Poor Izzy has a skin complaint :( any ideas?

[Klurr]

Hello!!

My gorgeous bun Izzy has got a bit of a skin issue. I noticed it about 3 months ago, we took her to the vets and told it was mites. We were given 3 lots of drops to use two weeks apart (Izzy was a bit plump back then ). We used all the drops, the skin wasn't getting any better so we took a fur sample to the vets and picked up more drops. Vet told us the mites were all dead but to use another drop just incase. I thought her skin was getting better but I noticed last night after finally being able to catch her that it's getting worse again. The skin is really dry and flakey, almost scaly, and she's lost all the fur from above her tail and out to the sides. She's quite itchy (if you scratch her she'll lick you) and it looks like she's been biting at herself and making herself sore. She does live with another rabbit, bunbun, in the same hutch, and bunbun hasn't had any of these issues, which is making me wonder if it really is mites - surely they'd have a nibble on both buns not jut one?! The vet said the mites could have been more attracted to Izzy because most days she'd have a messy bum (she was overweight and couldnt get to clean that area, we've since got her down to a healthy weight and she can clean her bum again so no more mess!). Could this be anything else? We popped her to the vets the other day again for her myxi jab and the vet just told us to use the drops again, but like I said I'm not convinced it's entirely down to mites.


Their hutch is thoroughly cleaned every week, new bedding and everything, everything disinfected and sprayed with fly strike/insecticide spray.

When I can get hold of her I bathe the area with salt water and apply some tea tree cream to soothe it, but it's not doing anything

Any help would be greatly appriciated!

 

[Anniebirdy]

Have you tried NOT using disinfection and chemical repellant sprays in the hutch? Im just wondering if this problem might be allergy related. Apple cider vinegar is a very good natural disinfectant for cleansing with, so that may be worth a try.
Also, try laying off the salt-water washes and try a very mild iodine wash instead (start with a very gentle formula of one teaspoon of iodine to 5fl.oz of pre-boiled and cooled water. Then try applying a thin layer of the gentle aqueous cream and see if this helps. Has your vet tested your little bunikins for eczaema (how in the blazes do you spell that darned word!!!) Im wondering if a short term, very mild steroidal cream could bring some relief.
Im sure others will offer far more advanced help hints than mine, but hope I may have been of some help anyway

 

[Klurr]

I'd thought whether it was a reaction to something but we've always used the same stuff! Unless she's decided to be allergic to something all of a sudden!


We're taking her to another vets later. Not leaving the one were with, they've been good to us, but I just need a second opinion from a more rabbit-savvy vet. I'm getting worried that it's stressing her out or getting her down

Oh dear, she hates the vets she panics as soon as you put her on the table and ends up jumping onto me and hiding in my neck haha, it's so cute but one of these days she's gonna hurt herself!

Where would I be able to get iodine and aqueous cream from (and what is that haha)

 

[Anniebirdy]

I'd thought whether it was a reaction to something but we've always used the same stuff! Unless she's decided to be allergic to something all of a sudden!


We're taking her to another vets later. Not leaving the one were with, they've been good to us, but I just need a second opinion from a more rabbit-savvy vet. I'm getting worried that it's stressing her out or getting her down

Oh dear, she hates the vets she panics as soon as you put her on the table and ends up jumping onto me and hiding in my neck haha, it's so cute but one of these days she's gonna hurt herself!

Where would I be able to get iodine and aqueous cream from (and what is that haha)

Lol, you can get aqueous cream from most chemists, and Im pretty sure Ive even seen it in poundland! Its just a very basic, gentle water based cream for soothing skin irritations, especially dry skin irritations. BUT, hmmmm, have just been checking up on the use of aqueous, and it may have some rather negative affects as well.
In view of the above, Im more inclined to suggest a thin coating of sudocrem. I have used this on Benjamin, when he got scabby lug'oles, and within a couple of days the healing affect was very noteable.
The iodine can be bought at almost any chemist.
It's a good idea to get a secondary veterinary oppinion, two heads are always better than one! Another thing worth considering, bun may have a food allergy. Have a check online to see if there are any good recomendations for hypoallergenic foods for rabbits. BUT, never suddenly change buns diet, just introduce a small bit at a time of new food to the food that your rabbit is used to. Again, your vet should be able to suggest foodstuffs. I do know again from experience there are some new bunny foods being shipped out to vets by specialist rabbit dietitions, and they are not particularly expensive nether. Again, if you get to try, introduce slowly so as not to upset bunny's gut.

 

[Amy104]

Mites do tend to affect buns more if they are already low from something else, which could explain only one bun being infected. Has your vet given her a good health check to acertain if she has any underlying issues?

Where do you get your hay, is it always the same place? Mites can sometime be found in hay, so she could be getting re-infected.

What drops are you given? Do you mean a spot on treatment? Could your vet offer invermectin injections?

 

[Klurr]

She did have a health check and the only other thing that seemed to be bothering her was her sticky bum 'cos she was a bit overweight. That's gone now though. I'll ask for a health check later too. Hay, straw, stuff like that is always from pets at home, prepacked stuff, I won't get anything else.

I can't remember the name of the drops. They're in little pipettes (sp?), you have to spend half an hour sawing the top off them haha.

 

[Klurr]

Took her to the vets last night and he had a look at her fur under a microscope, no mites there. He gave her an injection to stop her itching since she's biting at the skin on her back, and I've got to syringe antibiotics into her mouth twice a day. Safe to say this mornings try was fun! Poor little thing hated it and has properly fell out with me now

He also told me to bathe the area in baby shampoo which I'll do later when she's back in home. I think the trips to the vets and the injections and syringing and bathing are doing more damage than anything else. She looks miserable

 

[Linuxete]

Maybe it's some sort of fungal disease. Was she checked under the Woods lamp? Fungal diseases can be extremely itchy. Some rabbits can get them and don't even show any symptoms. Also some fungal diseases are not transmitable to humans. If she wasn't checked for that than it might be a good idea to give it a try. It should glow apple green if it's positive for fungal disease.
Another posibility might be autoimmune disease, it's rare in rabbits but not impossible. Then she might need corticosteroids treatment to keep it under control.