Missing fur & wet on underside of chin/neck

[FavesRBunny]

 Hello all!

I recently noticed that my bunny has fur missing where the neck and chin meet. I included photos so you can see. The spot is wet, and the fur that is there is clumped and yellowish. What could be the problem?

I’ll provide some more information in case it helps. He is a Holland Lop, about 5 months old; his urine recently has been sometimes red; it’s getting colder here (so temperature change); he’s an indoor bunny but we have been taking him outside in the backyard where he eats the grass. If there’s anything else you need to know, I’ll be sure to answer.

I hope this won’t be a serious health issue.

Thank you!! 

[Sarita]

Do you feel any bumps or lumps where the wet fur is?

[bunnymum16]

does your bunny have any teeth problems?ive read that it can cause fur loss around the mouth area.correct me if im wrong.

[Sarita]

Dental problems can cause this as well, but I would be surprised if a 5 month old rabbit would have dental problems. That’s certainly worth considering as well.

[MayaConsuelo]

My bunny’s fur is much thinner under his chin, and always wet after he eats because I rinse the veggies and give them to him wet… he eats fast and the juice and water runs down his chin! Is your bunny’s chin consistently wet? Does he dribble when he drinks water too? I just assumed the fur in that spot was naturally thinner…

[jerseygirl]

Welcome FavesRBunny! That’s some great close-ups you got there. The fur here can sometimes get like this especially on bunnies carrying extra weight or have a dewlap. It can beome humid near the skin and the fur clumps. Sometimes a bacterial infection can develop. They have the scent glands under the chin too. Some bunnies are mad keen chinners!

My lop buck has this too. When I first got him he had a big pillow in his front (male dewlap I guess) and as he lost a little weight this area begain to improve but also became more visible.

If you notice wetness around the jaw, mouth also, then it could be more to do with dental problems, though as Sarita said, he seems too young for that.

The plant pigments can make urine red so if he’s been eating more grass, this may be why you’re seeing it more. It’s harmless. :o)   Also when urine is exposed to air after a while it turns reddish. fyi: I just read on house rabbit society website also that first cold snap in fall can be one of the reasons to see more pigment in their urine.  Never knew that!

[RabbitPam]

I’m not concerned about the reddish urine, as Jersey pointed out, but I would agree that the wet chin could be caused by some drooling or loose chewing of wet food if there is a dental problem. Has he been examined by a vet yet? It’s good to have a baseline exam established with a vet you like before you have anything serious, so if you haven’t done that you could take him and get his teeth checked out.

Another idea (maybe not definitive) would be to watch for him to drink his water. Then, when he’s done, dry his chin, and only give him dry food for his meal for a few hours. Hay and pellets, but no washed veggies. After you see him eat, see if his chin is wet again. That way, if it’s not the water from wet veggies, and is his drooling, you will know. Otherwise it could just be the way he holds his head or his greens as he chews them. My bunnies get orange goatees when they eat carrots too eagerly.

[FluffyBunny]

One of my bunnies has had this for as long as I can remember. Up until recently (mostly unrelated reasons), he’s been perfectly healthy.

If he gets water from a bowl, it’s possible that he just isn’t good at cleaning the wet off his chin. If it looks like the wet might be coming from his mouth, or if he only gets water bottle water, you might want to get his teeth checked out. If he drinks from a bowl, you might want to take the bowl (and all other water that isn’t in a bottle) away from him for a few hours to see if his chin is still wet.

Does your bunny like rubbing his chin/neck on things? Bunnies have a scent gland on their chins, and some bunnies who really love “chinning” their territory will get wet chins.

[FavesRBunny]

Thanks for the replies!

Well, we haven’t been giving him veggies, so no wet foods, and he drinks from a water bottle. I didn’t know about this before, but my sisters said they see him sort of sucking/chewing on that area sometimes. I don’t feel any large bumps or lumps (although I’m not perfectly sure).
I’m glad to hear the red urine is not a problem. I hope this missing fur thing won’t be either.

[jerseygirl]

I didn’t know about this before, but my sisters said they see him sort of sucking/chewing on that area sometimes.

They can do that to groom the area but if he’s doing it alot, he might have some irritation of the area.
Does your rabbit have plenty of hay? If so, is he good with eating it?

Also, have you had your rabbits sex checked by a vet? Sometimes unneutered females will pull at their dewlap fur. Males & females can excessively pull fur here too when irritated or from distress when suffering from some other health issue.

[Author]

Messages