Bald shoulders? (a question about Mini Rex's and molting)

[m.e.]

Bunnicula wrote:

Poor Rex. Is that balding pattern what you'd call a "receding hare line?"

:laughsmiley:

It does seem as though the fur loss has stopped. The one upsideto this whole thing: it gave me a reason to completely scrub down my bedroom. It's just...so....clean now :biggrin2:

Oh, and Rex has a new theme song, thanks to Veggie Tales and my friend Rebecca:

I'm a bald bunny,
ain't got no fur
I'm a bald bunny,
brrr brrr brrr.
I'm a bald bunny,
looking kinda silly
I'm a bald bunny,
feeling really chilly!Bald, Bald,
Bunny, Bunny
Look over there bunny!
Hair over there bunny!
What fur? That fur!
There's some fur
bald bunny!I'm a bald bunny,
ain't got no fur
I'm a bald bunny,
brrr brrr brrr.
I'm a bald bunny,
looking kinda silly
I'm a bald bunny,
feeling really chilly!

:halo

 

[Gabby]

my bun Gypsy(over sized holland lop) molts in very weird patterens, and she does it every molt, I was concerned first time she did it, but have come to discover it's just her. she gets bald down the back, on her belly under her arms and that's how she starts her molting pattern every year so far for 3 years.

As to the mites being transfurable, they are zoonotic, which means they are transfurable between species, they are transfured through direct contact, and do not live long off of a host body. they can be transfured to cats, dogs, even people. though people are not a good host for them they can live for a short while on a human.

We use revolution for treatment of Cheyletiella mite (fur mite)It is also known as walking dundruff due to skin scales being carried by the mites.

Cheyletiellosis is a mild dermatitis caused by mites

We've actually seen several cases of it recently ourselves on several different types of species. Plus My most recent rescue had it when she was found.

some times you only see them if you pull some hairs that have some flakes on them and look under the scope, since they are more into the fur area, bald skin scrapping is less likely to show them unless there are flakes present.

good luck

 

[aurora369]

Since the thread has gone from molting to mites/fungus, I've moved it over to the infirmary.

I hope Rex gets better soon. Is he cold at all with all that missing fur?

--Dawn

 

[Bo B Bunny]

Gabby wrote:

she gets bald down the back, on her belly under her arms and that's how she starts her molting pattern every year so far for 3 years.

My kids say "THEY DON't HAVE ARMS MOM!!!" if I refer to front legs as arms on any animal......

 

[Gabby]

Bo B Bunny wrote:

Gabby wrote:

she gets bald down the back, on her belly under her arms and that's how she starts her molting pattern every year so far for 3 years.

My kids say "THEY DON't HAVE ARMS MOM!!!" if I refer to front legs as arms on any animal......

I'll tell you something funny, the 2 vets who own the clinic(husband and wife) She'llcall the front legs arms, and her husband has to say arms? don't you mean legs?.. picky picky picky LOL

 

[m.e.]

aurora369 wrote:

I hope Rex gets better soon. Is he cold at all with all that missing fur?

That's a good question. I can't tell if he's cold, but when I check his skin, it's not chilled. And he's stretching out to sleep, which he never does when it's truly chilly. We don't have central heating and my room can definitely get nippy (even with the backwoods-y wool blanket hanging over my windows ) But we've had a week of unseasonably high temperatures, so I think Rex has been fortunate in that regard.

I just hope it doesn't take too long for his fur to grow back. Poor guy :?

 

[m.e.]

Gabby wrote:

As to the mites being transfurable, they are zoonotic, which means they are transfurable between species, they are transfured through direct contact, and do not live long off of a host body. they can be transfured to cats, dogs, even people. though people are not a good host for them they can live for a short while on a human.

Yes, we've definitely taken every precaution. The cats were all treated with Frontline, and they were already taking Feline Heartgard (which is Ivermectin), so that's a plus. All of the bedding was washed with hot water and a little bleach, and the even the carpet was scrubbed. Rex's kingdom is sparkly clean :biggrin2:

I did notice some temporary itchiness while handling Rex at his vet appointment. I don't know if it was the mites, or if it was just psychological :hiding:

 

[Maureen Las]

I just read through this and was wondering how rabbits could get mites if the cats and rabbits are both indoors.
I have only dealt with mites at the shelter with strays and surrenders . I thought that mites had to be brought in some way from outside???

Rex probably doesn't have them but am I correct that they have to be carried in some way?
Oh and that was a very good and cute poem m.e.

 

[Spring]

I think it can be brought in by hay.

