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Older rabbit and wiry thin hair

Griff

Griff

Young Bun
Hi all

My autumn is 7 this month. She used to have thick dark fur up until a year ago. She now has really wiry fur around her back end and legs. I have to try and brush it out as it gets matted. Then I am now noticing the Re growth is slow and she has really thinning hair.
Has anyone experienced this in older rabbits? Is it an age thing? Or is she just stuck in moult?

I am worried that she is starting to look thin because of it too as she has lost some bulk in her middle area. She is absolutely fine in herself, eating drinking and acting in a routine exactly as she always has.

Thanks
 
I've never known the fur to change like that just due to age. I would suspect something else is causing it. Could be anything from urine scald (get her checked out for UTI, etc), hormonal, skin infection (bacterial, fungal), or parasite (fleas, mites). It could also be overgrooming in that area due to other factors. Weight loss is also a bit of a concern. I would get her checked over by a vet, including full blood profile and urine check, and take it from there.
 
7 is not really old as such. She might be having trouble grooming herself if she has developed a degree of arthritis. Is she actually losing weight ? To know you would need to weigh her regularly, not just go by how she looks.

If she is having trouble grooming this can result in fur mites developing. Mites can cause a white dandruff and a wiry coat. I would suggest a check up with a Rabbit Savvy Vet if this has not been done recently.

If her fur is getting matted because it is getting urine stained or poo stained this is another reason to consult a Vet. It can be more evidence of a mobility problem relating to arthritis.
 
Hi all
Sorry, don’t think I described it well. It’s not mites (I know what to look for as one of my others have them), and it’s not urine scald. It is in her middle coat area and not near her behind. I’ve been checking her behind, legs etc and nothing there.
She was very matted last summer (stuck in moult and I kept brushing her but her hair had become quite wiry). She never got her winter coat. Her wiry hair is now nearly gone (brushing etc over the months) but the hair isn’t regrowing. So she now has very thin hair in this area.
I am hoping she gets her summer coat soon and maybe she was stuck in moult before
The impact makes her look thin in this area as she used to have quite thick fur.
I am going to try and weigh her though each week (I only have normal bathroom scale but assume this would work?) to see if she is also losing weight.
Will also take her to the vet to get a health check (she last went in January and was ok). I am worried about her although she has no actual signs of illness.
 
Digital human scales can be OK - you can tell if weight is stable or changing over time. Kitchen scales will probably also work to weigh your rabbit, if she's fairly small.
A vet visit would be a good call.
 
Shimmer said:
Digital human scales can be OK - you can tell if weight is stable or changing over time. Kitchen scales will probably also work to weigh your rabbit, if she's fairly small.
A vet visit would be a good call.
Click to expand...

Thank you. She would be a bit big for kitchen scales but I will try her this weekend on digital ones. I know what she weighed in January.
 
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