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Cheyletiella mites / How Long Until Bunny's Bumpy Skin Heals after Treatment?

silli

silli

New Kit
Can anyone share their experiences about how long did it take for the bunny's skin to heal completely after treating mites?

My bunny got a mite infection which according to the vet was mild. Parts of her skin behind the tail and on the back felt bumpy with thick patches of hair and there were also some furless patches. She was prescribed medication and because our bunnies are free range we also were given insecticide which we had to spray in our house. Now a month has passed. She seems much better, but the skin, although smoother, still feels slightly bumpy, and not all the hair has grown back yet.

Thanks so much!
 
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Hi there. Bumping this up for you as normally mites are treated with 3 injections and don't know why you had to spray the house?
 
tonibun said:
Hi there. Bumping this up for you as normally mites are treated with 3 injections and don't know why you had to spray the house?
Click to expand...

Hi Tonibun,

Thanks for your reply.

We had to give three doses of ivermectin (once every two weeks) - the liquid kind that goes on the skin. We kept on cleaning the house, too (hoovering every day etc.) as my bunnies are free range (the second unsymptomatic bunny was also treated with ivermectin).

At the end of this treatment the mites hadn't completely gone as she was still symptomatic. This is where the vet adviced us to spray the house + gave 1 additional dose of ivermectin. She said that because the bunnies can roam around our house there's a chance that the mite larvae and eggs might still be around. It's now been a month since we sprayed the house and gave the last dose of the medicine. My bunny's skin hasn't completely healed although it is better - but the skin still feels bumpy and dry.

Presumably after all this cleaning and medication the mites themselves have gone - but it is the fact that the skin hasn't completely healed that I find strange... Any suggestions welcome...
 
silli said:
Hi Tonibun,

Thanks for your reply.

We had to give three doses of ivermectin (once every two weeks) - the liquid kind that goes on the skin. We kept on cleaning the house, too (hoovering every day etc.) as my bunnies are free range (the second unsymptomatic bunny was also treated with ivermectin).

At the end of this treatment the mites hadn't completely gone as she was still symptomatic. This is where the vet adviced us to spray the house + gave 1 additional dose of ivermectin. She said that because the bunnies can roam around our house there's a chance that the mite larvae and eggs might still be around. It's now been a month since we sprayed the house and gave the last dose of the medicine. My bunny's skin hasn't completely healed although it is better - but the skin still feels bumpy and dry.

Presumably after all this cleaning and medication the mites themselves have gone - but it is the fact that the skin hasn't completely healed that I find strange... Any suggestions welcome...
Click to expand...

If the skin is still 'lumpy' and not fully healed I would take her back to the Vet again. There may now be some element of bacterial dermatitis that has developed. 'Lumpy Skin' is not a normal occurrence in cases of cheyletiella mites.

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Skin_diseases/Parasitic/furmite/fur_mite.htm

Mites often occur in a Rabbit who's immune system is compromised in some way. So the Vet may need to give your Rabbit a very thorough check-up to make sure that there are no other health problems going on that are making her a bit 'run down'.
 
silli said:
Hi Tonibun,

Thanks for your reply.

We had to give three doses of ivermectin (once every two weeks) - the liquid kind that goes on the skin. We kept on cleaning the house, too (hoovering every day etc.) as my bunnies are free range (the second unsymptomatic bunny was also treated with ivermectin).

At the end of this treatment the mites hadn't completely gone as she was still symptomatic. This is where the vet adviced us to spray the house + gave 1 additional dose of ivermectin. She said that because the bunnies can roam around our house there's a chance that the mite larvae and eggs might still be around. It's now been a month since we sprayed the house and gave the last dose of the medicine. My bunny's skin hasn't completely healed although it is better - but the skin still feels bumpy and dry.

Presumably after all this cleaning and medication the mites themselves have gone - but it is the fact that the skin hasn't completely healed that I find strange... Any suggestions welcome...
Click to expand...

Yes, your vet did absolutely right to administer (or give you) three does of the Ivermectin. You've also gone over and beyond what many rabbit owners do in cleaning up the environment.


Does the fur still come out when you groom the affected area? Are the lumps and bumps the symptoms of the 'dandruff' and not actually on the rabbit's skin? The skin shouldn't be bumpy at this stage.
 
Mites or Not Mites? Ten Visits to Vet and Treatments Haven't Worked - What to Do?

Thanks so much for your input. We’ve been to the vet twice since my last post but we haven’t really gotten to the bottom of this: we still don't know whether it's mites or something else. Any help appreciated.

