ear mites in kitten!! please help!

I got a kitten who was rescued. He is about 8-12 weeks old. I found out he had pretty bad ear mites, so a little over a week ago, I took him to the vet to get them taken care of. After much struggle, they finally managed to get the cleaning solution in his ears. They cleaned out a ton of black gunk and they gave him a shot that the vet said would kill the mite . They said the cleaning solution would break up the gunk inside the ear and it would come to the surface. They said to clean it out as it came up. Well, its been over a week, and the gunk is still coming up. Every day in decent amounts. I've been gently cleaning his ears (not inside, don't want to hurt him) with olive oil and it seems to make him itch. They didn't give me any treatments to take home and I am afraid to use OTC drops because I'm not sure how old he is or if he even needs them, and I've read scary reviews on lots of product .
So is it normal for the gunk to still be coming up after over a week? And is it normal for him to still be scratching after I clean the ears? Do you think he still has mites after the shot? And should I call the vet now, or wait and see what happens?

Anyone? I'm worried about his poor little ears.

Did the vet instruct you to use olive oil to clean his ears??

Depending on how severe the infection was, yes it can certainly take longer than a week to clear up. It never hurts to five the vet a ring and give them an update. I am only assuming the vet gave the kitten an Ivermectin injection. I've never used this particular treatment, so not sure how long it takes or if more than one treatment is needed.

CatPack said:

Did the vet instruct you to use olive oil to clean his ears??

Depending on how severe the infection was, yes it can certainly take longer than a week to clear up. It never hurts to five the vet a ring and give them an update. I am only assuming the vet gave the kitten an Ivermectin injection. I've never used this particular treatment, so not sure how long it takes or if more than one treatment is needed.

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The vet didn't explain much of anything to me really. I read online that olive oil is safe for cats so I used it to break up some of the hard gunk. I don't actually put it inside the ear canal, I just put a small amount on a q tip to help the gunk loosen up. And I never stick any object into the canal (though its probably super dirty in there). The vets assistant said it would be ok to do that but I'm a little wary.
But the vet said nothing about bringing him back in or what to expect or anything like tha . And since this is my first time dealing with this problem I feel a little in the dark. Hopefully another treatment won't be necessary. That ish is expensive! And I'm scared to use OTC because I'm not sure exactly how old he is and it says only over 12 weeks. Stupid ear mites!
Anyways thank you very much for your reply!

I have had very good results using Revolution (topical flea/tick) med to treat/cure earmites. It does sometimes take 2 treatments (given 4 wks apart) to get the infection full clear.

To clean ears, I use Epi-Otic solution (from vet). As a note, it's very normal for them to be itchy. Especially when they still have gunk left in the ears. If you feel uncomfortable doing a thorough clean, I'd run him back to the vet for them to do so. Shouldn't cost much since it's just an ear cleaning...not an exam.

And, yes, I'd steer clear of the OTC meds, even if he were over 12 wks. They tend not to be as effective in treating.

CatPack said:

I have had very good results using Revolution (topical flea/tick) med to treat/cure earmites. It does sometimes take 2 treatments (given 4 wks apart) to get the infection full clear.

To clean ears, I use Epi-Otic solution (from vet). As a note, it's very normal for them to be itchy. Especially when they still have gunk left in the ears. If you feel uncomfortable doing a thorough clean, I'd run him back to the vet for them to do so. Shouldn't cost much since it's just an ear cleaning...not an exam.

And, yes, I'd steer clear of the OTC meds, even if he were over 12 wks. They tend not to be as effective in treating.

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Thank you! I will ask the vet about those products. And I was thinking of having the vet do a through cleaning when he is under anesthesia during neutering. That way he can do a deep clean without getting attacked. Well, if they can even do that. Anyhow, thank you. I'm gonna call the vet tomorrow, I think I just needed reassurance. I was kinda freaking out lol.