Fleas?

[Spring]

Hi everyone! In advance, I think I'm just being paranoid, but just want to double check.

Jasmine came from a shelter with lots of cats.. and the bunnies and cats often had contact with each other. She was also released in the wild in August for 2 weeks(according to the shelter).

She's doing great! Seems very healthy.. eyes clear, good weight, ears clean, dry nose, active, curious and seems to be very healthy! I did get a 3 day free vet check I ended up not using because I didn't want to stress her out anymore.

She is scratching her head/face area a bit.. not sure if it's a lot, or she's just keeping clean. I would say maybe a dozen times a day? Not continuously, maybe just the scratch at her ear/face now and again. I took a comb and back combed her fur, didn't find any flea dirt or anything. There was a few specks of something (could have been hay bits, couldn't really tell) on her face, but didn't find anything else. There's a tiny spot right on her nose, but I can't tell if it's a patch of missing fur or just a patch of dark fur.. it's tiny!

I have read about using advantage or revolution for kittens and that fleas are really easy to treat? I am just wondering what I can do if she does end up having them to disinfect my room and her cage so they wont come back. Also if she ends up having them, to treat the other guys too? They haven't been in contact with her, but I might have given it to them if they jumped on my clothes then jumped to the other bunnies.

Other than that, she's doing really well!

Thanks!

 

[Flashy]

We had fleas here, thanks to our cat.

We used stuff on them to get rid of the fleas on them, and then get a flea spray and did the whole house over a few times.

Try not to panic too much. I know that some people have said that when they use advantage they have not had to do anything to their house.

Have you had a close look at the areas where she is scratching when hse scratches? I found that if I caught the bun when it scratched I could more often than not, see the flea. I also found if I ran my hand over them backwards (like backwards stroking) then I would see them in they were there. They often run around the back,but they can be found in the neck creases and also in the backs of the knees (if rabbits have knees, lol).

flea combs did nothing for me, I just did it all myself, sat there and plucked them out. You can crush them between your nails, or they just jump off.

Someone (that might habe been Randy), said if you put listerine on a flannel and groom the bunny the fleas will jump right off (so you might want to do this outsside or in the bath), but before you do that it might be worth checking I have remembered that right

Hope that helps some.

 

[ra7751]

Hi Spring,

If you have access to Revolution....I think that is what I would use in this case. We also usually treat any rabbit that has been in the wild for worms and coccidia. Seems to be quite common in these guys. And I do use Listerine to get rid of fleas. Works quite well. All incoming cottontails, squirrels and opossums get the mouthwash. I use the basic nasty tasting orangeish-yellowish stuff. I saturate a wash cloth, towel or something similar and wipe them down. They are damp but not dripping. Fleas don't like Listerine for some reason. And you are so correct about transporting bugs on your clothes....and especially your shoes. I would at least consider treating everyone else just in case.

Randy

 

[Spring]

Thanks so much for your replies!

I have checked out her fur, and it seems clean to me apart from the few flecks I saw on her face that could have been hay bits. She's not shedding at all, and I back combed her and the comb came out clean, so I'm not sure. I wil see if I can catch her after she's scratched and then back comb her again to see. How often do bunnies that have fleas scratch?

Thanks for the Revolution tip, I think I've read before that's only by prescription from a vet? Would it hurther if she didn't have fleas? Would a vet be able tell before prescribing Revolution if she indeed had fleas or not? Does it have to be the yellow listerine, or would the blue scope work?

I might try the listerine. If after I groom her with it, and I don't see any fleas jumping off, do you think it would be alright to assume she's clean?If she licks the listerine off, will it hurt her?

 

[ra7751]

I would treat her anyway...think eggs. Revolution seems to be the absolute safest....in my non-professional opinion. Advantage has had some reports of problems. Ivermectin would work too. Revolution is available by prescription only and is a little pricey. Works against more than just fleas. As far as the Listerine....I wouldn't worry about them licking it off....don't soak them, just saturate the cloth. And I haven't seen a rabbit yet that even attempted to like themselves after being wiped down with Listerine. Usually they look kinda ticked off. But it works. And many rehabber use the Listerine....and I have never heard of anyone using anything other then yellow Listerine.

Randy

 

[BlueGiants]

We use the Listerine Mouthwash also. I usually cut it with 25% water and wipe them down with it. Fleas don't like it, Mites don't like it, and it's a great antiseptic. I'll even use it on rough patches of skin, minor irritations, and scrapes. They don't lick it off. (I dab it on with a cotton ball.)

Believe it or not, a real ol' timer told me about this years ago and I keep a bottle out in the barn in my rabbit medical chest.

 

[Spring]

Thanks! I will try the mouthwash.

I've been really bothered by the thought of having freaky creepy crawlies on the poor bunnies, so it's been a bother! Everyone seems fine, and I checked everyone over very thoroughly with a flashlightand didn't find anything, and when I did I put it on a wet cloth to see if it would turn reddy/brown if it was flea dirt. I took Jasmine on an old light sheet and rubbed my hands and ruffled her up all over(including cheeks, back of neck, and belly)to see if I would get any fleas or dirt off on the sheet, and nothing came off. She loved the attention!I managed to check her a few times right after she scratched, and didn't find anything.

I'm starting to think she might just be scratching for grooming, but I want to make sure. I was reading up on fleas and treatment, and it seems to be a real pain if left long enough for the fleas to go through the cycle of life, so I don't want to leave it.

She's in my room now, and seems quite happy there.Before I move her down with the other three once Bruno and Poppy bond, I might see if I can take her in just to make sure she's flea free and healthy.. or do you think I should take her in sooner and just give her a dose of Revolution just to be sure? I'm just worried about stressing her out so soon after bringing her home.

I've never dealt with fleas before, so it's worrying me a bit, especially about treating everyone and making their surroundings flea free.. ack!

 

[NZminilops]

I'm wondering, are there many other reasons for a rabbit to get itchy? Mites or skin allergies maybe?

Advantage and Revolution (here anyway) kill all stages of the flea cycle, not just the adult fleas but the larvae and eggs to when the pet sits on the carpet.

I'd be really surprised is an SPCA let an animal go with fleas, isn't that a bit unusual? You could maybe ask if they'd check her over for free.

Hope she and you are doing well today .

 

[Leaf]

NZminilops wrote:



I'd be really surprised is an SPCA let an animal go with fleas, isn't that a bit unusual? You could maybe ask if they'd check her over for free.
...



I know some of the animals we adopt out have fleas. If we have medication we treat for fleas, but with the revolving door of animals coming in and out at all times it's next to impossible to guarantee any animal will be flea free when they leave the pound.