Missing Fur On Ears
Some rabbits just genetically have poorly furred ears. Others go through stages when the ears are not well-furred. If your rabbit normally has well furred ears and is missing some, check for these signs of problems:
- head-shaking
- dander
- crustiness in the ear
- a neighbor that licks his lips every time that ear gets near the cage wall
Try to breed this rabbit with one that has better fur covering on the ears if the problem is pronounced.
Missing Fur Under The Chin
Fur may be missing for one of these reasons:
- excessive chinning
- abscess of the scent glands
- moist dermitis (especially in does with excessive dewlaps)
- ringworm
- rough feeders
Abscesses often need to be lanced and/or treated with antibiotics (check with your vet).
For moist dermitis, I would use a water bottle placed higher than usual and place a purple wound powder, made for horses, on the affected area.
Check out your feeders for sharp or rough edges. Plastic feeders, too, can start ripping out fur once the rabbit has chewed the edge into a rough pattern.
Missing Fur Over Shoulders
Although fur missing over the shoulders could be barbering by a neighbor or the start of a molt, chances are that if you blow into the poorly furred area, you will see dander, the telltale sign of fur mites.
Authorities seem to disagree about how to treat fur mites. I use ivermectin and it works for me.
Stripe Down The Back
Occasionally I'll have a rabbit look as though I took a razor and removed a strip of fur from neck to tail. Sometimes it is down the middle. Sometimes it is to one side. As bizzare as it looks, it's just the start of a molt. I love this sort of molt because, in my experience, the molt goes very fast. It's also amusing to watch.
Missing Fur Between The Eyes
Blame the neighbors for this one. The missing fur is most likely caused by barbering. You can add a layer of hardware cloth to the cage wall to keep teeth on the correct side of the cage wall.
Missing Fur On Footpads
Missing fur on footpads is just one step away from sore hocks, in my opinion. It amazes me how many rabbits have worn fur on their feet that come across the show table. Keep an eye on those feet and treat for missing fur so that you don't have to treat for sore hocks. You can improvise a resting board from wood or other smooth surfaces. Or you can purchase pre-made resting pads that allow waste to drop through.
When you think about all of the things that can happen to fur in addtion to normal molting, it can really make one appreciate a great fur even more.
Laurie
¶ 11:32 AM
I would just like to re-affirm that Ivermectin is the ONLY effective drug to treat fur mites here in Malaysia also. We cannot use FL because it is known to have side effects on rabbits.
TLR
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