Rabbit Hair Loss

Re: Rabbit Hair Loss

Gerbil — Thu, 01 Aug 2013 11:43:03 GMT

I have seen hyper salivation associated with renal disease in rabbits. That is my point :-)

Re: Rabbit Hair Loss

Marie Kubiak — Thu, 01 Aug 2013 08:48:21 GMT

I'm not sure I follow (I think my age is starting to catch up with me!). Are you suspecting renal disease based on hypersalivation? Uraemic ulceration/nausea doesn't tend to occur in rabbits due to low protein diet and a caecum full of bacteria very happy to metabolise urea so azotaemia is very unusual and rabbit renal disease doesn't present in the same way as cats. Or are you saying that you routinely screen every patient before NSAIDs? Or am I completely missing the point?

Marie

Re: Rabbit Hair Loss

Gerbil — Wed, 31 Jul 2013 21:42:09 GMT

I wouldn't hit the NSAIDs until you had some bloods to check renal function in a hyper salivating rabbit that was still eating. Also I would wonder if this rabbit was a bit immunocompramised whether there may be some fungal or ectoparasitic involvement so a fungal culture wouldn't hurt. A proper dental exam Uga with X-rays if the bloods are normal would be a good idea.

Re: Rabbit Hair Loss

Marie Kubiak — Wed, 31 Jul 2013 18:37:31 GMT

As above - sometimes when there is a spur present they appear temporarily more comfortable when it stops just rubbing against the mucosa and starts growing into the deeper tissue. Hopefully it will have been a temporary oral lesion following focal trauma from a food item but this is unusual so be prepared for developing signs of dental disease!

If the rabbit is 100% fine in all other ways with close attention to food intake, food types selected and faecal output then just keeping the area clean and dry may resolve the skin issue over time. Often hair regrowth is patchy with melanosis of skin then darker fur coming through first.

Putting creams on often encourages increased grooming intensity. I would be tempted to use oral NSAIDs to reduce the stimulus for grooming over a sensitised area. Systemic antibiotics (usually good old baytril!) are justified if dermatitis progresses.

Also make sure that it isn't being overgroomed by a companion. If this is a female entire rabbit then pseudopregnancy may play a role in overgrooming.

Marie

Re: Rabbit Hair Loss

CatherineThomas — Wed, 31 Jul 2013 18:26:08 GMT

You could try using healx soother cream but I would want to be doing some x-rays and blood samples to find out if there is an underlying problem. I also wouldn't rule out dental disease without a full oral examination under ga and dental x-rays.