Something not right with Benjamin

[Maureen Las]

Keep it up Benjamin you're getting well!!!!

 

[RebeccaUK]

Thanks guys. I'm taking Benjamin tothe vets this afternoon for a check on the bald spot, it's definitelygetting bigger and looking a bit 'crusty'. He is very grumpybunny lately so I need to find out what the matter is. I wishthey could just tell us what's up with them!!!:?

 

[LuvaBun]

ray:for Benjamin. Let us know how he gets on this afternoon.

Jan

 

[RebeccaUK]

Here's the update on Benjamin - sorry for the delay in getting online - have had a connection problem.

The vet did all sorts of tests on the bald patch, skin scrapes andfeeling under Benjamin's skin, he tested the skin and fur under themicroscope and told me there were no parasites present.

As far as the vet could see the fur was now beginning to grow back andhe decided that it was actually Twinkle (Benjamin's bonded partner) whohas over-groomed Benjamin and created a large linear bald patch!!! Iwas very shocked as I have heard of this happening before but the sizeof the patch seemed so enormous. The vet actually concluded that ratherthan just grooming the patch of fur Twinkle may have eaten it as thisis a trait also found in sheep - they will occasionally eat oneanother's fur.

The vet did a check-over on Twinkle to ensure she was experiencing noill-effects from ingesting that amount of hair but she has been finethroughout Benjamin's whole ordeal!!!

I enquired why this may have happened at all as I had read that bondedrabbits may overgroom due to boredom but I doubt boredom is somethingmy rabbits suffer as they have a stimulating hutch and run envionmentand have free run of the house regularly - the vet said that boredomwas probably not the issue and Twinkle had probably just got carriedaway one day!!!

So phew!! Thank goodness my baby is well!!! I'm so pleased!

 

[Maureen Las]

One of my bunnies had an odd powdery whitesubstance on different places on his body...at first the vet scrapedsome of the matter and looked at it under the microscope but then shecultured some of it and the results didn't come back for weeks. Shethought it might ringworm but the culture didn'tgrow anything...that with a few other things she did was my 400.00dollar visit. I hope the baLd spot is over-grooming....I have seen baldspots and sores on shelter bunnies that were constantly mounted byanother bunny (When they first came to us) and were caged together. Ihope the fur grows back OK and Benjamin gets back to his old self

 

[LuvaBun]

That's a relief! Thank goodness it was just Twinkle being over-zealous! Maybe Benjamin just tasted yummy !

Jan

 

[RebeccaUK]

Well, I did consider whether there may have beenan attack or whether she might have mounted him but I just cannot seeit. Twinkle is the recessive one in the relationship and Ihave never seen her mount or act agressively to Benjamin at allalthough she is guilty of spending every spare minute she has groominghim somewhere and asking to be groomed by him (With the head under hischin method). Had it been the other way round and the baldspot been on twinkle I would have been much more suspicious, as Imentioned Benjamin is generally a grumpy bunny and although he doesn'tattack Twinkle he very often gets agressive with my hands.

I'm just thankful that's all it is and I'm glad to say that a week on it's growing back very nicely.

 

[Maureen Las]

I'm glad Benjaminis doing better! and grows that hair back soon