We have four animals and -- argh -- an ear mite infestation. Are pyrethrins toxic to cats and dogs, or is it just permethrins?

Personally, I avoid pyrethrins in the treatment of fleas and ticks; I honestly don’t know about mites, but I have been led to understand that pyrethrins can be troublesome.

I strongly, strongly recommend that you bite the bullet and get medication from your vet. There are two products out now (Acarexx and Milbemite) that are so incredibly easy and effective compared to what pet owners have had to go through for years and years.

The methods that you are looking at involve once or twice daily ear cleaning and medication application for 7 days, every other day application for 7 days, and then weekly for several weeks. Ear mite infestations can be excruciatingly painful, so you can imagine the struggle and ill will that result from messing with the ears that often. They also don’t tend to work that well, so if you don’t get just one animal completely cleared up, they will most likely all become reinfected. And all that oil and solution make a giant greasy mess. Believe me, I’ve been through it plenty of times.

The new products require a single application in each ear, no ear cleaning required. Repeat in two weeks when the mite eggs hatch. Done.

Nice article
Article with picture of the mite

To answer your specific question, they are not the same thing. Pyrethrins can be used on cats, but you must be very careful to avoid and overdose which can be toxic.

Here is an article summarizing the differences and the issues.

Here is an article by a vet on pyrethrin use. Excerpt:

“All pyrethrins are easily hydrolyzed and degraded by stomach acids so toxicity following ingestion by pets is very low. Toxicities, although rare, do occur. A cat or dog with pyrethrin toxicosis generally will salivate, tremor, vomit, and may seizure. Generally, signs of toxicosis will be gone after 24 hours. Pyrethrins are some of the safest ingredients available, especially when one expects ingestion may occur, as is the case of cats and kittens. If lactating, breeding or pregnant animals must be treated for external parasites, pyrethrins are often recommended. Pyrethrins are generally safe for kittens as young as 4–6 weeks of age.”

All of that said, I would not use that for ear mites.

As @Marina says, pyrethrins are not particularly toxic, but they also don’t work well. You really need to take the animal to see a vet.

Using mineral oil or olive oil may relieve some of the discomfort and help clean the ears, but it won’t get rid of the mite problem.

This tells you a very long way to treat ear mites, but if you really want treatment to be effective (and even treating ear mites conservatively as stated here) you need to have the vet take a look. There could also be a yeast infection or a bacterial infection or both.

@Darwin brings up a super point. Not all ear problems are mites. Don’t assume that.

Brown gunk in the ear canal usually is ear mites, though, no? The cats, particularly mine, seem to be really itchy in the ears, especially when rubbed.

I got the number of a vet that was recommended because she’s good and thankfully really affordable, I’m going to make an appointment for my cat, who seems to be affected the worst, and go from there. Thanks to you all for your help. :)

@MissAnthrope GA. keep us posted.