Please help!!! Bunny may be sick!

[Meatloaf N Bunnito]

I have two Lionhead rabbits. Meatloaf (girl) and Bunnito (boy). I took Meatloaf out of her cage to snuggle with her a bit and noticdd a foul odor… Almost like someone passed gas. I dismissed it and was going to brush her cause she has been super sheddy lately. Both buns are lionheads. Then i noticed again the odor and sniffed around her and pinpointed it to her head. i got baby wipe thinking maybe she got some urine or something on her fur. And for some reason i thouht maybe to check her ears. dunno why i thought to© but i did and noticed some red lesions on her ears. I wonder if she got and infection from scratching too much? i looked up possibilities and saw ear mites but there is no yellow wax. What i wonder is if maybe i can use hydrogen peroxide on a qtip to dab around the lesions. i have a very very difficult time cutting her nails and she claws and scratches me. the only way i can cut their nails alkne or at all fof that matter is if i get them on their backs. so maybe their nails had gotten too sharp? I also checked bunnito and only one of his ears is getting like this. i am really scared as the crappy city i live in has no bunny savvy vet and the closest one is two to three hours away in another city and their hours make it almost impossible to visit… I can prolly get some money together and make my bf go when he has vacation tine as he knows the city since he used to live there… but i dunno what to do… i am freaking out!!! of all things no one ever mentioned ear peoblems… i feel like a failure right now… i bouht the wrong type of nail clippers to begin with… i can barely clip their nails as is… and in doing so i caused meatloaf tons of grief… i wanna bawl my eyes out… she never let on she was in any pain if she is… thought it may explain why she cowers away when i try n pat her head… maybe it’s just raw… what can i do to keep her claws outta her ears while they heal? PLEASE HELP!!!

[Roberta]

Hi MNB, I think you need a vet… This sounds like a serious infection and may be quite deep within the ears… I am not a vet and can only assume which is why you need a vet… Some vets are willing to do consult calls with specialist if they are not acquainted with a particular animal… I believe the most common antibiotic for the treatment of ear infections is Baytril… If they are scratching their ears it is probably due to the infection not the other way around… If she is doing damage from scratching it is most likely because her ears are getting worse and she is scratching more and more. To treat fleas or mites you can use Revolution Puppy and Kitten… However I would still be inclined to get to a vet, any vet ASAP before using anything.

[Meatloaf N Bunnito]

I was worried of that… but the odd thing is it’s both of her ears and bunnito it’s only one… i don’t think it’s fleas or mites as they are strictly indoor buns and there is no crust on their ears… but yeah i plan to call the vet monday and see if they can give any kind of recommendation… worst case is i sell off some of my video games for a vet fund. =\! This is tough… well i do have some money put aside for emergencies and is supposed to get me through to august… but i can’t let ny bunnies suffer. best case is it’s nothing serious. And both bunnies seem normal. why i was surprised at the state of their ears. they snuggle and act like they always have. they loaf a lot. eat a lot… poop a LOT. lol. so i am kinda glad she got smelly somehow. i plan to sniff her again later since i wiped her head down. i wory bout my bunnies

[Meatloaf N Bunnito]

Also, I apologize about any typos. I am using a phone and it’s not the easiest thing to type long msgs with. >_o! So I may not be able to really fix any typos effectively without erasing most of my msg. -___-!

[Roberta]

That’s OK MNB, I know what you are saying… I finally got ahead financially a while ago only to have my 14 yr old cat Jebediah become ill and then find after several thousand dollars that he had cancer and had to be PTS…. I’m going to be making my rather thread bare Winter wardrobe (i’m in the Southern Hemisphere) last another year and I am hoping my buggered kitchen taps don’t blow before I can save for the plumber but my animals come first, they can’t understand being sick or in pain so we go without. It’s hard and even harder when the funds aren’t there but somehow we find a way and it sounds like you have your priorities right…

[Meatloaf N Bunnito]

I retract my previous statement. it’s ear mites. i took a bright lil led flashlight to their ears and sure nuff under further inspection the yellow scabby crud is there… darnit! Will a doc prescribe something without having to see my buns? i dunno if i can afford two bunny visits AND meds… and how the heck did they get freakin mites?! i am super annoyed…

[Bam]

Never mind the typos.

When my Bam had sores in his ears I rinsed them twice a day and put on a mild antbiotics + corticosteroid cream. The corticosteroids help with the itching so the Bunny doesn’t have to scratch the sores. Bam’s sores were due to an allergic reaction to a vaccine and healed in 2 weeks but they never became infected. Since your bunny’s ears are smelly, it seems like there is infection. A vet should deal with that.

I also put hand-disinfectant the kind people use in hospitals on Bam’s hind feet so there’d be less bacteria on them if he scratched his ears. Vets often sell cones you can put around bunnies’ necks to prevent them from getting at whatever it is they try to bite or scratch.

[Roberta]

Mites can come in from anywhere… You have to be really unlucky but they can get in on hay, veg, flowers even your own clothing…. If you take the buns together they should only charge for one consult but you need to get it treated or it’s going to get a lot worse… If you can stop it now you will be saving money in the long run when more extensive treatment will be required.

