Tiny scabs on tips of ears

[Sirius&Luna]

I’ve just noticed that Luna has a small, crusty scab right on the tip of each ear. It feels hard, almost like the cartilage has just grown a bit extra, but on one side it’s clearly bled a little (very very little) and scabbed over. The other side is just hard and white. It’s about the size of a grain of rice.

It almost looks like a bite, but I’m pretty confident that neither of the boys have bitten it, since a. they’re not bitey buns, and b. it matches on both sides. Unless she nibbled it herself if it was just the dry crusty bit before and it was annoying her?

It didn’t seem to cause her any pain when I poked and prodded it to get a look. I haven’t seen her giving it any attention either. Can’t see any scabs on her inner or any other bit of her ear, just the tips so don’t think it’s mites.

Is it possible that her ears are dragging on the floor and this is causing little scabs? Is it worth a vet visit? I am of course more than happy to take her, but she hates the vet and had to go on Friday for Atlas’s vaccinations, and will have to go back for his second vaccination in two weeks, so I’d rather check then unless anyone thinks it’s urgent.

Anyone have any experience with anything similar?

Will attach photos when I’m on the computer tomorrow.

[Sirius&Luna]

Adding photos:

[Sirius&Luna]

bump

[sarahthegemini]

Buttercup has had a random scratchy thing on two occasions. For her I believe it was her was scratching as she cleaned herself and her claws needed a trim. Could it be that?

[Bam]

This is actually quite common in dogs with thin, hanging ears. The edges can get very dry and crack. It’s called ear edge dermatitis. 

I didn’t find anything about rabbit skin problems that quite fit, but in dogs this problem can have many causes. Dogs and rabbits are obviously not the same and scabies is very rare in house rabbits, so I think that could be ruled out immediately. But the article could perhaps give you a few ideas, at least about what to ask a vet. http://veterinarynews.dvm360.com/ear-edge-dermatitis-look-beyond-scabies?id=&pageID=1&sk=&date=

It doesn’t seem so super urgent that it can’t wait until your next vet appt – unless it starts getting wors,e of course. 

[jerseygirl]

Ive seen one or two of mine lose some fur from around edge of ear. Very rarely. Apparently they can shed fur here. With there being tiny sores, maybe she has minor skin infection there of some sort (fungal/bacterial). Does she tend to dip tips of ears in water bowl or anything?

[Bam]

They do shed around edge of ears. I’ve pulled out loose hairs from Bam’s ear-edges during grooming. Rabbits are pretty meticulous when they clean their ears so maybe this is just an accidental self-inflicted injury? Once the sores are there, they could easily be inadvertently “maintained” by the rabbit’s normal daily grooming.

Regarding dogs I think most of us have seen those dry, frayed, almost leathery ear edges, it’s so common in certain breeds. Ive never seen anything like that in rabbits. I’m re-reading the dog-article now, and realize some of it could need explaining. Dont be alarmed by medical terms. Atopy basically means sensitive and over-reactive skin, malassezia yeast is something all of us mammals carry on our scalps/skin and it’s what causes dandruff.

Pruritus means itching.

[Sirius&Luna]

Thanks Sarah – I do need to check her nails, but because of the position (like literally the bottom tips) I think it would be very hard for her to have scratched it with her own her nails

Thanks Bam, that’s super helpful. I guess it is similar to dogs with long dangling ears. I have seen English lops with the huuuuuge ears have ears that look like frayed dog ears (side note… guess this is why book pages are called dogeared!). It does almost look like human eczema, so perhaps it could be some sort of dematisis, which she has then worsened with her own ear cleaning.

Jerseygirl – haven’t seen her dip ears in the water bowl, and I moved their water bowls up to a small shelf that they have to jump up to if they want water, so there doesn’t tend to be accidental stepping or lying in it. I hadn’t thought about a skin infection though, so I’ll definitely ask the vet about that possibility.

Thanks all

[Sirius&Luna]

Just in case anyone else has this problem… The vet said it wasn’t an issue, and is from her ears touching the floor. The problem is because the tips of ears get such a low blood supply, they take ages to heal. He wasn’t concerned and said as long as it didn’t get worse, it’s not something to worry about.

[Q8bunny]

I wonder if sore hocks cream might help?

[Sirius&Luna]

Yeah, I think it’s worth a try

[Bam]

Thank you for the update, S&L! Very interesting! I’m glad it’s nothing serious. Healing-vibes for your ears, ((((Luna))))

[Author]

Messages