My pet rat has lice. How do I treat them and are they safe for humans?

It sounds indeed like your rats may be suffering from a mite or louse infection. Treatment usually consists of applying an avermectin such as Revolution or ivermectin available either in pet shops, your vet or over the internet. You can use the Revolution for dogs up to 5 lbs, at a dosage of 0.1 ml/lb of rat (you will need a 1ml syringe to measure out the dose correctly. Of course it would be easier to have the treatment done by your vet after he or she verifies whether this is indeed a mite infection/louse infection. Make sure you remove and destroy all bedding and disinfect all cages and toys.

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Medications such as Revolution are safe for rats for fleas and mites, however the dosing is important as they require less then cats/dogs, and the medication is formulated in packing for dogs/cats. It is important to know the weight of Butters and Lorenzo in order to treat them appropriately. I would recommend calling your vet where you have your cat seen and asking them about dosing for your rats, and see if they would be willing to recommend a dose without seeing Butters and Lorenzo, as they have a relationship with you with your cat. Getting a prescription from a vet without the vet having seen your animal is illegal, and therefore only if you have a good relationship with your vet, will they possibly help you out with this, if they know you and your cat otherwise. If this isn't possible you can try picking the fleas of Butters and Lorenzo, however this won't work for the mites. This will mean you need to save up and bring them to the vet, which is the recommended action. Best of luck with them!

Hi there! Pablo does look pretty itchy by those pictures. Mites are usually microscopic, so if you can see the bug it may be something different. I have seen many rats with lice. Lice are species specific so they are not likely to affect you. You can bathe him and buy a tiny comb to start picking out the bugs and eggs, but he will also likely need to see a veterinarian for medication to get rid of the infestation. Thorough cleaning of the cage and daily bedding changes will also need to be done. I hope he heals quickly!

Hello. You may have seen the common mouse fur mite. We can treat this with Revolution ( selamectin ) or ivermectin, but you will really need the help of a veterinarian, first to diagnose, & second to prepare a dose small enough to treat such a tiny patient. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Poor Winnie! We have to get rid of these pesky pests once and for all. I would recommend putting Winnie on either Advantage or Revolutionti rid he lice and fleas. Make sure to continue to give the medicaiton every 2 weeks until the lice/fleas are gone. Here is a website link that also goes through more tips on how to tell if your pet is infected with lice and more information if needed. Best of luck! http://www.vet.bc.ca/lice.pml

Hello and thank you for your question! Cat lice is species specific and will not infect you or any other species of animals you may have in your home. However, I would wash all of Chance's bedding, blankets and anything else he has come into contact with and wash all the areas he spends time in. Launder and wash what you can, but for items that can't be washed in a washing machine, you can place in a tight sealed bag for 4 weeks. All toys and other items like crates, litter boxes, and cat carriers should be disinfected. Your furniture and rugs, etc should all be washed and cleaned as well. All of these steps are necessary to prevent reinfection. However, most importantly, Chance should be on a monthly flea/tick preventative, like Fipronil or Selemectin Rx by your veterinarian each month to help kill the lice and prevent new lice from hatching. I hope this has helped! Best of luck!

I would recommend putting a topical flea medication such as Frontline, Advantage, or Revolution on Marmalate - all of these should be effective against lice as well. You should be able to get these from your vet, or order them online if you prefer - just make sure to get the correct size for your cat's weight.