Missing Patch of Fur

[bunnymama]

My dwarf has a sizeable patch of fur missing under neck. Right where her head attaches to her neck. You can only see it when she stretches and a human happens to be right there. When she is sitting still, you can’t notice it all. She is very fussy and doesn’t like to be touched. So what we have noticed about it is her skin is  pinkish (similar to her stomach after it was shaved for spaying). I see no sores, wounds or crust. Any ideas?  Wondering if  I should take her into the vet.  She was shedding heavily over the last 2 weeks but that has mostly subsided now.  She can’t reach this spot to pull out the fur herself or at least I don’t think so…thanks for any feedback…..Bunny Mama for Baby my little bun……

[dmh426]

Oh Bunny Mama, sounds like you have a case of overgrooming if I had to take a guess. Sophie, my rex/mini-rex, occasionally loses hair in patches too, but it’s normally during her big spring shed. If your baby isn’t acting weird, and the skin the a healthy pink, I would say wait and see. BUT you know your baby and I strongly believe in never ignoring your gut feeling. If it’s telling you to see the vet, see the vet. Piece of mind is worth any price to me. From what you said though, it’s probably just a bare spot from shedding.

[Elena Niznik]

HI bunny mama by male bunny rolo had the exact same thing as yours. At the time he had just gone through a very heavy shed. I took him to the vet to make sure it wasnt mites or alopecia or anything. Her verdict was that he had just over groomed himself. The fur on the chest is alot finer than the rest.

it grew back after about a week or so and he has been fine since.

[bunnymama]

Thanks for the replies, appreciate it.  The patch seems bigger this morning then last night so maybe it is a case of overgrooming. I’m surprised she can even reach that area.  I always though she was cleaning her dewlap but maybe she was working up higher.  Will wait a few more days to see if hair starts to grow in or not.  She is a free range bunny – only confined to a bedroom when we are at work or out. She is alone alot of the time – she has plenty of toys and things to occupy her and when we first got her she was constantly biting at her leg causing hair loss and a minor sore.  Vet treated her for an infection but it didn’t go away because she never let up. Eventually she did but maybe now she has just moved on to her neck. Always something with the bun but I love that furry ball from the animal shelter. Have a good day and keep the replies coming……when I have more time, I’ll add some other post specifically how she changed after being spayed –good and bad.

[MooBunnay]

Hi!

I had a similar situation except that it was my boy bunny overgrooming my girl bunny.  The two things that worked the best for helping the situation was:

1) Seagrass mats: My little boy became more fixated on pulling the pieces of the seagrass mats apart than the overgrooming

2) Giving a fixed schedule: The vet told me this can happen when the bunny feels unsettled, or nervous.  There had been some changes in the house (new foster bunny) and Kramer was probably feeling a little unsettled, so for a few weeks, I fed him at the exact same time every day, played with him for an extended amount of time, but at the same time every day, and sat and petted him for a period of time at the same time every day. 

After a few weeks of these two things the excessive grooming stopped!

[bunnymama]

MooBunnay – thanks for the reply. Well Baby already has the grass mat with another order in transit to my house as we speak (Love Binky Bunny toys and treats!).

The patch got much worse over the weekend -I would say it increased by 25% each night over the weekend. And so, the  worried BunnyMama I am, I took her to the vet today.  He was unsure as to whether it was an overgrooming issue or a fungal infection. So he is treating her with 2 doses of Ivermectin (one today and another in two weeks). 

She has a firm schedule but she is a nervous bunny and since we work she is home bor 3.5 hours in the morning – we come home for lunch and then alone again for another 4 hours in the afternoon.

 

I leave the radio on for her – news radio very faint  in sounc— she is well informed if nothing else.

I try petting her every night before I go to bed and sometimes it works and sometime she could care a less. I know she want’s to be petted if she follows me or circles my feet.  I love petting her tho —–she can be a sweetheart.

I’ll keep you posted on her. Thanks much!

BunnyMama

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