Being the anal retentive bunny mom that I am, who doesn't have a vet appt. until tomorrow, and work is DEAD today, I am on the internet googling Sophie's symptoms. Hutch burn hits right on with the area of the infection and the scabs that are now present, and her fur loss. But, there is one problem. I change her litterbox every other day. Hutch burn is for dirty bunnies, not my bunny! Right?!? It looks like the Tresaderm and Baytril are the correct treatments so we're on the right track and the area is definitely looking better but... it's for dirty cages! That horrifies me.

Vet appt. with new vet at the same animal hospital. This one is also a specialist in small animals so we'll see... I just need a better diagnosis than "bacterial infection".

What do you guys know about hutch burn? Other than to keep cages clean, I mean. This is really horrifying to me if this is what is wrong with her!

If "Hutch Burn" is the same as "Urine Scald", we have rescued several bunnies at The Rabbit Haven that were suffering from this illness.  I would be very surprised if your bun was suffering from this.  The condition comes from the hind end fur getting soaked by urine, and the housing being so small that the bun cannot get to a clean place to allow them to groom their hind end.  You can see some pics and a description of the condition on our website; the pictures are fairly graphic: www.therabbithaven.org/sn/tamari.htm

We see this from neglected backyard rabbits, not guys who get to use clean comfy litterboxes.  I read somewhere (sorry, no cite) that obese bunnies and bunnies that are arthritic can get hind end problems because they cannot reach around to groom back there.  Any chance that your bun is unable to get around to their back end?

Good luck with the treatment.

After looking at those pics, I don't think it's that. The vet only said that it was a "bacterial infection" of some kind and put her on Baytrila nd Tresaderm. The area looks much better, but I still feel the need to know what caused this infection so I can make sure it doesn't happen again. Sophie can definitely reach that area to clean herself. So I know that's not it. Vet appt. tomorrow with a new vet. Will let you know! Thanks.

Not hutch burn. UTI and bladder infection. Thank you emergency vet. Thank you for tellin gme what my vet couldn't. $300, 4 medications, 1 shot of painkiller, 2 bottles of pedialyte and 3 vet visits later, I think we are on the right track.

AHH!  Wow.  Yes, isn't that great.  So you went to an emergency vet?  or that's just the place that you had an appointment. Hope there wasn't an emergency.

Bailey had a bladder infection before as well.  Hers was due o chronic poopybutt we were trying to figure out what her sensitive digestive system could take.   (you can see our trail and errors towards the bottom of the "diet" page.   Plus, since Bailey has a crooked spine, she couldn't full lift enough when I first got her.  She has gotten stronger over the years (she had been badly neglected when I got her), and she hasn't had a reoccurance of UTI.

Did the vet say how she may have got it?  Does she like to hang out and sit in her box like some bunnies do?   I have also heard bunnies who don't drink enough water are more susceptible.  I know Jack didn't drink enough until I forced him to eat more hay.     When I research it on the net, I don't get many answers, so this will have to be a question that I add to my list of questions to ask one of my rabbit gurus!