Could this be fly strike?

[lynne2809]

Hi everyone. I have an indoor rabbit and today I came home to see some chunks of his fur on the ground as if he had been scratching. They have a very fine sandy/dusty material in them. There have been a few flies in the house, so I am really worried that he could have fly strike. He is eating and acting normally. Does this look like something serious or could it just be dry skin from him scratching?

 

[lynne2809]

I looked up fly strike and it does not look similar to this, so I’m not sure if I should be concerned or if he may just have some dry skin? I also read that it could be mites, but he doesn’t have any scabs, just the dry skin on his ears, so I’m not sure if it could be mites or just dry skin?

 

[John Wick]

How old is your rabbit and is he neutered?
Is he currently molting?

It's hard to say without context of how this fur got to where it is and also without seeing a picture of the rabbit. This amount of fur could be naturally built up in corners of an enclosure during a rabbit's molt when an owner is not being as vigilant as they should be with grooming. Rabbits can also pull out fur due to extreme stress or some sort of health-ailment related to that general area. There are also fungal, mite, etc. explanations for fur loss.

All to say, it isn't possible to give a diagnosis from this picture and the details given. With sudden fur loss not explained by a molt, a vet visit is generally the best call.

https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Fur_loss

 

[lynne2809]

How old is your rabbit and is he neutered?
Is he currently molting?

It's hard to say without context of how this fur got to where it is and also without seeing a picture of the rabbit. This amount of fur could be naturally built up in corners of an enclosure during a rabbit's molt when an owner is not being as vigilant as they should be with grooming. Rabbits can also pull out fur due to extreme stress or some sort of health-ailment related to that general area. There are also fungal, mite, etc. explanations for fur loss.

All to say, it isn't possible to give a diagnosis from this picture and the details given. With sudden fur loss not explained by a molt, a vet visit is generally the best call.

https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Fur_loss

He is 2.5 and he is neutered. He is not currently going through a molt. He doesn’t have any cuts or scabs on his body at all. He has been itching his ears a bit, so I’m wondering if maybe this fur came from his ears? I just found it on the floor of my room, so I’m not sure where it came from. The material in the fur is very fine and dust-like. He is eating, drinking, pooping, and acting completely normal. Here is a photo of the dusty material that is in the fur that I found on the floor:

 

[lynne2809]

He is 2.5 and he is neutered. He is not currently going through a molt. He doesn’t have any cuts or scabs on his body at all. He has been itching his ears a bit, so I’m wondering if maybe this fur came from his ears? I just found it on the floor of my room, so I’m not sure where it came from. The material in the fur is very fine and dust-like. He is eating, drinking, pooping, and acting completely normal. Here is a photo of the dusty material that is in the fur that I found on the floor:

How old is your rabbit and is he neutered?
Is he currently molting?

It's hard to say without context of how this fur got to where it is and also without seeing a picture of the rabbit. This amount of fur could be naturally built up in corners of an enclosure during a rabbit's molt when an owner is not being as vigilant as they should be with grooming. Rabbits can also pull out fur due to extreme stress or some sort of health-ailment related to that general area. There are also fungal, mite, etc. explanations for fur loss.

All to say, it isn't possible to give a diagnosis from this picture and the details given. With sudden fur loss not explained by a molt, a vet visit is generally the best call.

https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Fur_loss

It doesn’t look like it could be fly strike, since I can’t see any visible eggs or maggots at all. I wonder if it could just be some dry skin that is making him itchy?

 

[JBun]

If it looks like dandruff, he could have fur mites. Fur mites won't necessarily cause scabs or crusty skin, just dandruff and fur loss.

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Skin_diseases/Parasitic/furmite/fur_mite.htm
If it looks more like dirt or dust, could he have gotten into anything causing the dirty fur? Just to be safe, I would recommend doing a thorough check through his fur and skin. Especially around the butt and genitals, and under the chin.

 

[lynne2809]

If it looks like dandruff, he could have fur mites. Fur mites won't necessarily cause scabs or crusty skin, just dandruff and fur loss.

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Skin_diseases/Parasitic/furmite/fur_mite.htm
If it looks more like dirt or dust, could he have gotten into anything causing the dirty fur? Just to be safe, I would recommend doing a thorough check through his fur and skin. Especially around the butt and genitals, and under the chin.