 

[Maureen Las]

:shock:OMG

 

[Spring]

I'm not totally sure though, so might want to wait for more answers. It's something I've heard of, but you never know if it's from a reliable source, but that's a way I've heard about.

 

[Maureen Las]

I wouldn't even bother to ask because it makes so much sense..particularly someone like me who buys 50 lbs. boxes.

 

[m.e.]

angieluv wrote:

I just read through this and was wondering how rabbits could get mites if the cats and rabbits are both indoors.

You raise a very good question. Rex has mites now, but we bought the hay over six months ago and it's being stored inside (the pet's cool, dry supply closet). The cats are never, ever outside. The rabbits were/are never, ever outside. We haven't had any contact with other's pets or stray animals. It's a real conundrum :?

 

[Maureen Las]

Do you buy the hay in bulk?

I have had a few moths from a shipment of oxbow

 

[m.e.]

Yeah, we buy it in bulk from "Farmer Dave" on eBay.

Like the vet said, the mites could have been around for awhile, but only caused a problem once Rex was going through a molt (which can be stressful on the body). But if he had them all the way back in September, then why wasn't Peanut affected, when she was clearly very ill and very susceptable? I really don't know :dunno

And we're still running on the assumption that these are, in fact, mites. I'm 99.9% sure that the problem has been arrested, but being a worried mom, I'll feel a lot more confident when his fur actually starts to grow back.

 

[m.e.]

m.e. wrote:

And we're still running on the assumption that these are, in fact, mites. I'm 99.9% sure that the problem has been arrested, but being a worried mom, I'll feel a lot more confident when his fur actually starts to grow back.

And speak o' the devil, it is! Rex now has a layer of fur growing over the huge bald area on his side :bunnydance: It's so short it feels like fine velvet, but it's definitely growing :yes:

Unfortunately, while he's stopped completely balding, he's still shedding a lot. It's almost as if he were molting again. Oy :?

 

[Bo B Bunny]

If it wasn't really mites, he might go ahead and molt out.....

 

[m.e.]

partially x-posted from the pets' blog:

I only wish that I had a camera handy to show you the, er, progress that’s been made with Rex’s fur. But I suppose sharing another humiliating photo with the world might just be too much for the little guy.

The good: he’sno longer nekkid.

The bad: he’s still losing fur.

The ugly: try to imaginepatches of very short, newfur interspersed with the much longer originalfur now coming out in tufts, and mottled with a few remaining bald spots.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Rex had his re-check with the vet today; this time he saw Dr. G, head honcho and premier bunny vet. Dr. G examined his fur, his patches of bald, wrinkly skin, and just said Hmmmmm... In addition to looking like he lost a fight with the lawn mower, Rex's skin is flakey. Very, VERY flakey. As in, he-doesn't-quite-look-like-a-black-rabbit flakey. It's rather disconcerting.

Dr. G did several skin scrapes and plucked some fur. After examining the samples, he said there still weren't any mites evident, but recommended the second Ivermectin injection just as a precaution. He also sent away some samples for a fungal culture; we won't know the results for another four weeks :?

While this could just be an extraordinarily strange molt, the vet feels that we should be proactive. "Normally I wouldn't be too paranoid," he said, gently covering Rex's ears and lowering his voice. "But Rex is getting to that age where it's good to be a little paranoid." That age, indeed. Rex has white wiskers on his nose and white fur growing on his ears. My boy is getting old :sigh:


Dr. G *also* put Rex on ten days of antibiotics. I'm generally very wary of diagnosing them without a specific cause, but he really is an extremely knowledgeable vet, and I have never had reason to second-guess him. I dunno...

I'm just glad that Rex is still a very happy, very relaxed little bunny, and hopefully things will continue to clear up.

 

[Bo B Bunny]

I'm betting on a very strange molt. Bo's finally coming out of his.

Now, in another thread about birdseed, we are discussing black oil sunflower seed. BlueGiants mentioned that someone was giving their mini-rex a couple of them every other day to help with dry skin and fur.

I wonder if that might help Mr. Rexster?

 

[m.e.]

Bo B Bunny wrote:

I'm betting on a very strange molt. Bo's finally coming out of his.

Now, in another thread about birdseed, we are discussing black oil sunflower seed. BlueGiants mentioned that someone was giving their mini-rex a couple of them every other day to help with dry skin and fur.

I wonder if that might help Mr. Rexster?

A very strange, very expensive molt if that's what it is

Rex has already been getting a small amount of flax seeds with his pellets; I don't suppose it could hurt to try some sunflower seeds too.