Hi all,

I'm topping up my doggy first aid kit again and because I have spent a heck of a lot of money on them this week I am on an economy exercise to see if I can source my products more cheaply but still maintain the quality.

I am looking for a large Colloidal Silver and Thornit.

Having looked at a million different suppliers until I've gone crossed eyed I'm hoping somebody will have a recommendation and could PM me the sites they've successfully used ;-)

Thanks, Jo

hiya jo, just a question but why do you use thornit? isnt it supposed to kill ear mites or am i wrong?

http://www.colloidalsilveronline.co.uk/?gclid=CLWcssD195gCFQ2ZQwodhRClnA

Yes Thornit does kill ear mites but I also use it to help me get a better grip when I have to pluck their ears. :-)

http://www.petmeds.co.uk/p-528-thornit-ear-powder.aspx?gclid=CKnjmt_195gCFQulQwod4RZvmw

i dont want to seem smart cos im not compared to most i here, but THE ONLY thing that kills ear mites is drowning, so that could be oil or anything :)

hi mahonc

> but THE ONLY thing that kills ear mites is drowning, so that could be oil or anything

ear mites are usually to be found enjoying natural waxy deposits within the ear canal.  Thornit is very successful in removing them and always handy to have some for such occasions :) 

Any oily product is still generally used to soften the wax rather than 'drown' the mites and ease the cleaning out of said waxy deposits (mites included) with it.  Oily products would be of no help in getting to grips with removing hair - because they're oily ....

regards, Teri

so you use it to encourage the wax out?

Whether using almond oil, canaural, thornit et al, the mites 'create' their own debris which is why ears affected and left untreated become itchy, get scratched a lot, eventually become smelly and so worsen in condition. 

Products are used to soften the natural wax and anything else in the ear canal for ease of removal :)   Unless using a vet prescribed treatment (which may be necessary in cases of infection of course) then thornit is the choice of many because it doesn't make the ear moist (which would increase the risk of bacteria flourishing)

right ok, sorry just one more question, so the ear mites that cannot be reached deep down how are they got rid of?

They can be - thorough massage of the base of the ears brings anything to the surface  :)  The process is repeated until the ears are clean which may take several days so treatment is not done all at the same time.

right, ok thanks for that, so in your opinion thornit is something you would include in your first aid kit? (trying to build mine up to almost everything needed)

Hi mahonc, yes, I would recommend having thornit as part of your doggy first aid kit :)

I would like to highly recommend Brenda!! (might remember her from BritBarf)
Ag4all
I've been buying this for past 6 years now. Fantastic Lady always happy to help :)

(urrrgghghgh each time one of these posts come up it reminds me how Im constantly meaning to get round to making my own!! Thanks to Christine from Spain and the Hedron collider machine thing she put me on to ;) )

>THE ONLY thing that kills ear mites is drowning

Stronghold does; so does Advocate ...

ah Thanks Liv, I was just looking for that site again. I've marked it now :)

You're welcome Missie-moo :)

> I've marked it now

(not with pencil this time ;) Like your Bacardi bottles :-P)

> (not with pencil this time> Like your Bacardi bottles

You cheeky little husky ;)

its rum, dear, Rum!!

I'm glad you remembered to put the k in that!!! ;)
eek! How could I forget..Rum&Black!

> I'm glad you remembered to put the k in that!

I nearly didn't ;) 

lol

Stronghold does; so does Advocate

stronghold is for fleas which mites come from.
i had the conversation with my vet not 2 weeks ago and this is what she said.

>stronghold is for fleas which mites come from.
>i had the conversation with my vet not 2 weeks ago and this is what she said.

From the Stronghold datasheet:

"For the treatment of ear mites (Otodectes cynotis)."

From the Advocate datasheet:

"Cats and Dogs
For the treatment and prevention of flea infestation (Ctenocephalides felis), treatment of ear mite infestation (Otodectes cynotis)

unless i have misunderstood my vet, however we did have a long conversation about it, (thornit in particular as i have heard people on this forum talking about it and i asked if she reccommended it) she advised me the only way to kill ear mites was to drown them, so oil for example or any fliud can kill. i was given canaural, which is actually to kill infection within the ear but WILL also kill mites as it is liquid form. with regards as prevention stronghold yeh certainly that would work.

> i was given canaural, which is actually to kill infection within the ear but WILL also kill mites as it is liquid form.

