The mysterious case of Pippin's fur pulling continues.....

Omi said:

Having seen photos of Pippin I certainly don't think she is stressed. Nor do I think she could be bored.

My only theory is that maybe it's become a habit. Could she have got it into her head that when her fur on her chin gets to a certain length, it is suggesting to her that she doesn't want it there. Is it only in this spot? Have I understood correctly that she appears to leave it alone until she gets to the 5 week time? You could test this theory by monitoring the length of her fur and keeping it trimmed, so that it never gets to the length that it would be after 5 weeks. It may sound bizarre, but I cannot think of anything else.

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Mervinius said:

Hello everyone, I'm looking for any other ideas as to what might be causing Pip to rip out and eat her chin fur every 5 weeks! Going to ring vet tomorrow to let them know she's done it again!

Soooo after speaking to the nice vet last time. He said he thought Pip was pulling her fur because she was in pain somewhere and was trying to tell us.

It's every 5 weeks, well the gas episodes are. I'm starting to wonder if she pulls out more often and her fur is growing back every 5 weeks so she can then pull more out causing a blockage/gas!
We haven't seen her pulling, but she must be doing it at night or when we are at work. I just checked her chin and it's bald!

Vet has so far ruled out mites, ear infection & teeth. Skin isn't inflamed and no dandruff, ears are completely clear and teeth are perfect.

She had a 10 day course of panacur and the fur pulling was weirdly 7 weeks. So we decided to try a 28day course in case it was a mild case of EC.

This doesn't seemed to have worked because she's got her bald patch back and I just found a poop full of fur 5 weeks after the last instance.

He said it was very unlikely it was hormonal because she isn't nesting.
I don't think she's bored because she doesn't do it constantly and cause herself any harm.

I don't think she's stressed but obviously it's hard to tell, but we've given them both more freedom and they've both been bunny flopping everywhere. She looks so content and happy.

Sorry it's a bit of a long post but I have no idea what to do next?

Xx

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MightyMax said:

Sorry to hear about your dear little Pip x

Just a couple of thoughts .. Hair doesn't always - or even usually - cause a stasis or blockage episode. Otherwise my bunnies would be in constant stasis the way they moult :shock: I can pluck handful after handful off them and there's still lots left. Even if I didn't do that, they don't go into stasis. So I would be surprised that the hair is causing the stasis on each occasion.

Your vet may be right, she is in pain and pulls at it, and it's the pain that causes the stasis episode?

Has the vet ever taken a sample of the skin for biopsy? My Max had a similar problem ...

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Mervinius said:

Hey MM.

Yeah I know hair doesn't usually cause it, but we think because of the volume of fur she eats within a short space of time it gives her gas which puts her off her food. She doesn't get stasis as such just belly presses. We can normally get her eating again within a few hrs. But sometimes we don't catch it quick enough and have to get pain relief and gut meds.

Her poops are literally full of her fur :-(

But yes there could be pain causing the gas too.

No skin biopsy has been done, but I'm wondering if I should ask for on? She doesn't have any obvious mite signs but she does itch the bottom of her ears a lot more than Archie.

What was wrong with Max?

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MightyMax said:

Max had a similar thing, though it wasn't every few weeks, it was every few minutes he chewed his back!

The vet went through everything, like yours, and eventually we did a skin biopsy. That turned up nothing so I was left to my own devices ...

I researched like mad and finally found an answer for it. We never found out what caused it exactly - the skin was sensitised and he just kept returning to it. But at least I managed to stop it completely, which was a very great relief!

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Mervinius said:

I'm glad you managed to help Max. I did read about sensitive skin and wondered about that.

Also been reading about wet dewlap from drinking from a bowl. Not sure, but if it got wet from drinking could it get itchy and then she'd pull it out? I guess it would only get wet as it got too long and dipped in the bowl?

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MightyMax said:

I was certainly lucky to be able to help Max. It was a bit like your problem with Pip - intractable and seemingly never having a solution. I do hope you manage to find a reason and conquer it - to save her skin and your sanity!


Yes a wet dewlap can certainly get itchy and sore, as it can harbour a fungal infection. If it dipped in the bowl, it may take a long time to dry and in the meantime irritate the skin and possibly cause a bacterial infection.

Some reading here:

http://rabbittalk.com/wet-dewlap-fungus-t16416.html

http://www.gopetsamerica.com/small-animals/rabbit/bacterial-fungal-infections.aspx

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?123332-Dewlap-concern

http://www.rabbit.org/journal/4-9/skin.html


Chronic Wetness Leads to Problems
If a rabbit's skin is chronically exposed to moisture, then baldness, redness, and crusting may develop, and bacterial infection may follow. The source of the moisture may be the environment (water crocks, leaky water bottle, damp litter, overgrooming by another rabbit) or the rabbit's own body fluids (urine leakage, fecal staining, drooling due to dental problems, or eye discharge). Infection by the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa sometimes causes a moist dermatitis which shows as a blueish discoloration of the fur. If drinking water is contaminated with Pseudomonas, rigorous disinfection or replacement of water containers is essential.

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Mervinius said:

Thanks Mighty Max

I've read through all those links now I'm home. I'm not convinced on the wet dewlap because it's always dry under there when I get a peek. Also it doesn't look sore or flaky just weirdly bald!

She is mysterious

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MightyMax said:

Even if you never find out what the problem is, it would be nice to clear it up.

Could the vet (or you) shave it and apply a healing cream constantly?

http://www.vetuk.co.uk/veterinary-s.../healx-soother-plus-topical-cream-30ml-p-7773

It is not only a healing cream, but has analgesic and pain killing properties too.
I know I've mentioned it before, and it would take some upkeep to keep the area shaved and creamed, but may be a good idea in the long run? I might try that if it were my bun ......

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Vegan_Bunny said:

Just throwing this out there but it couldn't be her tooth roots causing her problems, could it?
Just wondering if she maybe is drooling or an abscess has formed somewhere causing issues. You'd only be able to diagnose this through Xrays so I'd do that as a last resort.

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Mervinius said:

Hi vegan bunny

I don't think so because it's not wet or matted under there. Just looks like she has been shaved. The vet checked her jaw for assesses and I think she'd pull the fur constantly.

Thanks for the idea though. I had originally considered this, but it doesn't fit with he symptoms x

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Vegan_Bunny said:

Hmmm. It is certainly very strange. I think possibly putting her on some kind of pain relief would be worth doing to see if it is a response to pain. It could just be a habit and purely behavioural.

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Omi said:

I'm still thinking this is behavioural rather than anything wrong or anything causing pain. I think that maybe the first time it could have been something that has irritated her there and she has made it feel better by pulling the fur out. She now has got into the habit of pulling the fur out if it reaches normal length again (hence the five week gaps).

I would certainly discuss it with your vet, although I admit it sounds a bit bizarre. Maybe if she won't allow you to trim it, you could get the vet to do it or even shave it like MM suggested.

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Omi said:

I'm still thinking this is behavioural rather than anything wrong or anything causing pain. I think that maybe the first time it could have been something that has irritated her there and she has made it feel better by pulling the fur out. She now has got into the habit of pulling the fur out if it reaches normal length again (hence the five week gaps).

I would certainly discuss it with your vet, although I admit it sounds a bit bizarre. Maybe if she won't allow you to trim it, you could get the vet to do it or even shave it like MM suggested.

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