My rabbit has scabs and a wet nose. What could be wrong?

Hello! I'm sorry your bun has a nose problem! If it doesn't go away on its own within a few days, or if it starts to spread, I would take your bun in to your veterinarian who may want to do a skin scraping or collect hairs from the area to make sure your bun doesn't have a mite or fungal infection. Some kinds of infections can be spread to people too, so especially if it is getting worse I would make sure to get a diagnosis so you can start treatment.

Hello! This picture does look suspicious for vent disease or possibly ringworm. Vent disease is usually treated with Penicillin, but it doesn't look like it's gotten any better. It may not cured because of using too low of a dose, which can lead to antibiotic resistance and a more difficult infection to treat. This may require that a different antibiotic or a higher dose of the same one is used. If the infection is ringworm, which is another round skin lesion that commonly affects rabbit's faces and is contagious, it will only respond to anti-fungal medication, so antibiotics will not be useful. Ringworm can spread to people as well, but is fairly easily treated. Sometimes, skin mites can cause small lesions of baldness like this. We generally use puppy/kitten Revolution (flea product that also treats mites) on rabbits when we are suspicious of this. It is a very safe product, so an easy treatment to try. I would recommend a vet visit to be totally sure of what you're treating and what doses to use. I think that will get them the quickest recovery. I don't know of any fatal diseases in rabbits that present like this, so rest easy! I hope you find this helpful! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Hello! A wet nose in a rabbit usually indicates nasal discharge. Nasal discharge can result from allergy, inflammation, or infection of the nasal passages or even from an infected tooth root. It is very common for rabbits to carry a bacteria called Pasteurella (often referred to as “snuffles”). This bacteria can flare up in times of stress. Most rabbits have at least been exposed to this bacteria, and there are also other bacteria and viruses that could cause similar respiratory illness. The best thing to do for Buddy would be to have him examined by your local vet who can assess the discharge and Buddys breathing and teeth. the vet may recommend blood work, X-rays, or even a CT scan of his head since that will give the best information about the nose and terth. Remember that an oral exam in an awake rabbit is fairly insensitive to disease and any root disease is not visible except with X-rays for a CT scan. Since rabbits can only breath through their nose, it’s important to get this evaluated while Buddy is doing well, since potential profession of disease could be serious. Good luck to you and Buddy!

Thanks for reaching out about Chloe and including pictures. By the photos, it is difficult to identify the discharge, but yellow nasal discharge is often an indication of a nasal infection. Try cleaning with a warm wet cloth, and monitor for sneezing and continued discharge. If discharge continues, a veterinary visit is recommended. Good luck.

If he was having a lot of nasal discharge that drained around his nose this can explain the hair loss there. Typically the discharge can also land on the front legs and irritate the skin there too. Of course other possibilities such as mites and skin infections are also possible. I would encourage you to have him evaluated by a veterinarian soon. Best of luck and thank you for caring for this bunny and for using Pet Coach.

Thanks for reaching out about Bolt and including a photo. Nasal crusts can be caused by bacterial infections or other conditions. A veterinary visit is recommended to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. good luck.

Hello, I would recommend taking Bun Bun into a veterinarian to be examined. Recurring scabs may be a sign of a chronic infection with a bacteria called Pasteurella, which is a common problem in rabbits. Scabs could also be coming from a fungal infection, commonly called ringworm, that can be spread to people. Scabs could also come from herself scratching- a parasitic infection of mites or fleas may be causing her scratch excessively. Most of these problems can be treated fairly easily with a course of medications once they are properly diagnosed. If the scabs are coming from being attacked by her sister, she needs to live separately from her for her own safety. I hope this is helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.