fur loss possibly due to spot on

Hi all,
Malteser is loosing his fur, in clumps and has a few bald spots. I've taken him to the vet who is baffled. He thinks that the fur cycle has gone funny as some fur is fine yet he has these bald spots and may be the result of neurological damage from the EC. The skin is really healthy and there are no signs of mites (he did have this a few months ago and underwent treatment). Malt was thoroughly checked out and no obvious cause was found and the vet couldn't justify doing tests when there was no real clinical apart from the fur loss and didn't want to randomly try steroids due to the previous illness. He said it is so rare for a bun to survive so long and so well after recovery that the long term after effects are uncharted territory and said to get a multi vitamin, the type that breeders use rather than a sugar filled one that tastes like carrots, but I'm struggling to find one online, can anyone help?

As I was typing this a thought that came to my head was the use of spot on for fly strike as Malteser has soft poops and I don't want the flies to get him and I also use an ivomectin treatment (vets advice following the mite issue and used every now and then for prevention as Malteser seems to be susceptible to them getting out of handd) that is also placed on the skin down the spine. I don't use these together, they are both 4 week treatments and I alternate them but maybe this is the cause? I think I remember it being a possible side effect... anyone had this issue?

Where are the bald spots? Is it possible that he could be self-harming from stress? I haven't heard of the multivitamin but someone else will hopefully be able to advise. How long ago did Malteser have EC? There are quite a few bunnies on the forum who have had EC, recovered, and gone on to lead long, happy lives, despite some having neurological damage. My Vinnie had EC and lost the use of her back legs, but eventually recovered and went back to hopping about. She did have very thin fur after her illness but it was all over, not missing in clumps like Malteser.

I don't know about the medication but these things do have side effects, it sounds like a good theory for it. I don't suppose Malteser has been vaccinated recently as this can sometimes cause an adverse reaction and fur loss?

I hope he feels better soon.

HI, thanks for the reply.

Malteser can't clean very well and I pulled out the loose fur whilst grooming so he didn't do it himself, the vet also pulled fur from the edges too. The bald patches are his sides near the back. He had EC over Christmas and New year and has some mobility and balance issues making grooming certain parts of him tricky and at periods of malting I have to help him out. The only new thing is the spot on stuff for fly strike so I think it is that, I got an alternative preventative treatment so I'm hoping that Malteser won't react to that one and his fur will grow back soon! Just waiting for the vet to call me back to see if I still need the multivitamin or not and if I need to give Malt a bath to remove the Xeno ivermectin as this is a silmilar product! Malt will be keeping his paws crossed that no bath is required! :lol: