My bunny has irritated ears and hair loss. Could it be an infection?

It's probably an ear infection, often it cannot be seen from the outside. Ear infections are quite common in rabbits, it is usually caused by either yeast or bacterial disease. the treatment is usually simple and straightforward, you will have to take Oreo to the vet and get the ears checked, then a prescription ear drops will be prescribed according to the infectious agent.

Bunnies can get ear infections as well as ear mites. I would encourage you to have her evaluated by your veterinarian soon. Ear medication may be recommended. Best of luck and I hope ahe improves aoon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Your rabbit likely has a mite infection. Stop the tea tree oil (it causes more problems) and you need to get him to a vet for an injection against mites. If you cannot go to a veterinarian , try to contact your local rabbit society, They may be able to help you.

I am sorry to hear that Paisley isn’t feeling well, and thank you for your question. From what you are describing, she could have an ear infection. Unfortunately this is very common in lop eared rabbits, and often gets quite severe before they show any clinical signs at home. It may also be affecting both ears, and she may not be showing it. Ear infections can be simple and only affect the external ear, or they can be deep and be present past the ear drum and into the middle and inner ear. My recommendation would be to take Paisley to a veterinarian who is familiar with rabbits. They can perform an exam of the ears and collect samples to look for infection. They can then prescribe anti-inflammatory pain relievers and may prescribe antibiotics as well. If they suspect that the infection may be deep, they would recommend imaging with radiographs (x-rays) or a CT scan. Please don’t give Paisley any human medications, as many of them are harmful to our furry friends. I would not recommend cleaning the ears until you have visited the vet either, as many cleaners are not safe to use if you don’t know if the ear drum is intact or not (i.e. they can be damaging/toxic to the middle and inner ear). I hope that gives you a place to start, and I wish you and Paisley the best of luck!

Poor LittleKing! I would keep an eye on the area as the hair loss could just be due to irritation from the bite. If you start to notice increasing hair loss, dirt or debris building up at the site, swelling, visible wounds, etc, then this could indicate that the area is infected. If you suspect an infection or the area isn't healing/is getting worse, it would be best to bring LittleKing to your vet to have the area cleaned, clipped and a course of antibiotics started as needed.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Momo. You are doing the right thing by having him seen. You are correct that rabbits can develop neurological problems from ear disease. However, for neurological signs to develop, the infection needs to be deep in the inner or middle ear. This commonly is a sequelae to a respiratory tract infection. The signs you are describing seem to be related to the external ear canal. Hopefully this can be treated without problems. I hope this information helps!

Thanks for reaching out about Bun Bun. Would describe it as flakey skin or loose? Loose lends one to believe the skin is sloughing. Flakey skin could be due to parasites, an infection, skin inflammation (multiple causes). Another concern might be myxomatosis, which is usually transmitted via a mosquito bite.. Either way, a veterinary visit should be scheduled. Good luck.