Stopped in Petco yesterday (where our shelter bunnies live) and saw a bunny in the back room that was dropped off (as a give away). He was caged with a guinea pig (when brought in)and the owner said that he had eaten nothing but guinea pig pellets. I took the bunny out and looked him over..he is very thin and has lost most of his hair on lower part of body. We have a guinea pig with mange at the shelter so I know what mange looks like. The hair loss looks similar however the skin of the bunny is smooth and clean and he doesn't appear to be scratching. I can't afford to take this bunny home nor to the vet although Petco said they will be very picky about who getshim and will only adopt him out to someone willing to get him veterinary care. He is getting hay and rabbit pellets now and I will give him some greens when I go in the store. This bunny is either older or just tired from a horrible life. His eyes look "tired. " Petco knows me well as I am over there alot. They will let me help this bun as much as I want..what more can I do?
Hair loss in Petco give-away
- Thread starter Maureen Las
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naturestee
Well-Known Member
A topical mite treatment wouldn't hurt. Or could it have been urine scald?
If that was from eating only guinea pig pellets, those must have been some really worthless pellets. They should be somewhat similar to rabbit pellets but with some different nutrients levels.
If that was from eating only guinea pig pellets, those must have been some really worthless pellets. They should be somewhat similar to rabbit pellets but with some different nutrients levels.
I just read cottontails post about the thin rabbit so can do some of these things for this rabbit..any ideas about the hair loss
Angela we posted simultaneously. I can get some Revolution. I couldn't see anything in the hair like fleas or ticks but I know mites can be microscopic Thanks
Haley
Well-Known Member
Hi there!
Last year I noticed that one of my bunnies was losing hair in a strip down his back. Hes very healthy and an indoor bun, so I had no idea what was going on. The area wasnt red or bumpy or anything, just losing hair. I took him to the vet and they looked for lice/fleas/mites etc and couldnt find anything. The doctor said she thought it might be mites that just werent showing up on the tests. I bought some small animal spray to get rid of mites and sprayed him and his buddy down twice a day for about 2 weeks.
This worked, so it must have been mites. the Petco bun might have the same thing. I would just buy some spray and give it a try..it cant hurt.
Hope this helps
Haley
Last year I noticed that one of my bunnies was losing hair in a strip down his back. Hes very healthy and an indoor bun, so I had no idea what was going on. The area wasnt red or bumpy or anything, just losing hair. I took him to the vet and they looked for lice/fleas/mites etc and couldnt find anything. The doctor said she thought it might be mites that just werent showing up on the tests. I bought some small animal spray to get rid of mites and sprayed him and his buddy down twice a day for about 2 weeks.
This worked, so it must have been mites. the Petco bun might have the same thing. I would just buy some spray and give it a try..it cant hurt.
Hope this helps
Haley
BACI
Well-Known Member
Ditto!! I had a guinea pig that did the same thing lost all the hair in a certain area - not at all symptoms of the areas mites like and the area was not irritated but the spray helped so good luck and make sure they keep using it on a regular basis so it does not spread to other roomates. Man I wish our petco did adoptions via shelters - hope the idea spreads. Have you asked your shelter to allow you to foster bunnies at their cost. They pay for food vet bills and you foster. that would solve a lot of problems as well as the biting issue mentioned in another post.
JimD
Well-Known Member
A few days after we brought S'more home from the shelter the same thing happened. She had a few small spots that were missing fur, but we thought it might be due to transporting or handling issues. She lost almost all of the fur on the back half of her body within a week. The skin was smooth and no irritation was evident. She didn't even scratch at it. We took her to the vet thinking that it was mange or mites. The vet couldn't find anything wrong and advised us that it could be a heavy molt due to stress and poor nutriton.
A few weeks of TLC and some good food and you would have hardly recognized her for the bun in the shelter.
~Jim
A few weeks of TLC and some good food and you would have hardly recognized her for the bun in the shelter.
~Jim
The bunny from petco was adopted to someone that seemed responsible and caring and agreed to take her to the vet. I went in today with greens and planned to have them apply Revolution but he was gone so we have to believe that he has a good home now. I agree with everyone about mites on both guinea pigs and rabbbits..one guinea at the shelter had mange and I ended going to a dermatologist because I had been scratching a lot and thought maybe i caught it (I didn't) but certain mites are transmissible to both humans and all other animals....thats where the saying "mangy dog "came from. As far as fostering bunnies at their cost I'm starting a new thread titled ..bot fly in shelter bunny 's testicle. Read it as I've just been through hell
