Why does my rabbit have thick dandruff on its back that won't go away?

I’m sorry Holly is going through this. Unfortunately diagnosing skin diseases by a picture isn’t really possible as many diseases look very similar. Rabbits commonly have mites, and based on your description that is my most likely guess. Cheyletiella is commonly called “walking dandruff” because of how thick the scale is on the bunnies back. Of course ring worm, bacterial infections, as well as other types of mites are always possible. A veterinarian will want to do a skin scrape to verify and identify the mites. There are several therapies, but I typically use revolution. It sounds like she may also need antibiotics if the lesions are infected as well. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

This could be due to Cheyletiella parasitovorax, a rabbit skin mite. It's characterized by by patchy fur loss with flaking on the back of a rabbit. I'd have Rueben seen by a vet to have this diagnosed and treated.

Binky may be suffering from mites, as may your other rabbit. Patchy fur loss with flaking along the rabbit's back is typical for the mite Cheyletiella parasitovorax, Your veterinarian may examine a sticky tape preparation or skin scraping under the microscope for the presence of mites, however, might sometimes not find any, even though they are present on the rabbit. Mites are usually eradicated easily. Classic treatment is with injectable or oral ivermectin, or a selamectin spot on given in treatments two weeks apart. As mites live in the environment of your rabbit, it is essential to thoroughly clean your rabbit's cage and disinfect areas after each treatment to control reinfestation, since fur and dander in the environment may contain mite eggs. You will need to treat all rabits in your household.

These look like sticktight fleas. The best treatment is a drug called Revolution (the one used on cats). You will need to get his from your vet and they can give you the correct dosing. ( https://www.birdexoticsvet.com/small-mammal-vet )

Cheyletiela mites are often difficult to see with the naked eye, they can be treated either with ivermectin spot ons or Revolution spot ons, both are prescription medications that you will need to get from your vet.

Sometimes mites can be transmitted by commercial store-bought food or hay. You will need to take your rabbit to a veterinarian for an exam and proper diagnosis. The vet can then inject your rabbit with an acaricide that will get rid of the mites. You will also have to clean out thee cage thoroughly, wash it with bleach and rinse it well, and wash all toys and food and water containers in very hot water. Throw away the food and hay you have and buy new food with a long expiration date.

This could be caused by intense itch. In these cases allergies, mites infestation, or other skin parasites and bacterial dermatitis could be suspected. A clinical examination at your local veterinarian is essential to confirm these clinical suspicions and treat appropriately.