Bathing bunny for allergy relief

[AshleyBlanchette]

(Just a little disclaimer because I asked this elsewhere and was bombarded by hate. I am absolutely aware that under normal circumstances rabbits do not need to be bathed. I’m only considering it because it was suggested by our very rabbit savvy vet, who we have seen for years, and is probably the only other person I trust with my buns. I promise they are very well loved and cared for.)

A little background info: We have two buns Felix and Oscar, about 4.5 years old, both boys from the same litter. We work from home so they are free roam most of the day (indoors only). We do put them in their houses while we sleep and on the rare occasion we leave the house. They are kept seperate. We are originally from Chicago, but moved to Wisconsin about 3 years ago. Oscar doesn’t have any issues with allergies, and Felix didn’t seem to have any issues until we moved.

Shortly after we moved we noticed Felix licking and chewing at his chest and belly and he had several scabs. After ruling out any major issues the vet assumed it was stress related and gave us ssd cream and a medical shirt to keep him from licking. We eventually decided to do a biopsy to be 100% sure there wasn’t anything else going on. The results came back as a bacterial infection due to an allergic reaction. By this time it had been going on for over a year so we realized it was occurring around the same time, usually in the spring and fall when he’s shedding. The vet who did the biopsy (not our regular) advised us to continue with the shirt and ssd cream as needed. She also suggested giving a quarter of a 25mg Benadryl tablet, which I haven’t done.

We saw our regular vet a few days ago for their annual check up and brought it up again. We’ve ruled out other possible allergens, (hay, laundry detergent, etc) and the fact that it occurs at the same time every year makes us think it’s some kind of seasonal allergy. So along with daily vacuuming and washing his blankets she recommended giving him a bath with an anti itch shampoo and then the cream and shirt when he’s dry. The shampoo she gave us is Phyto P (Pramoxine HCI 1%, phytosphingosine salicyloyl 0.05%)

I am terrified to give him a bath. He’s a big bun, about 7 lbs, very strong, and even stronger willed, I’m so scared he’s going to find a way to hurt himself. While the shirt and ssd cream work, I’m not sure it gives him much relief and he is absolutely miserable with the shirt on. I think he feels very vulnerable with it on and won’t lay down unless someone is sitting with him. He also has a bit of trouble getting all of his cecotropes. So, if bathing him will offer him some relief and minimize the time he needs to wear his shirt I am willing to give it a try.

The vet suggested doing it in the kitchen sink, but that’s a long way down if he manages to get away. I was thinking of getting one of those little inflatable tubs for babies and putting it in the bathtub with a bunch of towels and just enough water to be able to work the shampoo into a lather. I was also thinking of getting some of those absorbent microfiber towels to help dry him off with. Any recommendations or tips on bathing a bunny would be greatly appreciated. Aside from a brief obsession with throwing his toys in his water dish he really doesn’t have experience with water, so he may end up loving  it, I just want to go into it as prepared as possible.

Also, I’ve seen some very mixed things about giving benadryl to a bunny so if anyone has any experience with it, or any other type of allergy relief I would love to know. I don’t really feel comfortable with it, but I don’t want to deny him of something that could help.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read all this! I know allergies in rabbits is rare but any advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[DanaNM]

Coincidentally, forum leader @Wick has been giving her rabbit Fable Benadryl for a different issue. She has some info on the experience here:

Children’s Benadryl Tx

This also reminds me of a bunny that is currently at the rescue I volunteer at. He overgrooms his chest to the point where it was red and raw, so he needed constant supervision and to wear a shirt/vest. With him it seemed more stress related than an allergy. Having lots of toys and interaction has helped, and we are hoping that neutering will also help (time will tell). Are your boys neutered? Perhaps moving timed with maturation to create some anxiety with him?

Since this happens seasonally, could it also be something hormonal or stress related? Bunnies can go through a spring craze.

I guess I’m a little unclear as to how a bath would help a seasonal allergy, since the allergen would be in the air (I’m assuming)? That also seems like it would be hard to maintain and do repeatedly. If it is stress -related after all, I would think it could make things worse. I would probably try the Benadryl before resorting to a bath. Perhaps putting a compress on the sore area might be soothing and an easier alternative?

Have you tried adding a hepa filter or changing hay sources?

 

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[AshleyBlanchette]

Thank you so much for taking the time to read and reply.

Both my boys were neutered about 4 years ago and we moved in 2018 so it’s been a few years. Before the biopsy the vet just assumed it was either stress related or boredom since it’s rare for rabbits to have allergies. We have changed hay, laundry detergents, blankets, filters, etc. but none of that has made a difference. It seem to happen whenever he’s shedding which is usually in the spring and fall.

Aside from the dermatitis he is a very healthy bun. All his bloodwork is normal, his teeth look good, and his fecal floats are negative. We have had every test and treatment we could before having the biopsy. They did a punch biopsy in three different sites. Here is a very brief summary from the report they sent:

Felix’s skin biopsy results showed evidence of bacterial dermatitis, with no evidence of fungal disease, parasites,
immune-mediate disease, or a neoplastic process. The cause of Felix’s recurrent bacterial dermatitis is most likely
caused by an underlying allergy or hypersensitivity disorder – this is uncommon in rabbits, but not undocumented.

Her reasoning for washing the area with the anti itch shampoo was that it would, one, provide itch relief and soothe the area/protect the skin barrier, and two, help loosen whatever spores/pollen/dust etc. in his fur. She recommended doing this once or twice a week along with daily vacuuming and washing his blankets in with a hypoallergenic laundry soap.

As far as the benadryl I haven’t been able to find a lot of information on it, and what I have read has been very mixed. I’m just very hesitant. I know washing his belly also has risks, but for some reason I don’t feel as apprehensive about it. Perhaps I’m wrong for feeling this way, which is why I wanted to get some input.

[Wick & Fable]

I agree that trying Benadryl could be worthwhile. I used a generic brand liquid Benadryl, as described in my topic.

I’m curious about what markers drew the conclusion of bacterial infection due to allergy. From my research experience with Wick (not Fable, who is my Benadryl rabbit; Wick had ringworm and syphilis issues going on) I know that allergy and parasites can sometimes go hand in hand. SSD cream has anti-bacterial properties, but it wouldn’t do much to a parasite (is my understanding). Were there any discussions if maybe there’s some sort of parasite housing itself leading to this expression? I don’t know off the top of my head any parasites that would be so “local” in location, but perhaps a useful thought exercise if it hasn’t been considered/ruled out.

The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.

[LBJ10]

I’m curious about not using the Benadryl as well. If it is an allergy, an antihistamine should help. I think that would be more sustainable than bathing in an anti-itch shampoo. As you know, bunnies do not need to be bathed. However, there are a few circumstances where it may be warranted. This may be one of those circumstances, but I’m afraid that it would need to be done often in order for it to be effective. That just isn’t ideal since bathing would be stressful for both you and bun.

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