Rabbit Hairloss?

[kenna]

I was out playing with the rabbits today and Inoticed that Ben, on of my 2 year old Flemish Giant bucks, has a bigpatch of skin on his face. I looked up rabbit hairloss but Icouldn't find anything that really fit it. It just looksshaved, really. There is no scabbiness/crustiness, noredness, he's not itching it, it doesn't look sore at all.Any clue on what it could be? I read that sometimes they moltout clumps of hair and it just grows back normally, but would he shedout that big of a lump? Plus he's mostly done molting, so idon't know if that's it.

It's not bothering him and I'll keep an eye on it -- just wondering ifanyone had an idea of what it could be and if i'm just stupid orsomething haha.

Pics:

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h44/kennagothanged/Flemish/IMG_5753.jpg
(I promise he's not dead xD)

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h44/kennagothanged/Flemish/IMG_5758.jpg

 

[bunnydude]

That's really strange:?. Can you call a vet anddescribe the problem? They could probably tell you whether or not heneeds to be seen.

 

[pamnock]

It's not a molted patch. Aslong as there does not appear to be an infected lump under the skin, Idon't think it requires a vet visit unless it begins to spread orbecome infected.

It looks like hair loss from the area being wet (wet dermatitis - oftenfrom a water bottle or crock). This can sometimes lead to abacterial or fungal infection. The condition is most commonin older does, but I've seen it in either sex at any age and have alsoseen it on other parts of the body (we had a mini rex doe that sat upagainst her water bottle and lost all the hair on her rump from thearea being wet all the time). Wet grasses and wet foods mayalso cause the condition as well as drooling from a dental infection.

Is the hair beginning to grow back? If not, I'd apply a smallamount of antibacterial ointment for a couple days. If hairdoesn't start to grow back, put a little human fungal foot powder onthe area.

If the hair does not start to grow back within a couple weeks, or thepatch begins to spread, it's time to seek the advice of the vet (somefungal infections can be stubborn).

Pam

 

[kenna]

Oooh, thanks so much. That's probablythe cause, as everytime I go into the shed he's gotten his face wetfrom the water crock. I'll apply some ointment then and keepan eye on it, and maybe get him a bottle instead of the crock.

Thanks both of you for the help