Here’s an update:

Vet visit 2 weeks ago:
- Full check up of skin: Skin was scabby bumpy at the back near the tail, some of them open wounds (not such a great image of the open scab but hopefully this gives an idea [my bunny's fur is wet from having done the hibiscrub here]): https://www.dropbox.com/s/1sdlhuxf682015j/IMG_2658.JPG?dl=0). For these we got HIBISCRUB which we administered over five days - wounds closed but scabs still present
- Other parts of skin had furless dry patches, some of which had white dead skin on the edges (check image: https://www.dropbox.com/s/ugydgtu0e4y9rbu/IMG_2655.JPG?dl=0). This the vet judged were mites - she gave 3 doses of ivermectin on one go and asked to come back in two weeks time for the next dose.
- Skin scrubs sent to laboratory (testing for parasites and fungus - both came back negative in the end).
- Results:
- The day after vet visit bunny’s fur seems brighter.
- The following day: new dry furless patch emerges on side of the neck, about the size of a little finger. Within the next few days grows to the size of a middle finger. Also new open scabs emerge at the back.
- Call the vet again and they say come back in two weeks. That is what we did today.

Vet visit today:
- The vet looked at the back’s scabby parts and says to prevent inflammation will need to give BAYTRIL for 7 days.
- Because the skin still looks like there’d be mites another ivermectin (3 doses on one go) administered, and then 2 doses every two weeks
- Second unsymptomatic bunny must also get ivermectin (dose of 2, 2 times, one month apart)
- Will also need to separate bunnies for a week (in case the other bunny would be bothering the open scabs at the back by licking them or so)
- Suggestion: can poison house again if want to do it.

To be honest, I’m really puzzled, and worried. No one seems to know what is wrong with the bunny… I’m not really in the mood of poisoning the house again (unless I knew that it would make a difference). Especially when the first vet, who suggested the poisoning the first time (when we did it) said that the effect of the poison will last for 12 months…

Is it likely that after poisoning our flat against mites and doing ivermectin on and off for the past 2 months that she still has mites? And that our other bunny, who’s absolutely fine and never had any symptoms, is just lucky? Or is it about something else? In which case, does anyone have any idea what it could be?

Has anyone had mites for 2 months or more? People on this forum keep saying that it’s really easy to get rid of mites - but is she has mites, then is it possible that it’s taking so long to get rid of them? Without any significant improvement?

Thanks all.
 
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Mites are usually only a problem in a rabbit with other issues. They are normally present in the rabbit's environment but are normally not an issue and not seen. If the rabbit has any underlying health issues, these should be addressed (but it looks like you have had a few MOTs). Grooming could be the other problem. Have the teeth been checked properly (back ones as well as front)? Is there any sign of other problems (such as arthritis) where the rabbit can't reach to groom properly? This would enable the mites to build up in areas that are not groomed properly, and for possibly poor healing of damaged skin.

I assume that bunny is eating / weeing / pooing normally?
Is their weight stable and normal (overweight rabbits may not be able to groom properly, weight loss indicates other problems)?

The Ivermectin and household treatments should have drastically reduced or removed any mites, fleas, etc.
I would still be looking at other medical issues - but I'm not sure where you go from now if there are no other symptoms yet. Keep a close eye on them to see if you spot anything, make sure they are eating OK, etc.

Meanwhile, dry skin patches could be treated daily with Sudocrem or Savlon Healing Gel.
 
silli said:
Thanks so much for your input. We’ve been to the vet twice since my last post but we haven’t really gotten to the bottom of this: we still don't know whether it's mites or something else. Any help appreciated.

Here’s an update:

Vet visit 2 weeks ago:
- Full check up of skin: Skin was scabby bumpy at the back near the tail, some of them open wounds (not such a great image of the open scab but hopefully this gives an idea [my bunny's fur is wet from having done the hibiscrub here]): https://www.dropbox.com/s/1sdlhuxf682015j/IMG_2658.JPG?dl=0). For these we got HIBISCRUB which we administered over five days - wounds closed but scabs still present
- Other parts of skin had furless dry patches, some of which had white dead skin on the edges (check image: https://www.dropbox.com/s/ugydgtu0e4y9rbu/IMG_2655.JPG?dl=0). This the vet judged were mites - she gave 3 doses of ivermectin on one go and asked to come back in two weeks time for the next dose.
- Skin scrubs sent to laboratory (testing for parasites and fungus - both came back negative in the end).
- Results:
- The day after vet visit bunny’s fur seems brighter.
- The following day: new dry furless patch emerges on side of the neck, about the size of a little finger. Within the next few days grows to the size of a middle finger. Also new open scabs emerge at the back.
- Call the vet again and they say come back in two weeks. That is what we did today.

