Can someone please help

[juliepbrjnk]

Hi
I’m wondering if you could help. My 15 week old Netherland dwarf rabbit has began to scratch her neck. After a couple of days she developed a black scab. I don’t know whether that’s from scratching or is it something malignant. It keeps getting bigger and we noticed today there’s more hair loss around it.
Could you help?

[Bam]

Can you get us a picture? A scab will form if the bunny scratches itself vigourosly during an extended period of time.

The reason she’s scratching could be fur mites (cheyletiella parasitovorax). They occur normally on virtually all bunnies, but in very low numbers, and when the rabbit is subject to stress (any type of stress, not necessarily sth we’d even think is stressful), the mites can multiply very fast. They are often seen at the nape of the neck and the root of the tail and they are easily cured with Selamectin (Revolution) or Ivermectin, meds that a vet must prescribe. Don’t EVER use Frontline (fipronil on a rabbit. It kills the mites but there’s a high likelihood it will also kill the bunny. (This is a standard, but very important, warning we always give when a bunny owner writes about possible parasites on their bun.)

You should take your bunny to a vet. It’s always good to have a new rabbit checked out by a vet, and in this case, if she needs antiparasitics and antibiotics for the sore, a vet can prescribe that. She’s young, and the very young are of course more vulnerable than adults.

[juliepbrjnk]

It won’t let me upload my photo unfortunately. But it’s quiet a thick scab. She didn’t scratch it about 2 weeks ago so hard she looked like she had a fit. After it, her neck was red raw. She doesn’t seem to be going at it again.

Yes we did was her one time so maybe that stressed her out. I will take her to the vets tomorrow hopefully .

Thank you

Juliana

[Bam]

Here’s a guide on how to upload pictures: pictorial

Poor little sweetheart =( Fur mites can itch badly, but they don’t always. 

Stress for a rabbit can things like getting new home, a more radical change in diet, scary sounds or smells that us people can’t pick up on even, and they are in general not thrilled about being washed. 

In Europe, selamectin is called Stronghold. It’s a spot-on preparation. Ivermectin works too, it’s often given as an injectable. In the USA and Australia, selamectin is sold as Revolution. 

[jerseygirl]

If you are still having trouble uploading the picture, I have PM’d you a link you can email it to. I can upload it in this thread from there for you.

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

I would guess mites, but you’ll need to see a vet to be sure. It’s easily treatable

[Author]

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