Perhaps it's the active agents in the liquid (rather than it merely being a liquid) which kills the mites :)

> with regards as prevention stronghold yeh certainly that would work

Yes I believe it is used by some as a preventative measure - I don't personally approve of routinely putting chemicals on my dogs - but it's also used a cure for the problem in it's own right :)

regards, Teri 

> Perhaps it's the active agents in the liquid (rather than it merely being a liquid) which kills the mites

nope, just a liquid!!!! honest. please do check with your vet

But canaural isn't just a liquid - if it were you could simply use water for cleansing purposes and oral ABs to take care of any infection :)  Perhaps you should read the ingredients on the bottle ....

> please do check with your vet

no need thankfully, I've already got the info and, thankfully, not the mites

I hope your dog is better soon :)
regards, Teri

> But canaural isn't just a liquid - if it were you could simply use water for cleansing purposes and oral ABs to take care of any infection :-)  Perhaps you should read the ingredients on the bottle

sorry i maybe diidnt explain, i was given canaural for an infected ear (dogs not mine :) ) what i was saying is that IF she had mites and an infection the canaural would have worked for that tooo

Thanks for the recommendation HG ;-) I think I came across her site when I was doing my many searches. I will order some today. But I'm not answering any questions as to what it's uses are for..... :-D

Regarding all of the nonsense regarding Thornit - I am not using it for ear mites, although it does state on the instructions that  'Thornit ear powder is used for ear mites and their complications'. And Mahonic, why did you ask if it can be used for earmites if you already knew the answer to your question? Especially as you say that you have discussed this product with your Vet. I merely stated what the instructions told me, no more, no less.

i was pointing out a myth that is believed with items like this! i wanted to know if it had any other uses as if was useful in any other way i may have used it myself. this was not a statement meant to offfend you just pointing out what i have been informed by a veterinarian :)

No, it would take faaar more than that to offend me ;-) They don't call me reptilian skin for nothing ;-).

Everything has it's uses as they say and I like to use it for plucking the hairy ones ears.

> i was pointing out a myth that is believed with items like this

See below description of product from only one of a great many reputable sources which supply same for the specific treatment of ear problems - including ear mites

"Thornit Ear Powder is used for ear-mites and their complications - such as itching - in dogs, cats and small animals. 

Itchy ears are usually caused by an ear mite which also creates blobs of wax that can be seen in the ear. These blobs can also weep and smell.

Simply sprinkle a small amount of Thornit Ear Powder onto the inside of the ear surface NOT the ear hole, and massage in.  It is usually a good idea to apply to the paws at the same time. Simply put some powder into a plastic bag, put the dogs paw in the bag and work the powder into the paw and pads and a little way up the leg.

Once the wax starts to move, stop the application."

> this was not a statement meant to offfend you just pointing out what i have been informed by a veterinarian

The same vet, per chance, that thought mites had to be drowned????

By all means if you have creditable, verifiable info feel free to share :) 

OTOH should you wish to make statements which present your personal views, vague recollections of what a vet may have said and generally cause ill feeling by derisory remarks to other members please don't present these as factual information or evidence.

I wonder if my degree in Forensic Science (Entomology) would be accepted as  suitable credentials to express an opinion on the 'drowning' debacle?
If you take an ear mite (Otodectes cynotes) and place it on a microscope, yes you can drown it ( oily products work well - lacks oxygen unlike the dissolved O2 in water) but as for it's eggs (1st stage), Larvae ( 2nd stage) and nymphs- deutonymphs(3rd stage) very debatable.

If only it were so simple.........

>unless i have misunderstood my vet

I think possibly you have. I asked the vet at work this afternoon about this very subject, and she said that yes, earmites can be drowned (so can fleas and lice) but it's far from being the only way to kill them, and for dogs with perforated eardrums (quite common with ear infections caused by mites) it would be positively dangerous to try; an insecticide such as in Stronghold would be far better.

Remember that dogs can catch earmites without having fleas ...

>mites come from fleas

Perhaps you might like to get your vet to read this veterinary information about ear mites, especially the part about

How did my pet get ear mites ("Ear mites readily transmit from host to host by physical contact. Ear mites came from some other animal with whom your pet has been socializing. Because mites are easily transmissible by physical contact, treatment for mites often must include all household pets") and

How do I get rid or ear mites.