Looking for some advice

[Connie]

 

My 3 year old male rabbit has this bump on his nose. I have sought out advice from a vet and they are not concerned as he is still eating/using the toilet and is his usual bad behaved self.

 

They could not tell me the cause of this mark, it appeared out of nowhere about 2 weeks ago.

 

He does have a free standing hay rack, he frequently shoves his face in to get the hay so I am wondering if he got it there. I have not filled the hay rack up since.

 

Today I noticed he has some scab marks on the wound, I have been informed by my partner he has been scratching it and he is due a nail trimming (this is a very traumatic experience for everyone involved, trust me)

I have swabbed it with a wet cotton bud, he is not bothered by this and no blood came off, he didn’t do his usual fake cry of distress, he hasn’t been snuffling and he kicked his feet out at me to let me know he was not pleased with my actions.

 

He lives alone and has a good diet and lifestyle.

 

 

Any suggestions on what it could be greatly appreciated. The house is clean, he doesn’t socialise, he is up to date with vaccinations so I don’t think it can be a transferred disease and I hope not ringworm. He does get his hay from haybox but I think they are reputable and their hay doesn’t contain any mites or parasites. Thank you.

[Wick & Fable]

It is hard to say what may have caused it, but I would continue to monitor, do your best to keep it generally clean, and if it does grow, spread, show signs of infection, etc., it would then merit another vet visit. It is very possible it was simply an environmental abrasion that didn’t heal properly, and yes, there are options for fur-related infections, like ringworm, in addition to scab-causing illnesses, like syphilis. I wouldn’t try to diagnose based on its current state, but if it puts you at ease, it isn’t presenting how I would expect a typical case of ringworm would.

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.

[Connie]

Thank you for your reply. It has grown a little bit in width I feel but he has been scratching and his nails are on the sharp side so that definitely could have contributed. It looks like it’s a bit inflamed but there is scabbing now so his scratching could’ve annoyed it. I have time off at the start of April so I will probably re take him back to the vets then if it hasn’t shown any signs of improvement. (Obviously if it gets noticeably worse, he stops eating or his personality changes I’ll get him in ASAP).

 

He drinks fine, eats fine, still demands treats and his poops are looking healthy so I am not majorly worried. His eyes look normal, no water or gunk and his nose looks normal.

 

I am unsure about the syphilis, I’m not ruling it out but the last contact he had near a rabbits cage was about a year ago. Could have had it at birth, is a year a normal time frame for it to take to come out?

[LBJ10]

Syphilis symptoms can manifest at any time. It isn’t unusual for a bunny to have been infected by their mother and then not show any outward signs until years later.

I agree that the bump would be concerning if it doesn’t go away or it gets bigger/worse. It is hard to tell from the picture, so it could very well be an abrasion. Or it could be caused by a disease like syphilis or ringworm. Another possibility is a papilloma, but those tend to be cauliflower-like or keratinized.

[Author]

Messages