Excessive ear wax build up - does anyone else's rabbits have this problem?

*Funny*Bunny* · Dec 1, 2012

As title. Any advice on it? What have you done for it?

I'm struggling to keep Lilly's down

I have to give her logic ear cleaner at least every other day to keep it at bay and every day to get rid of it when it's built up, but she really really hates it

so I have to try compromise between doing it as infrequently as possible but at the same time not letting it build up!

I pulled about 2 sultanas sized amount of wax out this morning :shock: and there's plenty left! She made little squeaky noises as I was trying to get it out so it obviously hurt

(first thing she did after was turn around and try get into my hands for food though so she wasn't in too much pain or too mad at me). Anyone got any tips for getting wax out? Poor thing has such sore ears and the wax gets stuck to her delicate skin so it rips when she keeps trying to gets it out

littleblacky · Dec 1, 2012

Oh no! Poor thing! What you can do is contact your vet and ask them what to do. Good luck! She's in my prayers.

Jack's-Jane · Dec 1, 2012

*Funny*Bunny* said:
As title. Any advice on it? What have you done for it?

I'm struggling to keep Lilly's down I have to give her logic ear cleaner at least every other day to keep it at bay and every day to get rid of it when it's built up, but she really really hates it so I have to try compromise between doing it as infrequently as possible but at the same time not letting it build up!

I pulled about 2 sultanas sized amount of wax out this morning :shock: and there's plenty left! She made little squeaky noises as I was trying to get it out so it obviously hurt (first thing she did after was turn around and try get into my hands for food though so she wasn't in too much pain or too mad at me). Anyone got any tips for getting wax out? Poor thing has such sore ears and the wax gets stuck to her delicate skin so it rips when she keeps trying to gets it out

The trouble is that sometimes the more you keep using an ear cleaner the more wax the ears produce

The fact that she is showing signs of pain as you do it is of concern. When did the Vet last check her ears ? If there is a hard plug of wax now embedded in the ear canal then there may be a load of pus/infection underneath it

I would advise you to get her back to the Vet on Monday if she has not been examined in the last few days. It may be that she will need to have her ears thoroughly cleaned under GA and if there is more active infection she will also require appropriate treatment.

*Funny*Bunny* · Dec 1, 2012

She hasn't seen the vet for a while (end of Sept when the vet reviewed her ears and said they were brilliant and I could drop down the frequency of the ear cleaner use, but unfortunately any less frequent results in FAST build up again). It does still work if I use it every other day but I get so guilty every time I go to do it I often just feel bad, give her a headrub and a kiss and say we'll do it tomorrow

Last time we went to the vets she got wax out manually and that helped it keep down for quite a long time. I don't really want to be putting Lilly through GA though so I think I'll just have to keep up the cleaner more regularly

Is there any reason her ears have this problem? Could it be dietary or anything else? I'm thinking it's just because she has rather big ears! But if there's anything that I might be able to cut out or change then that'd be preferable for her rather than regular ear cleaning or potentially a GA

Also I've had a good look under the wax with a torch and there's definitely no pus :thumb: will keep checking on it though, she's very chilled out now, I think the lump had been bothering her, she doesn't run away when I touch her ear as much now too

Jack's-Jane · Dec 2, 2012

*Funny*Bunny* said:
She hasn't seen the vet for a while (end of Sept when the vet reviewed her ears and said they were brilliant and I could drop down the frequency of the ear cleaner use, but unfortunately any less frequent results in FAST build up again). It does still work if I use it every other day but I get so guilty every time I go to do it I often just feel bad, give her a headrub and a kiss and say we'll do it tomorrow

Last time we went to the vets she got wax out manually and that helped it keep down for quite a long time. I don't really want to be putting Lilly through GA though so I think I'll just have to keep up the cleaner more regularly

Is there any reason her ears have this problem? Could it be dietary or anything else? I'm thinking it's just because she has rather big ears! But if there's anything that I might be able to cut out or change then that'd be preferable for her rather than regular ear cleaning or potentially a GA

Also I've had a good look under the wax with a torch and there's definitely no pus :thumb: will keep checking on it though, she's very chilled out now, I think the lump had been bothering her, she doesn't run away when I touch her ear as much now too

I think I would still get her a check up early next week. A lot can change between September and December for a Rabbit with chronic ear issues. I cant emphasise strongly enough how important it is to catch a potential problem re infection early. It is just not possible to get a thorough view of what is going on by using a torch to look in the ear.

parsnipbun · Dec 2, 2012

Jack's-Jane said:
I think I would still get her a check up early next week. A lot can change between September and December for a Rabbit with chronic ear issues. I cant emphasise strongly enough how important it is to catch a potential problem re infection early. It is just not possible to get a thorough view of what is going on by using a torch to look in the ear.

Ditto - an otoscope simply cant reach the inner ear here the puss might be lurking

akaemzybabe · Dec 2, 2012

Had to say I've never heard of or seen a rabbit with wax buil up. I think a second oppinion wouldn't go a miss. like in humans you should never try to remove wax with a cotton bud you only push it further in.

Excessive ear wax build up - does anyone else's rabbits have this problem?

FunnyBunny*

Warren Veteran

littleblacky

Mama Doe

Jack's-Jane

Wise Old Thumper

FunnyBunny*

Warren Veteran

Jack's-Jane

Wise Old Thumper

parsnipbun

Wise Old Thumper

akaemzybabe

Young Bun

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