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Rabbit genetics - have you seen a rabbit that looks like Iris?

Oldie Bunny

Warren Scout
I have a puzzle that I'd appreciate some help with!

This is Iris, she is one of Bobtails Rabbit and Guinea Pig Rescue's sponsor bunnies. She is a lovely but odd looking girl and until the last couple of weeks we thought she was unique.

Iris.jpg


The distinctive things about here are no fur on her ears, bald head around her eyes, odd texture white fur, blue eyes and frog back legs. She also has a heart abnormality.

Now Timmy has arrived at Bobtails looking for a home. He looks awfully similar to Iris but is definitely not related. This is Timmy

timmy2.jpg


Iris's mum was handed into Bobtails when pregnant so Iris was born at the rescue. Her parents were ordinary lionheads and Iris's siblings also all had similar problems to her on a varying scale. We don't know much of Timmy's background.

So, we are beginning to think that maybe there is something genetic going on, maybe a chromosome disorder? I'd be very interested to hear if any of you have seen a similar looking rabbit, even if perhaps it was a youngster who didn't survive long after birth.

I'd also be interested to hear if you've come across a vet or similar who is studying rabbit genetics and/or birth defects.
 
I'm sorry I haven't seen anything like this in rabbits, but Iris's eye look very like a dog who has demodex mites. I don't know if she has had a skin scrape, but it does tend to show up on poorly or stressed animals.
 
I've recently adopted a lionhead with similar issues. She's a different colour though, and her problem is with her front limbs rather than her back limbs...her shoulders seem to be slightly deformed, which gives her a hunch-back appearance and wonky front legs. Also, she has manky, sparse fur all over rather than baldness on her head and ears.

I will have to take some pics to show you exactly what I mean
 
Wow that really is quite amazing. Perhaps there is some mutation somewhere in her lionhead genes that has caused a lack of hair, instead of excess hair that the lionhead gene should produce.

Have you thought about getting her DNA tested to see whether there is a mutation of one of the genes?

It must be something both the mother and father were carrying in their genes in order for all of the litter to have had it in varying degrees.

I once looked after a litter of 3 lionheads who all were born with no ears. As they grew their ears grew a little, so they all had different amounts of ears. One bunny had two very perfect but folded over ears. If they hadn't been folded back on themselves they would only have been about 1 1/2cm long. It was very interesting as both mum and dad appeared to be very normal healthy rabbits.

Cerys :)
 
I'm sorry I haven't seen anything like this in rabbits, but Iris's eye look very like a dog who has demodex mites. I don't know if she has had a skin scrape, but it does tend to show up on poorly or stressed animals.
It's definitely not mites, but I know what you mean! There's no itching or infection, just odd shaped eyes and no fur.

Yes please to photos of your bunny abbymarysmokey, I'm trying to accumulate as much info as possible and the white fur might be a red herring ;)
 
Just thought I'd show a piccie of Corrie, our collie. He was like this when we got him and although treated the hair follicles are permanently damaged so the hair will never grow back.
S5030437.jpg


Sorry its not a great picture, but hopefully you can see what I mean.
Corrie has no itching or infection, just baldness.
 
Wow that really is quite amazing. Perhaps there is some mutation somewhere in her lionhead genes that has caused a lack of hair, instead of excess hair that the lionhead gene should produce.

Have you thought about getting her DNA tested to see whether there is a mutation of one of the genes?

Cerys :)

Interesting point, I wonder if it is lionhead related?

DNA testing would be fantastic, but despite years of work I don't think that the science exists to work out all the human genetic problems let alone get started on rabbit ones! If someone can tell me diferently I'd be very pleased to hear it.
 
Just thought I'd show a piccie of Corrie, our collie. He was like this when we got him and although treated the hair follicles are permanently damaged so the hair will never grow back.
S5030437.jpg


Sorry its not a great picture, but hopefully you can see what I mean.
Corrie has no itching or infection, just baldness.

Hello Corrie collie :wave: - does he have a bald nose too?

I can see what you mean and I'll put it on my list of things to mention. Iris's shiny skin doesn't look as though it's ever had a hair follicle.
 
Max Factor ~ This is a gene mutation that showed up in the offspring from a Netherland named "Max". It manifests as kits born with their eyes open, and often severely deformed legs and feet. Sometimes called "frogs" for the flipper-like feet and splayed hind legs, "aliens" for the strange appearance of the open eyes, or simply "maxes". Max Factor kits can survive but it's best that they don't. Euthanasia is recommended. They may be blind due to the open eyes at birth being prone to infection, and the skeletal deformities will require special needs care. The Max Factor gene has been passed down through generations of Netherlands, and can appear in other breeds that used the ND in crosses. Oddly, while the gene is very bad when expressed, it's said that the Max Factor gene can produce the best type and fur on the rest of the litter. Go here or here to see photos of this defect.
Spring Creek Gems


From http://www.moonshinestud.com/moregenetics.htm


The Link from that article is http://www.barbibrownsbunnies.com/birthdefects.htm
 
Hello Corrie collie :wave: - does he have a bald nose too?

I can see what you mean and I'll put it on my list of things to mention. Iris's shiny skin doesn't look as though it's ever had a hair follicle.

Yes his nose is bald too, its such a shame as he is quite a handsome dog and would look even better 'fully fluffed'.
 
friend had a lion head lop who had bald patches (no inflamation no irritation)
he was eventual found to have mites (i think the vet said they lived under the skin not on it and destroyed the hair folicals hence the hair loss:? once treated the hair grew back normaly)
he was brown and white not albino.
 
OMG My friend has a REW lionhead with exacly the same condition as that. No fur on his head and around his eyes! I've got a picture of myself holding it, I will try and dig it out for you to look at!
 
That's so weird. And the lionhead is a relatively new breed so I suppose not much is known about their 'faults' for lack of a better word. If I'm not mistaken, they're bred from netherland dwarfs and angoras, so perhaps the Max Factor gene could be something to look into.

I wonder if anyone knows of any other breeds this has occurred in?

Please keep us posted with everything you find.
 
Just been doing a bit of reading and I wonder if there is some link with the vienna gene, which causes BEW. It is a resessive gene so I wonder if it is also carrying a deformity in it, or at least some strains of it is. I'm guessing to get a BEW they can become fairly inbred.
 
This is my girl, although I doubt she has similar genetic problems to some of the other buns on this thread because her back legs are fine, and I *think* her coat should improve with a little tlc:

DSCF1459.jpg


Possible shoulder deformity:

DSCF1426.jpg


and a a head-on shot to illustrate the same:

DSCF1463.jpg


I couldn't get any decent photos of her strange front legs, but she has an almost 'club-foot' appearance and walks with her front feet rather than hops like a normal rabbit.
 
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