Bunny moisturiser recommendations?

[AshAndMaple]

Hey, I'm wondering if anyone has recommendations for dry skin treatments for bunnies?

For context, my two bunnies are recovering from mites, and I'm pretty sure the treatment has been successful because I don't react when I pet them anymore. I think the combination of the damage the mites did and the treatment spray has damaged their skin, and they both have dry red skin with huge dead skin flakes peeling off (definitely skin and not mites). I'm wondering what I can do to help them heal faster - is there anything I can incorporate into their diet that would help too?

Thanks!

 

[Moonshadow]

I don't know anything about moisturizers but have you looked into buying a humidifier for the room they're in? It might help combat the dryness at least a little

 

[AshAndMaple]

I don't know anything about moisturizers but have you looked into buying a humidifier for the room they're in? It might help combat the dryness at least a little

I hadn't thought about that... but I am in a Victorian building in a South-facing flat, so depending on if the sun is out, it goes from hot to cold really quickly so I don't know if it's a good idea for there to be more moisture in the air if it's cold?

 

[JBun]

If the skin is normal and pink, the dry dead skin should fall off normally without needing moisturizer, and leave healthy skin underneath where the fur will regrow naturally. But only if the mites have been properly treated so that reinfestation doesn't occur.

If the skin isn't normal and pink but is red and irritated, your rabbit is likely having a dermal reaction to the insecticide spray. In which case it needs to be stopped immediately if you haven't already. You will need to contact a knowledgeable rabbit vet for advice as to how to safely remove any remaining insecticide residue and what to do for the red irritated skin. Or you may need to take your rabbit in to have the spray safely cleaned off and your rabbit receive any needed treatment for the dermal reaction.

• Dermal irritation:
  • Initially mildly reddened area at site of application.
  • May progress to severe lesions with redness, weeping open sores and local fur loss of varying degrees.

https://www.vetlexicon.com/treat/la...t in more,induce oxidative stress in rabbits.
This is one of the main reasons why sprays like this aren't usually recommended for use in treating mites on rabbits, regardless of what the bottle says, and why @Diane R recommended in your other thread, that you contact an experienced rabbit vet for advice and proper mite treatment. Permethrin can also sometimes lead to toxicity in rabbits, so another important reason it's not usually recommended. The mite treatment normally recommended for rabbits is either ivermectin or Revolution/Stronghold (selamectin; safer for BEW, dutch, and vienna carrier rabbits).

https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Mites
If the vet you saw didn't recommend doing one of the usual safer mite treatments for rabbits, like Revolution/Stronghold(selamectin) or ivermectin(eg. injectable, Xeno 450), then I would suggest finding a more experienced rabbit vet to take your rabbit to.

https://rabbitwelfare.co.uk/rabbit-...abbit-friendly-vets/rabbit-friendly-vet-list/

 

[AshAndMaple]

If the skin is normal and pink, the dry dead skin should fall off normally without needing moisturizer, and leave healthy skin underneath where the fur will regrow naturally. But only if the mites have been properly treated so that reinfestation doesn't occur.

If the skin isn't normal and pink but is red and irritated, your rabbit is likely having a dermal reaction to the insecticide spray. In which case it needs to be stopped immediately if you haven't already. You will need to contact a knowledgeable rabbit vet for advice as to how to safely remove any remaining insecticide residue and what to do for the red irritated skin. Or you may need to take your rabbit in to have the spray safely cleaned off and your rabbit receive any needed treatment for the dermal reaction.

• Dermal irritation:
  • Initially mildly reddened area at site of application.
  • May progress to severe lesions with redness, weeping open sores and local fur loss of varying degrees.

https://www.vetlexicon.com/treat/la...t in more,induce oxidative stress in rabbits.
This is one of the main reasons why sprays like this aren't usually recommended for use in treating mites on rabbits, regardless of what the bottle says, and why @Diane R recommended in your other thread, that you contact an experienced rabbit vet for advice and proper mite treatment. Permethrin can also sometimes lead to toxicity in rabbits, so another important reason it's not usually recommended. The mite treatment normally recommended for rabbits is either ivermectin or Revolution/Stronghold (selamectin; safer for BEW, dutch, and vienna carrier rabbits).

https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Mites
If the vet you saw didn't recommend doing one of the usual safer mite treatments for rabbits, like Revolution/Stronghold(selamectin) or ivermectin(eg. injectable, Xeno 450), then I would suggest finding a more experienced rabbit vet to take your rabbit to.

https://rabbitwelfare.co.uk/rabbit-...abbit-friendly-vets/rabbit-friendly-vet-list/

Hi,

Thanks for your reply and all the information you've attached.

