Soreness/blood clot in bunny’s ear

[andrea]

Hi, my rabbit Timi has what appears to be a blood clot in a vein in her ear, and one side of the vein beside the clotting is thickened and dark. There is reddening in the ear area surrounding it. When I tried to massage the clot with my fingers, it felt like there was an air bubble. Though she’s not acting abnormally, I’m worried. Should I be? Has anyone else experienced this?

Here’s a picture:

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[BinkyBunny]

Welcome brijtim!!  This is a question I have never had.  And I came up empty researching it.   I do know that any abnormality that doesn’t go away right away should be checked by a vet.  It may be nothing, it may be something that should be treated or at least monitored. My motto, especially with rabbits, is better safe than sorry and consult with your vet.

Keep us updated!

[Gravehearted]

I’ve never seen anything like that either, and would agree with BB that it’s a good idea to check in with your vet about it.

[poopy]

You could try emailing Dana, http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/hare.html. If she doesn’t know I would take him to a vet.

[LillyBear]

If it is a blood clot in the vein, it can be quite dangerous.. I am taking this from the “human” perspective of having a blood clot on the vein. Its my suggestion to NOT rub it out. Blood clots will break up on their own – if given the proper medications like a blood thinner. If a clot comes loose it will travel the body and can end up in 3 places: The heart, causing a heart attack; The brain, causing stroke; and the lungs, causing pulmonary embolism. Blood clots are very deadly unless treated. Up to 200,000 people die every year from a blood clot in the vein coming loose. It is not deadly in all cases.. but in many.. and it is suggested to seek help immediately.

Also, I doubt that it is an air bubble in the vein. Bunny would probably be dead it if was. This is called an embolism. Even plants who have embolisms (as often happens) that vein will die. Fortunately plants have many veins that go to the same places.. and maybe only a leaf will die. People (and bunnies, animals.. etc) are not the same.. all veins are interconnected. If there is an embolism it causes the blood flow to basically stop, because no “nutrients” (minerals, oxygen..) can progress beyond the point of the air.

Anyway. Im not a doctor yet.. this is just what we learned in class. So go to the doctor (vet) to find out what is going on.

I am not meaning to scare you. You bun may have somthing else and it not be a blood clot. But if it is, I ASSUME that the mechanism would be the same for a rabbit and a human. And it would be my suggestion to go to the vet. However, I do not know if what I said is true for bunnies, I only know that it IS true for humans.

[andrea]

Thank you all for your input… Sorry I haven’t checked/replied sooner — the truth is timi’s ear has gotten significantly better since my post; the vein and the ear itself is normal-colored already, and there is just a tiny/harmless-looking "mole" where the "clot" was. But I know I shouldn’t be complacent with the "harmless-looking mole", as it could dislodge and cause serious problems, as LillyBear/Amanda said. And I do appreciate & value  your opinions on checking with the vet — it’s just that the local vets are not very rabbit-savvy yet, hence my post — but I will do make a visit to be sure.

Thanks again BinkyBunny, gravehearted, poopy and Lillybear/Amanda!

[Author]

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