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Rabbit mites ????? help advice needed

pixie

Warren Scout
Hi,

Ive booked an appointment with my vet cant get in until tomorrow ! Noticed patches of dandruff on my bunnys back and his hair coming out.You cant see it unless you part the skin.I look after my rabbit and am mortified to say the least !I clean his hutch and bedding daily !

It looks similiar to this picture.I cant post a picture as my bunny has white fur and the dandruff wont show up.
cheyletiella.jpg



It could be anything but im worried ! His skin looksslightly red under and it does look sort of like excema( eg flakes of skin).Ive googled on the internet which has made me totally worry more ! He is well in himself no different from normal.

The only thing i found to describe this was mange mite or Cheyletiella ! Does anyone know about bunny skin problems???
:cry: I do have 4 cats but they are treated with frontline once a month ! If it is this where will he have caught it from??? His hutch as i said is cleaned daily .

Please help im worried
 
Sounds like it's possibly the same problem I had with Fudge a month ago and now she's fine. Fudge had flaky skin (like dandruff) and fur coming out leaving patches, so I took her to the vets. In herself fudge was absoulutely fine. The vet pulled out a bit of fur and looked at it under a microscope and said she there were signs of fur mites. when i got her home I could see the little beggers for my self in the white bits of her fur. Fudge then had an injection followed by one the next week and the week after that, the vet then checked her fur under the microscope again and the mites had gone......her fur now looks and feels very silky and shiny. I have been given xenex spray to spray in her hutch and on her to prevent them from returning. Don't worry, :D If it's mites then it will be easily treated, and they will disappear. :D
 
fur mites

Thanks for the reply.I googled about it and it does look like this.I go to the vets today.Do you know where they get them from??
I do clean his hutch daily and change bedding daily as he's a big bunny.He uses his litter tray as well as straw.His hutch is clean so im a bit worried where the source is coming from.
I buy his straw from a pet shop not a farm.
 
I'm not sure where they come from, I did ask the vet,she said it's something they are prone to esp when moulting?! Unfortunately they can come back!!!! but at least it easily treated. Hope you get on ok at the vets....see what they have to say about how they get them???
 
Cheyletiella mites / fur mites rabbit

Just been to the vets.He has Cheyletiella mites or fur mites.
The vet said all rabbits carry them but he has become over run on his back.You cannot see them saw one under the microscope EWWWWW.
Anyway they have probably been on him when i got him and have now got worse.
He has to have a course of antibiotic injections so all is well!
 
Don't worry that your bun has mites it isn't anything to be embarressed about as most of us on here who have rabbits have them. Infact I have had to take one of mine this morning for an Ivomec injection for mites. It isn't a reflection on how you care for your rabbit.
Don't worry
Kayxx
 
mites

I was a bit worried when the vet asked if any of us had a rash as humans can get bitten off them.i havnt stopped itching since LOL
 
Last year my old rabbit bilbo got them, i found that podwers and sprays were no good. The vet had to inject him with something to kill the mites under the skin. His skin was pretty bad and had to be bathed every day. The vet even had to shave a bit of his fur off! :shock: but he recovered really fast. He had caught them from the hay, and because his fur was really thick it was a while before anyone could tell he had mites. I'm sure your little guy will be ok.
 
Mites are in the hay and cannot be avoided theres no need to get upset by them, as youve seen there easy to treat. Dont know why your vet gave antibiotics though ,its not usual for mites. Ivamectin is the treatment for mites. If bad then three doses weekly. Not all rabbits get a bad case as they always have a few but sometimes if the rabbit is suseptable they build up in numbers and require treatment. As a precaution many people in america are using listereen mouthwash. A few drops on the back of the neck. Carnt do any harm and they say it works.
 
fur mites

Hi,Ive heard of the Listerine i will have to look it up.
I do buy bags of straw from the petshop though.Maybe this is the source?
 
I know with rats, many vets (several of mine agree, including one who was studying dermatology-related stuff in animals at the time) now believe that a limited number of mites live on every/practically every rat. When the rat's immune system is lowered, perhaps due to an illness or stress, they cannot supress the mite population, which then increases, and then becomes out of control and the external signs such as scabs, itchy, etc. become visible. You'd not only need to treat with Ivermectin (or another suitable product), but find out what caused the immune system to be lowered and treat that too.
I do believe this theory to be true - I've had several rats that have just been more prone to mites than others, and when they've had them, none of the other rats (in the same cage or in another) have caught them. It seems to be the easily stressed rats that were prone (all 3 didn't like being touched - two seemed to have very sensitive skin anyway, and 1 has a sever headtilt and is very anti-everything!). Another got mites at the same time as developing myco - once this (and the mites) were treated he was fine.
I don't know whether it's the same with rabbits, but I suppose if it is, then it is probably entirely possible that your bun got mites 'just because' - perhaps his immune system was low because of the stress of moving to a new environment with a new owner.
 
Hi I wouldnt worry if I were you. My dylans had mites twice now. First time I was using cheap hay in his bed and the vet advised good hay for eating only and paper/vet bed in his hutch.

Despite all this he got them again a few months ago and this vet said he thought it was just something rabbits carry and when they feel a bit down or the wind blows the wrong way they can flare up. I had to get both of my buns done with ivermectin jabs/spot on for three weeks and sprayed their hutches.

I heard of one rabbit who is so prone he is spot on'd monthly so I really wouldnt get too concerned. Also I love to give dylan hugs and stroke him and Ive never caught them nor has the cat!
 
mites

I go back tomorrow for next injection but ive noticed little black things crawling in his fur!!!!
I dont think they are fleas are these to do with fur mites or LICE ???
As far as i know the fur mites are only seen under a microscope so any ideas as to what these are ??
Im totally mortifies also as to where he is picking them up from if they are Lice??There are no marks or bites on his skin and are on his back.
 
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