I do understand the concern around permethrin. However, the product I used contains a very small percentage of the medication and is fully licensed for rabbits. I've undertaken my own research, and from what I've found it seems there is a general consensus that permethrin is a very effective treatment, and that there is a low risk that rabbits will react to it - but I can see that people think there are other products that may be safer because more research has gone into them. Obviously I want the best for my bunnies, so I do really appreciate the information, and in the future I'll consider other medications.

It seems that my boy has massively improved, and his skin is clearing up. But I feel awful for my girl because her skin looks horrendous. I suspect it's due to her itching it with her teeth and her back legs. She had a scab on her ear previously which has now healed that I know was from her itching. The treatment spray is only to be used once every 7 days, and then you monitor them for 30mins afterwards and I made sure they didn't ingest it before brushing them. The boy has had two treatments and the girl has had one treatment. They're due the next one tomorrow if it hasn't cleared up - but the boy doesn't need any more, and I'm not giving it to the girl (Maple) while her skin is broken.

Maple was fine a couple of days ago, so it doesn't seem like this is a direct result of the treatment I gave her 7 days ago, but I am wary that it could be an allergic reaction. I've attached a video and photo of Maple's skin.
View attachment PXL_20221102_144146523.mp4


I'm going to keep an eye on it for a couple of days and see if it improves by itself, if not I'll take her to the vet. The vet I saw is a registered specialist rabbit vet who did recommend using the spray, but I could take her to a different vet. I have been recommended a different vet surgery by friends, but I don't know anyone in my town who has rabbits. The shelter I adopted them from isn't in my town, but the owner is an extremely experienced zoologist so I could ask him next time I see him.

Maple has no other symptoms, she's as lively and cheeky as ever.

 

[AshAndMaple]

Hi,

Thanks for your reply and all the information you've attached.

I do understand the concern around permethrin. However, the product I used contains a very small percentage of the medication and is fully licensed for rabbits. I've undertaken my own research, and from what I've found it seems there is a general consensus that permethrin is a very effective treatment, and that there is a low risk that rabbits will react to it - but I can see that people think there are other products that may be safer because more research has gone into them. Obviously I want the best for my bunnies, so I do really appreciate the information, and in the future I'll consider other medications.

It seems that my boy has massively improved, and his skin is clearing up. But I feel awful for my girl because her skin looks horrendous. I suspect it's due to her itching it with her teeth and her back legs. She had a scab on her ear previously which has now healed that I know was from her itching. The treatment spray is only to be used once every 7 days, and then you monitor them for 30mins afterwards and I made sure they didn't ingest it before brushing them. The boy has had two treatments and the girl has had one treatment. They're due the next one tomorrow if it hasn't cleared up - but the boy doesn't need any more, and I'm not giving it to the girl (Maple) while her skin is broken.

Maple was fine a couple of days ago, so it doesn't seem like this is a direct result of the treatment I gave her 7 days ago, but I am wary that it could be an allergic reaction. I've attached a video and photo of Maple's skin.
View attachment 62842

View attachment 62843
I'm going to keep an eye on it for a couple of days and see if it improves by itself, if not I'll take her to the vet. The vet I saw is a registered specialist rabbit vet who did recommend using the spray, but I could take her to a different vet. I have been recommended a different vet surgery by friends, but I don't know anyone in my town who has rabbits. The shelter I adopted them from isn't in my town, but the owner is an extremely experienced zoologist so I could ask him next time I see him.

Maple has no other symptoms, she's as lively and cheeky as ever.

Also if it was a reaction, I'd expect all of her skin to be affected, not just the patches where there were mites.