[Meatloaf N Bunnito]

Yeah… luckily i have an awesome supportive bf who is gonna take em with me to see our very awesome vet this month when he gets his vacation time at work. Least now i can pester em abot how to effectively groom my wild bunnies. and by wild i mean crazy lol. mainly meatloaf though. girl has energy for miles. and i keep the hay and bedding in the garage as we have no other place to store it here… so i have a feeling that is where it came from. at least the buns will be ok. and i am so sorry to hear about your poor kitty Roberta. I saw a car commercial not long ago that showed a lady at a clinic with her pooch. they never directly stated it… but, you knew why she was there and it wasn’t for a checkup. I started bawling imagining that what if that was me with my bunnies… Heck my bf has to take em to his house before we move because i am technically not supposed to have pets here and i am a bit of a mess since i have been with em every day since i got em at two months. they are now a year and two months… so it’ll be a year they have been with me for every day. and with this ear mite business i am a bit worse for wear even though i know it’s nothing too terribly serious… just these are my first pets i am responsible for and wanna make sure they get the best of everything i can possibly afford.

[LittlePuffyTail]

Mites are gross and a pain but not a big deal to treat. Your vet will give you something topical to use. While you are there, you should ask your vet to trim their nails and show you the best way to do it yourself.

[LongEaredLions]

My past bunny Bella had this when I got her. It cleared up rather fast and didn’t seem to cause her any pain, I hope it is the same for your babies!

[Meatloaf N Bunnito]

I am scheduling the appt tomorrow for the ladt week in April when ze bf has his vacay time. Also Lil I definitely have that on my list lil. Tired of being mauled by angry bunnies lol. Though it is slightly adorable how they jump on my shoulder to avoid being groomed. It’s almost like they are trying to ask ne to protect them… from me! lol. i sometimes wonder if they see my hands and arms and face as all one person or i am several different entities to them… my hands being the evil ones lol. But, thanks everyone for the awesome advice! Have really put me at ease. If only I wasn’t moving in a few months. Not supposed to have pets here so i had to move them today and feeling quite alone now without my snuggley companions. I actually kinda wanna post some stories about em along with some pics i have. Bunnito loves to flop in what was my first attempt at a failed litter box lol. He loves to flop down in it to sleep. it’s the most adorable thing to watch. XD

[Linette]

Good news is mites are an easy fix and the vet doesn’t need to be bunny savvy to attend to it. Cats and dogs get them all the time.

I don’t know your vet, but ask if you can continue to treat them at home. I had one who “milked” me. Wanting our kitten to keep coming in for them to ear wash it etc etc.

I learned how to deal with mites without a vet at all and saved a bunch of money over the years.

If you’ve never dealt with them, go ahead to the vet for sure, but it is something that you can address on your own when you have a bit more experience. Birds and mice and rats and snakes get them too, all of which we had, and we were always able to take care of it ourselves.

[Meatloaf N Bunnito]

A bit of an update. I was too worried about the possible secondary infection that I set up the appt for this Friday. I didn’t wanna be in limbo til the end of the month. I think my nerves would be shot by then lol. So i’ll update everyone then about the outcome. =]

Yeh I read about mineral oil working on mites, but my main concern here is a possible infection since their ears smell bad. And the non rabbit savvy people have a horrible reputation where i live. I already set up my appt, as i said, and got a quote. $58 for the pair and wish the possible meds the could use it could be about $100, which is about what i was suspecting. This vet is really good and doesn’t overcharge compared to other vets I contacted when getting a quote for a rabbit savvy vet who slays n neuters. People at another rabbit forum recommended this one and i like him and trust him with my babies. Plus they needed a check up anyways so this is my excuse lol.

[Beka27]

I’m glad you’re getting them in. The vet will help!

So sorry you have to be without your babies for a little bit… At least it’s just short term 🙂

[Meatloaf N Bunnito]

UPDATE!!!: Vet went well. Both have mites and a secondary infection. Meatloaf weighs in at 3.4lbs and Bubnito at 3lbs even. =]

Doc says that he can tell they are well loved and well taken care of. Also got their nails trimmed and one fur mat removed from Meatsie’s bum. But other than that they’re good.

Only thing I worry bout and plan to call the vet Monday about is the dosage of the meds. It’s gonna take 32 drops a day between the buns and it has to last two weeks… I don’t think that is enough meds for two bunbuns. Maybe one bun, sure. So imma call to see if maybe I am reading something wrong or of I am just gonna need more meds.

Either way, love my bunnies and glad they are ok and doing well. =>

One more thing. It’s awesome how other pet people there were fawning over my bunnies. Hee! XD Pet people are so nice o.o! Then again people who love animals tend to be good people in general. Of course we have exceptions. But, it’s nice to have your hard work and love validated by others. =]

Also Beka, funny thing, I am actually from Akron, Ohio originally. lol I am probably moving back to Ohio this summer. =] Yay to fellow Ohioans! WooWoo! lol.

[LongEaredLions]

Glad the vet trip went well!
What meds did he give you? 32 drops seems like a lot. I would see if you can get an exact measurement because a “drop” is rather vague.

[Meatloaf N Bunnito]

The bottle is a lil droplet bottle. you squeeze the bottle and a drop comes out. it’s four drops per ear twice a day. Gotta kill those pesky mites! I am definitely calling Monday to ask about it just to double check.

[BunnyLady1989]

I think you should have enough actually. With Lulu’s ear medication it was similar but she needed right drops in each ear twice a day for two weeks. I still have plenty left over too. You may be surprised on how much is in there and how much you use. As they say, a little goes a long way

And I just wanted to comment on how cute they are!

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