Bad nails. Is it mange?

[the fluffies]

Hi guys,
This kit has been abandoned for 3 weeks in front of a petshop near my house. The petshop owner said the kit was about a size of a palm when he found it there. The petshop asked me to take it home or else he is going to release the kit at a park nearby.

The kit is about 8 or maybe maximum is 10 weeks old, weight about 500g or slightly more.

What is this looks like to u guys? I doesnt has any sore hock, but the nails are in bad shape. Dandruff on its body and a crusty at the tip of its left ear. Other than that, he is alert, has clear eyes, clean nose and mouth. Very active too.

If it is really a mange, what is the safest treatment for a young bunny like him? Here the vet give 1ml Ivomac orally for 3kg bunny. Is it safe?

Thanks guys!

 

[Kipcha]

I was just looking it up, it sounds like it could be mange, especially since it says it can start at the toes,

Sarcoptic Mange
Mange is caused by the mite Sarcoptes scabei and other Sarcoptes species. In rabbits, the disease appears as beige to whitish crusts, often starting around the borders of the ears, edges of the eyelids, the nose, mouth, and toes. The crusts often have an unpleasant, musky smell, especially in the ears. If left untreated, the condition will progress until crusty, sometimes raw lesions cover more extensive areas of the body, causing itching, and predisposing affected areas to baceterial and/or fungal infection. Even mild cases of mange should be treated without delay, to avoid worsening of symptoms. The parasites are not difficult to treat, and results can be swift and dramatic, as Luke and Leia's "before" and "after" (one week after treatment with injectible ivermectin) pictures show:

It sounds like it's fairly easy to treat, at least.

 

[LakeCondo]

Poor little thing. I'm so glad you were willing to take him.

Once healing begins & the wounds are clean, apply comfrey on the skin, as a poultice, according to Rabbit Health in the 21st Century. Comfrey's scientific name is symphytum officinale. There seems to be disagreement over whether rabbits should eat comfrey, but if he licks the poultice, I wouldn't worry.

 

[audrinasmommy88]

Wow...poor little thing. Im so glad you took him in. It def does sound like mange. Ive seen it in dogs and to me, it definitely looks like it.

 

[tonyshuman]

I think it looks like mange. It could also be ringworm or some other fungal infection. Try treating with ivermectin first. The vet might want to try a fungal culture. If it's not mange or fungal it could be bacterial, but my best guess is mange.

 

[Watermelons]

If a bunny has white doesnt that mean vienna marked?
And ivermectin and vienna marked bunnys is a big no no?

If it is mange or some other type of mite, a dose or 2 of Revolution (selamectin) should help that out. 18mg/kg you can probably dose once every 2 weeks for 2-3 doses to nip it in the butt. This is really your best bet, and its best not to play around with other drugs with bunnys.
But please take bunny to a vet regardless.
Can you put him in a cage with a solid bottom? or totally cover the bottom of that cage with a towel?

 

[tonyshuman]

That is a good point, Watermelons. I didn't realize the bunny had a white-tipped nose and thus could be a vienna carrier. Many vets don't know that ivermectin and dutch/vienna bunnies are a bad combination, so it would be best to use revolution. Revolution has been shown to be safe in dogs that have a genetic susceptibility to ivermectin toxicity, so it should be ok in bunnies that are dutch/vienna.

 

[the fluffies]

Hi guys,
Do u guys have any links of articles i can refer regarding Ivermectin and Dutch/Vienna/BEW? I cant find it available online.

 

[JBun]

I haven't found any articles either, but I've read many accounts of peoples dutch/bew rabbits having a toxic reaction to ivermectin. Whether it was from a sensitivity to the medication or due to accidental overdose, I don't know. It is well documented in collie dogs though.

Are you considering giving it to Maxie for something, or is it for another rabbit? If so, I think the dosage info you listed in the OP isn't right. Dosage for rabbits is 0.2-0.4mg/kg. If using 1% injectable ivermectin(10mg/ml), that would make the dosage 0.02-0.04ml/kg or 0.009-0.018ml/lb, less than one tenth of a ml . The dosage told to you is 10 times the recommended amount. That alone could prove toxic to a rabbit. If you are considering it for one of your rabbits and it is a dutch/bew, and you are worried about possible toxicity, there are other medications available that pose less of a risk in these types of rabbits.

http://www.medirabbit.com/Safe_medication/Anti_parasitics/ivermectin.PDF

 

[LandOLops]

I had no idea that Vienna carriers, dutch or BEW's could not have ivomec...! glad I saw this..I have a vienna Carrier..is that something I should be concerned about with him?

 

[tonyshuman]

I can tell you from experience that the same dose caused a toxic reaction in a dutch and no reaction in a Holland mix. There is some information on the web, similar stories to what I have, but I couldn't find any scientific papers. Selamectin should be safe to use in vienna carrier rabbits, although the lowest effective dose should be used. Antiparasitics are seriously dangerous drugs that should be dosed carefully.