Why is my wild rabbit losing nose hair and has a red, irritated leg?

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.

This presentation could be due to a trauma or localized spot of skin infection (likely to be caused by bacteria but mites and fungal infections are possible as well). A check up, appropriate disinfection and possibly antibiotics (oral, topical or in a shampoo formulation) are needed to solve the problem. Disinfection may be started at home with very diluted hibiscrub or betadine or salted water baths. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

It could be infection or inflammation. Clean and sanitize the cage, bowls, water bottle and hides. Replace the bedding and clean daily to keep the cage as dry as possible. If Sosow is licking or chewing at his leg, you will need to place a small e-collar (cone) on him and have him examined by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating rabbits to diagnose and treat infection or inflammation.

Poor Oreo! Problems such as rubbing up against objects, allergies to food or environment, or infections of the skin from bacteria, yeast or fungus may all cause hair loss on the face and nose. If you can't figure out the cause, it is best to take Oreo into a vet for care to take a possible sample of the area. Looking in her environment for things she could be rubbing up against and removing/changing them may also help if a medical reason isn't found. A good balanced diet can also help if the skin flaking and hair loss is due to a nutrition deficit or allergy.

Thanks for reaching out about Cinnabun and including a photo. The crust on the nose and ears could be mites, and that could cause the skin to be dry also. Having a veterinarian examine him could help rule in/out other possible causes including bacterial. Good luck.

With the majority of the changes to the skin occurring around the back legs, this could have started with some kind of a urinary issue. Urine that gets onto the skin can be very irritating, can smell badly, and the hair can fall out. You didn't mention what the skin under the fur looked like, but often the skin can become painful, red, and infected. I would recommend that you take Willie in for evaluation by a veterinarian. They can evaluate the skin and may take a few samples to evaluate under the microscope. If your veterinarian suspects that there may be a urinary issue, they may recommend collecting a urine sample to evaluate (a urinalysis), and blood work to evaluate systemic health. Depending on the veterinary clinic, they may also be able to bathe Willie for you, as this can be stressful for rabbits. Please don't give Willie any human medications, or apply any medications to his skin, as these can be harmful for our rabbit friends. I hope that gives you a place to start, and good luck!

If the skin looks normal where the hair is missing then it is possible that the other bunny is pulling it out OR Snow White could be self mutilating as well. Also mites and ringworm are common in rabbits as well. I would encourage you to have her evaluated by a veterinarian. In the meantime please practice good hygiene after handling her as ring worm is contagious to people as well. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.