ear problem

[mrsmikeirish]

Location: Oklahoma

Description (Breed, color, weight)
Lope Ear and Rex mix Elbino
Age 2 months

Sex female

Concise Summary of the Rabbit's Condition:
Healthy with a lump in the left ear in the ear canal just above the head at the base of the ear. It has almost closed the ear canal. She does not seem to hurt when we touch it. The lump is gray.


ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / CHECK LIST: (Please fill in relevant info).


Diet

- what specifically does your bunny eat? Rabbit pellets, Alfalfa pellets mixed with cattle pellets
- when and what did s/he eat last? today, rabbit pellets
- any changes in the way s/he eats? (ie: not eating a particular food, odd chewing motions, etc)
No

 

[Maureen Las]

Could be an abscess or even a tumor ; but definitely needs a rabbit knowledgeble vet

 

[Maureen Las]

can you post a pic?

 

[naturestee]

Hi, does this look like smooth skin or is it different? There is a type of warts that rabbits can get that can become rather large. It could also be an abscess, although that is an odd location. A fibroma (non-cancerous tumor) is also possible, but again, an odd location.

I'd have a vet check it out to determine what it actually is. If it is blocking the ear canal, it should probably be removed.

 

[mrsmikeirish]

Thank you for all the replies and I will post a pic tomorrow. Right now it is time to get some sleep because we have to get up at 4 am and it is almost 10 pm.



Thanks again

 

[tonyshuman]

There are a few possibilities, like tumor, or papilloma. Rabbits are susceptible to the shope papilloma virus (led to the myth of the jackalope) and it is fairly common in the US. One of my bunnies has a small papilloma inside her ear. These usually aren't a problem unless it is cutting off something, and I would be concerned about an infection with what you describe on your bunny. Rabbit ears require good ventillation to stay infection-free. Papillomas are usually the same color as the skin, though, so what you're describing sounds a lot more like a skin tumor of some sort, either fibroma or sarcoma. We have had a few forum bunnies with sarcomas so it is not terribly uncommon.

Finally, is it possible that she got bitten there at some point, or had some injury there, and it got infected? Those usually are painful to the touch, but rabbits are notoriously stoic when it comes to pain tolerance. That would be an abscessed wound.