses!

He's at the vet next week for his monthly worming, flea check so they will also have a look.


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## Mum2Heidi (Feb 17, 2010)

That sounds dreadful poor chap. Must admit I hadnt heard of them before and like HorseandHound, immediately thought of crop harvests. Like Roo, Heidi loves exploring the long grass and rolling in the cut hay with her mates. We dont have any fruit trees but I will be keeping vigil for the little blighters. 

Hope your little chap is better soon:thumbup:


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## Werehorse (Jul 14, 2010)

I've just bought some Pennyroyal dog shampoo - which should act as a repellent - and some "mite cream" which is for soothing irritation and repelling as well.

"Natural remedies" to supplement nuking the *swearword*s with Frontline. The Frontline seems to have made good chunks of the mites die/go brown and scabby. So far, so good.

I'm affraid Oscar has not been allowed to play on the soil in the garden today. 

We are thinking about insecticiding the garden, or at least the top layer of soil. (although I know it's not the most environmentally friendly way forward).

I've been reading up about the enemy and researching ways to destroy him. :lol: Will report on results. Betcha all hanging right on the edge of your seats now. :thumbup:


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## hazel pritchard (Jun 28, 2009)

Werehorse said:


> Took Oscar to the vets today. He has "harvest mites". Apparently they are very common round here. We have been given some Frontline spray and told to use every two weeks. And not much other information to be honest. Nor any hope as to when they'd go away etc etc.
> 
> The vet irritated me but that's a rant I'll spare you.
> 
> ...


How strange my dog Oscar(R I P) used to have harvest mits i spent so much at the vets trying to cure this, in the end i used to put Tea Tree cream between his toys as this is where he had it, and for him it worked,


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## Werehorse (Jul 14, 2010)

hazel pritchard said:


> How strange my dog Oscar(R I P) used to have harvest mits i spent so much at the vets trying to cure this, in the end i used to put Tea Tree cream between his toys as this is where he had it, and for him it worked,


Only just seen this reply! Brilliant, thank you. We did think tea tree might be an option - it kills everything after all!

Lots of things to try now.


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## Werehorse (Jul 14, 2010)

Fresh lot of mites seem to have attached today - they seem to get on him on nice days. It must have to be a certain temperature before they get active or something.

I'm going to mite cream them this evening and give him a bath in the shampoo as well - since they've finally arrived today.

Flea comb to get any loose ones for now I think.


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