Vet visit today:
- The vet looked at the back’s scabby parts and says to prevent inflammation will need to give BAYTRIL for 7 days.
- Because the skin still looks like there’d be mites another ivermectin (3 doses on one go) administered, and then 2 doses every two weeks
- Second unsymptomatic bunny must also get ivermectin (dose of 2, 2 times, one month apart)
- Will also need to separate bunnies for a week (in case the other bunny would be bothering the open scabs at the back by licking them or so)
- Suggestion: can poison house again if want to do it.

To be honest, I’m really puzzled, and worried. No one seems to know what is wrong with the bunny… I’m not really in the mood of poisoning the house again (unless I knew that it would make a difference). Especially when the first vet, who suggested the poisoning the first time (when we did it) said that the effect of the poison will last for 12 months…

Is it likely that after poisoning our flat against mites and doing ivermectin on and off for the past 2 months that she still has mites? And that our other bunny, who’s absolutely fine and never had any symptoms, is just lucky? Or is it about something else? In which case, does anyone have any idea what it could be?

Has anyone had mites for 2 months or more? People on this forum keep saying that it’s really easy to get rid of mites - but is she has mites, then is it possible that it’s taking so long to get rid of them? Without any significant improvement?

Thanks all.
Click to expand...


My honest opinion is that your rabbit does not have mites, especially now after the heavy treatment. Don't poison your house again. Most us don't even do it the once and mites clears up. So your vet is giving *three times* the amount of ivermectin in one dose and then *double* for the next two doses? Did I understand that right? :shock:

I must admit I have never known a rabbit to have mites after such scrupulous treatment. Also, you say the vet has sent off samples to the lab, and they showed no evidence of mites at all? Why would he be re-treating for mites with no evidence of mites? I hope I've understood this correctly!

I personally will never use Sudocrem or Savlon gel on a rabbit's skin. Sudocrem contains a pesticide - OK on a baby's skin (though I wouldn't use it there either) because a baby doesn't lick it off and ingest it! The same goes for Savlon - one of the strongest contra-indications is "Do not swallow" on the patient leaflet!

There are natural alternatives that are very safe, which contain no chemicals and can be ingested. If you have to put something on the skin I suggest you go for one of those.

If I were you, I would have another sample sent off to the lab. What I did with a particularly intractable case was to have the vet actually biopsy a piece of the skin, under sedation.

I really hope you manage to solve this mystery xx
 
... One more thing ..

Metacam (meloxicam, loxicom) is better for control of inflammation than an antibiotic as it's not only a pain killer but a non steroidal anti inflammatory. But I see where you vet is coming from with giving the Baytril x
 
Benzyl benzoate in sudocrem (which I think you're referring to as the pesticide) is also on WHO's essential medicine list. At the level it's present at I wouldn't worry about it and it's quite commonly used for sore hocks. I also use it on my rats.

Just checking Sili that you're not in the US. There's a resistance issue with ivermec and fur mites there that we don't have in the UK.
 
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Jbun said:
I had a rabbit that the vet thought had mites initially, similar to your rabbit, scabby lesions around the back and rump, where tufts of fur would come out with the scab, and dandruffy skin.. Was treated with ivermectin and I thought it might be clearing up, but the skin problems continued. Turns out he had sebaceous adenitis.

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Skin_diseases/Immune/Adenitis.htm
Click to expand...

Yeah I was getting around to thinking this JBun. I've come across it before - I wonder if you might be right :)
 
Thanks so much for your replies!

Jbun, how was the adenitis diagnosed in the end? It does seem rather similar to that... And was it treatable?

I'm trying to find a specialist vet in the London area who could give a diagnosis... If you have any recommendations would be great to hear about them..
 
silli said:
Thanks so much for your replies!

Jbun, how was the adenitis diagnosed in the end? It does seem rather similar to that... And was it treatable?

I'm trying to find a specialist vet in the London area who could give a diagnosis... If you have any recommendations would be great to hear about them..
Click to expand...


There is a lady on here who has experience of this as well .. You could PM joey&boo and ask her for more details. I know she went through quite a process to get it diagnosed.

Mine was trial and error in the end, as we had eliminated everything else.

Good luck xx
 
Unfortunately for my rabbit it was found he had a thymoma, which can be linked with sebaceous adenitis, and after mite treatment not working and the thymoma being discovered, that's how it was eventually determined SA was the cause of his skin problems. The skin condition wasn't severe enough that it needed any treatment before he finally succumbed to complications from the thymoma.

There are treatment options for managing SA when needed. The link that I posted previously has some info from others that have experienced this with their rabbits, and what worked for them. For determining if SA is the cause, I believe a skin biopsy can be done to confirm this.

I'm in the US so can't personally recommend a specialist, but I believe there is one at Trinity Vets in Maidstone, though I'm not sure how close that would be to you. If Maidstone isn't close, you could post a thread requesting a recommendation for a 'rabbit specialist in (east,north, etc) London'.
 
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