Skin problem? Please help!!!

Hi, I have noticed Mooch has what I thought was dead skin coming off with his winter coat when he was groomed/petted etc, but I was cuddling him today and felt little lumps so I investigated, most of them are like patches of what seems like dead skin built up if that makes sense, and most of it can be brushed out, but theres one bit quite far down his back that has a big chunk of skin and when I looked closer and tried to get it out I realised that all his fur is coming off with it, leaving his bare skin on show :?

It's like his fur around that area isnt held on by anything, just attached to dead skin. I am terrified to groom him incase all his hair comes out, and I am even scared to pat him incase i accidentally pull a chunk out!!!

Please help!.......VERY worried bunny owner!

I should also say, there are no wounds, no blood etc, the skin on show is clean, pink and healthy looking, but I dont want a bald bunny

Obviously I will take him to a vet as soon as I can, but I was wondering if anyone had any idea what this is?

Thanks in advance

sounds like it could be mites but hopefully someone with more knowledge will be able to help you soon. Try not to worry too much and hopefully he will make a speedy recovery!

katie2000 said:

sounds like it could be mites but hopefully someone with more knowledge will be able to help you soon. Try not to worry too much and hopefully he will make a speedy recovery!

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Thanks. I was doing a search on the internet and thought it must be mites

Does anyone know how he could have got mites? He lives indoors.....his hay?
I am so paranoid that it could have been something I did/didn't do....and although he really doesn't seem bothered by it I will feel really guilty if it's my fault

Stella has this too - exactly the same as you described.

I have spoken several times to the vet about this but we have not come to a conclusion. Stella lives in our outhouse with her husbun who does not have any of these symptoms. my vet has discounted mites. it doesnt seem to bother her and she can be brushed ok but i would still like to know what it is!

Please let me know if your vet finds anything, it would be appreciated.

thanks

cheryl21 said:

Stella has this too - exactly the same as you described.

I have spoken several times to the vet about this but we have not come to a conclusion. Stella lives in our outhouse with her husbun who does not have any of these symptoms. my vet has discounted mites. it doesnt seem to bother her and she can be brushed ok but i would still like to know what it is!

Please let me know if your vet finds anything, it would be appreciated.

thanks

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Moochs was brushable to start with, but now it seems like if I brush, he will lose chunks of his hair

I'll let you know once I have seen the vet tomorrow :wave:

thanks, stella's skin doesnt seem to have got any worse - it started as little patches but now they're bigger. it does seem like she can get bald spots but when i recheck the next day the fur is growing back.

very strange!

good luck

cheryl21 said:

thanks, stella's skin doesnt seem to have got any worse - it started as little patches but now they're bigger. it does seem like she can get bald spots but when i recheck the next day the fur is growing back.

very strange!

good luck

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Maybe Moochs is like that, but I'm so paranoid that I have convinced myself he will go completely bald if i groom him! :roll:

I do overreact alot when it comes to my animals...but better safe than sorry

I will phone my vet in the morning for advice, because I don't really want to stress Mooch out by taking him to the vet if I don't have to.

MiniMadTez said:

I do overreact alot when it comes to my animals...but better safe than sorry

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I'm exactly the same! Poor Stella has had so many problems! She has dental issues as well, poor bun

Hope it goes well and you get some good advice

My bun Bernie has similar problem when it's fur shedding season. I wet my hand, and a patch come out and I did see the skin. AT the time, it does look strange. Soon after, the fur grow back, there is nothing I need to do.

Is the skin fresh, nice and red? And for that matter, take a photo and post it here

:wave:I just had Baloo to the vet last week for this very same thing. She said it is walking dandruff and he is getting three injections of ivermectin to treat it. When I pulled loose hair off him, the tips near his skin would have little bits of skin on it. Poor guy He goes for his second injection on Friday.

The vet said it can be caught from wood shavings(which I don't use), hay or stress. I guess they can have it but it sometimes doesn't flare up unless there is stress involved. None of my other rabbits show any symptoms. So I have no clue how he came to have it. I feel horrible though because I know it makes him more itchy but he doesn't have any front teeth to help himself He does enjoy regular full body scratches from us though...he's just so cute

I agree with the others, it sounds like mites.

Rabbits tend to have a small number of mites naturally living on their skin, but you only notice a problem when the mites increase in numbers...which is usually due to illness, stress, or inability to groom properly (i.e. caused dental problems as has already been suggested).

If it's bad, you'll need to go to the vets, but a small infestation is easily treatable with an ivermectin spot-on...which you can buy from your vet, on-line or from large pet stores

Happy Hopping - Yes, the sking looks nice and healthy etc.....it's hard to get a photo because he won't stay still! :lol:



Thanks everyone for all the advice....I phoned the vet today and he said he is certain it is mites just from me describing it to him, so he is happy for me to pick up the treatment from him tomorrow (they had none left today). He is happy enough not to see Mooch but made me promise I would take him in to the vets if it didn't clear up after the treatment, which of course I would anyway

Its not bothering Mooch in any way, so hopefully that means it has been caught quickly enough to let it clear up before it gets any worse

The vet also recommended giving Mooch a bath to sooth his skin a bit and help get rid of some of the dead skin thats in his fur. Because he's such a furry rabbit a bath would probably be the best way to get it out.

another question......how often do you all bath your bunnies? Do you only do it if there is a reason you have to etc? or every so often regardless?

I have only ever bathed Mooch once, and that was only because he got out of his hutch and into the garage and was covered in all sorts of gunk from the garage. Luckily he didn't mind it too much so I'm not too concerned about bathing him again.


I should add....the treatment the vet is giving me for Mooch is little dropper type sachets to put on his skin? I don't know the name of it.