Skin problem :'( please please can anyone help??

Can anyone please help? I noticed about a week ago that Cucumber had lost the fur on the inside of her back legs. I thought it was because of mites so a few days ago I put some beaphar anti-parasite drops on her back (http://www.vetuk.co.uk/rabbit-suppl...rasite-spot-on-for-rabbits-guinea-pigs-p-8571). I've noticed that the fur on the inside of her back legs has started to grow back a bit but tonight I saw that there's another bald patch just above her tail that looks worse :'( all the fur is gone in the middle and round the edge the fur is just falling away. When the fur comes out, the base is hard and a little crusty. I've taken some pictures of her bald patch and what the fur looks like when it comes out, I hope this helps. Will the medicine I've given her help this? I'm so worried about her :'( :'(

I think it would be best to get her to the vet so they can have a good look.

She looks dry in the picture, but does she get wee on her back legs? That is a common area to get urine scold from sitting in wee or weeing on themselves, and that can cause sore red skin and hair loss.

I've just looked up the symptoms of mites and it seems to describe exactly what she has so I think it must be that. I've researched the treatment that I got her and people have said that it clears up the mites in the week so I think I just have to be patient.

I don't think she gets wee on her back legs. She's sometimes wet but I think that might be because she likes sitting in wet soil, the silly bunny. She doesn't seem the slightest bit bothered about it so I don't think it's that as it says urine scald is very painful for them. I think I'm going to get the back end of her trimmed though as I think the amount of fur she carries there causes some problems. I think I might start drying her off every night as well, just in case.
Apparently sudocrem is good to put on their bald patch so I think I'll buy some of this tomorrow, I feel like she needs something on her bald patch to protect it

I think if there's no change once the week is up or it gets worse then I'm going to book a vet's appointment. Like I said, Cucumber isn't fussed by it at all but it shocked me so much to see a bald patch because she's so fluffy and I'm really quite shaken :'( (sorry if I seem a bit ott about this, this is the first time Cucumber's been poorly and no-one's around here at the moment to give me reassuring words)

It looks like fur mites to me. If you've already treated it with a spot on ivermectin, or something similar, then if you do go to the vet, remember to tell them so they don't overdose her!

Medication is very effective against fur mites if given according to the instructions.

Good luck xx

I would still recommend a visit to the vets if possible as fur mites are often a secondary condition - they are generally kept in check by regular grooming so can be linked to the rabbit not being able to or wanting to groom the area effectively, which can be caused by arthiritis, dental problems or thm just generally feeling under the weather. It's best to get rabbits a check-up every 6 months anyway, so if you haven't been for a while you can kill two birds with one stone.

I would get her to a vet. It could be anything, including urine scald, so it's best that a vet has a look at her. They will also be able to diagnose if she has mites.

The vet's checked her over and he said there's no secondary problems so that's fine. He said just give her another dose of medicine in a week or so then come back if it's not better in 4 weeks. He said the mites most likely came from her hay which is worrying seeing as I bought it from pets at home, I thought they were supposed to be good

CucumbersKitchen said:

The vet's checked her over and he said there's no secondary problems so that's fine. He said just give her another dose of medicine in a week or so then come back if it's not better in 4 weeks. He said the mites most likely came from her hay which is worrying seeing as I bought it from pets at home, I thought they were supposed to be good

Click to expand...

Good, I'm glad you have a diagnosis now

The mites can be present on a rabbit without causing any problems, but when their immunise system is low, the mites proliferate. They could have come from anywhere, or even been there all along, therefore. They should clear up with the appropriate medication, which it sounds like you have :thumb: