spreading crusty masses on rabbits skin

[sarahk]

hi! i've had my rabbit for 4 years now, and around 3 years ago we noticed some crusty mass spreading in her ears and took her to the vet to get it checked out. The vet was horrible and told us to google whatever he said, and said the problem wasn't treatable. He then prescribed us some medicine that couldn't even be bought in Canada, so of course my mom is reluctant to go to another vet since we are seriously short on money. Anyways, the past 2 years after that the weird crusty mass spread from her ears down to her genital area, and recently has appeared on her stomach and back of her neck. I've tried looking up everything, but I can't seem to find anything that looks like this. Shes obviously uncomfortable, and instead of using her litter box shes been pooping everywhere and also shedding constantly but there isn't any balding. Any suggestions? ;/ I'm sorry the photos aren't great, she really doesn't like being touched anywhere near the areas. I feel like a horrible pet owner, but i don't know what to do.
i couldn't get a picture of her genitals as there is to much poop around the area, no matter how often we clean it a mass keeps building up and i don't want to over stress her by bathing her.

 

[JBun]

Your rabbit has ear mites, also known as ear canker, which has now spread to other parts of her body due to the vet not diagnosing and treating your rabbits problem correctly originally. It is easily treatable with ivermectin or Revolution/Stronghold(selamectin). I'm not sure of their availability in Canada, but here in the US ivermectin is available otc at most farm stores or online as a injectable cattle wormer(eg. Ivomec), which can be administered orally instead of injected, using an oral 1ml/cc syringe(no needle). Revolution/Stronghold is a prescription med here, so would require seeing a vet to get it. Dosage for treating ear mites with ivermectin is 0.4mg/kg, once every 14 days for at least 3 treatments, though a severe case may require more than 3 treatments. Dosing for Revolution is 18mg/kg applied topically, usually one treatment is enough, but severe cases may require retreatment. It's very important the correct dose is calculated for either med as overdose can have severe consequences, especially the ivermectin as such a small amount is needed. If you read through the articles in these following links, they describe the disease(with pictures) as well as the appropriate treatment and dosages needed.
http://medirabbit.com/EN/Skin_diseases/Parasitic/earmite/Psoroptes.htm
http://wildpro.twycrosszoo.org/S/00dis/Parasitic/Psoroptes_Inf.htm

Be aware that due to the length of time this has gone untreated, a secondary bacterial ear infection may be possible, which would need the appropriate rabbit safe antibiotic to treat, which a rabbit savvy vet should prescribe if it is needed. Permanent damage to the rabbits ears and/or hearing could also have occurred.

The poop problem may be unrelated to the ear mite issue. It usually has to do with the rabbit not ingesting its cectropes as normal, either due to it being uncomfortable for the rabbit to reach down to it's bottom to eat them(which could be due to the mite issue and which would resolve once the mites are properly treated), or it can be due to the rabbits diet, usually from an excess of pellets and/or treats in the rabbits diet, and not enough roughage from hay. Could you describe your rabbits diet and if your rabbit is at a healthy weight, as well as how long this poop issue has been going on and if there were any dietary changes when it started happening? It really is important to get your rabbits bottom cleaned up as much as possible. With the warm weather and flies being around, a rabbit having a poopy bum is at very high risk of getting fly strike which can be very dangerous to rabbits, and can prove deadly in a matter of hours if it occurs. If you can find a rabbit savvy vet, they can help clip your rabbits bottom to help it stay cleaner until you are able to get the poop issue resolved. It is also important to check your rabbit over very thoroughly several times a day while this poopy bum issue is unresolved, to check for fly eggs and/or maggots.
http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Skin_diseases/Parasitic/Myiasis/Miyasis_fly.htm

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

 

[Aki]

:yeahthat:
Seriously, what kind of dumb vet can't recognize mites? It's not as if it were a strictly rabbit related problems... that poor bunny, it's a very treatable problem but the longer you wait the harder it is and the more consequences there might be. She could have died! Ivermectin is often the treatment chosen, but be careful, treatments don't kill the eggs and the 'new generation' of mites can become resistant to the treatment so follow the instructions very carefully. Also, you need to desinfect and wash the whole environment very thoroughly to get rid of the parasits (think of it like having mange in your house - get rid of the fabric your rabbit is in contact with, like cushions, and go with vaccuum cleaner, hot water and bleach on anything else)

 

[majorv]

You said there isn't any balding? Typically, as ear mites spread you will have crusty scabs, dandruff and balding in the area. Did the vet take a hair sample from the affected area and look at it through a microscope? Mites are too small to see otherwise.
My thought was your rabbit possibly has vent disease. Even though it typically starts in the genital area it can start elsewhere.

 

[Aki]

I thought about it too, but from the cases I've seen, syphilis marks look more like wounds. They don't have the white flaky aspect the first photo has. Besides, I might be wrong but from what I know syphilis starts in the genital area, or next to the nose, mouth or the eyes (next to a mucuous membrane). It's true that to ascertain it's mites, you should take a sample and look at it under a microscope. The best would of course to find a good vet and to have them check. But if it's not possible, something has to be done. That poor bunny is in a horrible state, she can't be left like that :/

 

[sarahk]

Hi, I came across this and thought I would update everyone!
We did get her mites treated about 2 years ago and she has been doing great since on her minimal weight loss diet and she’s a little chunky and has some bladder issues. But luckily with lots of cleaning the mites did resolve and she’s going great as a senior girl.