He does have free roam of my room, so maybe it could just be some dust from the environment. I checked his bottom area and couldn’t see anything that looked like maggots and I can’t see any visible mites on his skin. I assume if it were fly strike, I would be seeing other signs and it wouldn’t look like a dusty material in his fur? Is fly strike relatively rare in indoor only rabbits? If it is fur mites, is the prognosis good or is it an emergency? Can it be fatal?

 

[lynne2809]

If it looks like dandruff, he could have fur mites. Fur mites won't necessarily cause scabs or crusty skin, just dandruff and fur loss.

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Skin_diseases/Parasitic/furmite/fur_mite.htm
If it looks more like dirt or dust, could he have gotten into anything causing the dirty fur? Just to be safe, I would recommend doing a thorough check through his fur and skin. Especially around the butt and genitals, and under the chin.

He is scratching his ears a bit more tonight, but he seems completely normal otherwise. Do you recommend that I take him to the vet or just continue to keep an eye on him? Are fur mites dangerous?

 

[JBun]

Mites aren't really visible except under microscope. So if your bun is having dandruff and losing fur, fur mites are a good possibility. Fur mites will be uncomfortable and cause itching and fur loss, but shouldn't be initially harmful unless it gets to be a more severe case. So if you aren't sure it could be this at this point, you could wait and see if that's what you want to do. But definitely if it worsens, I would recommend getting it checked by a knowledgeable rabbit vet.

With flystrike, there will be some sort of open wound, though this can be hidden under the fur if a careful examination isn't done. Flystrike is maggots getting into the skin, so completely different than dandruffy skin. Outdoor rabbits will be more at risk, but it can still occur with indoor rabbits, in warm weather when flies are present. The rabbits at highest risk are ones that have damp fur, such as from a urine soaked bum or consistently wet chin, mushy poop stuck in the fur, and/or if there is an open wound on the skin. Rabbits with clean dry fur and no wounds, are at very minimal risk, particularly when indoors.

Unlike with fur mites, flystrike is an immediate emergency. If swift quick action isn't taken, chances are a rabbit won't survive. That's how quickly it can progress. Usually the initial signs may be some restlessness and may show irritation at the spot on their skin. Then it can progress to lethargy and weakness, then paralysis. In a matter of hours it can become fatal. So prompt action is always necessary.

https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Flystrike
To me, the dusty fur would point more to either dirt in the fur or fur mites. But if you aren't sure and are still concerned, it's always best to consult with a knowledgeable rabbit vet.

https://rabbit.org/vet-listings/

 

[lynne2809]

Mites aren't really visible except under microscope. So if your bun is having dandruff and losing fur, fur mites are a good possibility. Fur mites will be uncomfortable and cause itching and fur loss, but shouldn't be initially harmful unless it gets to be a more severe case. So if you aren't sure it could be this at this point, you could wait and see if that's what you want to do. But definitely if it worsens, I would recommend getting it checked by a knowledgeable rabbit vet.

With flystrike, there will be some sort of open wound, though this can be hidden under the fur if a careful examination isn't done. Flystrike is maggots getting into the skin, so completely different than dandruffy skin. Outdoor rabbits will be more at risk, but it can still occur with indoor rabbits, in warm weather when flies are present. The rabbits at highest risk are ones that have damp fur, such as from a urine soaked bum or consistently wet chin, mushy poop stuck in the fur, and/or if there is an open wound on the skin. Rabbits with clean dry fur and no wounds, are at very minimal risk, particularly when indoors.

Unlike with fur mites, flystrike is an immediate emergency. If swift quick action isn't taken, chances are a rabbit won't survive. That's how quickly it can progress. Usually the initial signs may be some restlessness and may show irritation at the spot on their skin. Then it can progress to lethargy and weakness, then paralysis. In a matter of hours it can become fatal. So prompt action is always necessary.

https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Flystrike
To me, the dusty fur would point more to either dirt in the fur or fur mites. But if you aren't sure and are still concerned, it's always best to consult with a knowledgeable rabbit vet.

https://rabbit.org/vet-listings/

Thank you so much. I checked him over last night and couldn’t see anything that would indicate that he may have flystrike. He does have some flaky skin on his ears and he has been scratching him with his back feet, but he is completely fine otherwise. I’m going to vacuum out the room that he is in today and wash all of his bedding and contact his vet about scheduling an appointment to have him checked for mites. Thank you so much!