Help! Urgent bunny question!

Hello,
I've decided to join this forum as I need some advice about my bun.
Patch is 12 1/2 years old and a Californian Lop.
He is arthritic and has had recurring issues with his ears.

About a year ago we noticed a lump at the base of his ear. He had head tilt, itchy ears and a lot of wax.
When I took him to the vet he was treated for ear mites and the lump was believed be an abcess which, following antibiotics did not drain (this meant we had no idea what it was as surgery would be the only way to a biopsy of the lump).
As his health was fine and the thought of putting him through a surgical removal at 12 was out the window we decided to leave it and make him as comfortable and happy as possible and decide his future if he became ill.
He has had two recurring "earmite infestations" since and we use steroid drops to keep them clean.
I, personally, don't think it is earmites i think he just has issues cleaning his ears because hes old and cannot stand up to clean anymore.

So today we noticed that the lump at the base of his ear has gone! It was pretty big aswell, I'd say as big as a marble at least.

Has anyone got any ideas? If it was an abcess or a cyst does this mean that it has burst into his bloodstream? or could it have been a gland?

He's absolutely fine in health, character and appetite and has spent the day destroying my plans and sleeping under his own personal umbrella so I'm just scared he's going to get sick.

If anyone has had this sort of issue before please let me know as its bank holiday and I cant talk to the vet till tuesday.

Thanks,
Danni + Patch

One of my buns was diagnosed with ear mites and treated accordingly by 2 different vets over 18 months on and off. She was scratching her ear a lot and the vet would take out lumps of earwax.. Then in April this year she got head tilt and I found a lump at the base of her ear. The same day we saw a rabbit specalist who diagnosed her with inner ear infection after a skull x ray. He told me the lump was ear wax!. She was put on an intensive 3 month course of antibiotics and thankfully is now okay.
Is your vet rabbit savvy? If you put your general location someone will be able to recommend one for you :wave:

thanks

bunslave said:

One of my buns was diagnosed with ear mites and treated accordingly by 2 different vets over 18 months on and off. She was scratching her ear a lot and the vet would take out lumps of earwax.. Then in April this year she got head tilt and I found a lump at the base of her ear. The same day we saw a rabbit specalist who diagnosed her with inner ear infection after a skull x ray. He told me the lump was ear wax!. She was put on an intensive 3 month course of antibiotics and thankfully is now okay.
Is your vet rabbit savvy? If you put your general location someone will be able to recommend one for you :wave:

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Hi Bunslave, thanks for the response.
Wow... earwax! maybe thats whats been the problem then. He's been on these drops for a while now, theyre for cats but the vets said they'd be the best for the problem.
I didn't think that the ear mites could be a problem that persists for so long so its good to hear that earmites could have caused this.

I've just been worried that its an abcess thats popped or something, I'm not even sure if they can do that!
Im based in Peterborough, Cambs but the vet we've been seeing is very good and cares a lot about him so I'm sure she will help me out on tuesday.
I'll just have to keep an extra special eye on my lil floppers till then!

Danni x

Sorry just to be clear..my bun was diagnosed with earmites initially but this was wrong. So I wasted a lot of money on the treatment that was unnecessary and it wasn't until the condition became really bad and we saw a rabbit savvy vet that we were sorted out. My local vets are lovely but not exotic specialists and I will always feel guilty for not seeing one sooner. Really hope you find answers for your special chap soon :wave:

Rabbits do have trouble with ear cleaning if they have mobility issues - not surprising considering the way they have to contort to get their toes in their ears to clean :lol: I would keep up a regular regime of ear cleaning even if the issue seems resolved as you could well be right and that was the original cause. No idea on the vanishing lump though!