HELP! Bald Patches and blood??

[Beethoven]

I own a 9 year old male "dwarf rabbit" .... though he seems pretty large for a dwarf... plus he's a little overweight.

Anyways, we were grooming him just now, he's shedding, and we noticed a bald patch. As we kept grooming there were more and more baldpatches and eventually we saw there's like a bald line down his back.
It was dark in the room so we took a better look at it under the light and the skin is red, irritated, and bleeding. He's not losing a lot of blood or anything, but he IS bleeding, I'm sure I have every right to be concerned..

When we looked at the fur we had brushed off, some of the shedding clumps had dried skin holding a little together.

My poor boy... it must sting. I'll call the vet when they open tomorrow morning. But do you know what it might be?

 

[NorthernAutumn]

My best, uneducated guess is Mites.
Seems to hold true with Dr. Dana Kremples (well known rabbit vet)... See abnormal skin in this link from the Library:
http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/furloss.html#abnormal

Also: http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=11992&forum_id=10 (the library section on mites)

 

[naturestee]

Is he an only bun? It almost sounds like over grooming. Otherwise fur mites is a definite possibility. Maybe a skin fungus but not as likely if it's going down his back like that.

You can put a little neosporin/triple antibiotic cream (NOT the stuff with the painkillers, etc. added) on the bleeding and sore areas to help prevent infection.

Poor little guy.

 

[jcl_24]

A parasite like mange perhaps-that would explain the balding and skin flakes. It must itch, whatever it is-poor bun. Tell us what the vet says .

Jo xx

 

[Tinkerbell Rabbitry]

Could it be allergies? I have a dog who has allergies(to what I'm not sure). His skin gets like this bloody and he has dried blood on his fur. Take him to a rabbit savvy vet as soon as possible it could be mites, over grooming, fleas, or any number of things . How often do you groom him? Hopfully Randy will be able to help.

-Hannah

 

[kherrmann3]

I would go with over-grooming. I did this to my bun, Toby, a few months back. He was shedding terribly and I used my Shed-Ender brush on him for awhile. Before I knew it, he had a bald patch and the skin was pink and bleeding in a few areas. It wasn't a lot of blood, but like a road-rash kind of bleeding. I hope that makes sense?

 

[Maureen Las]

How's the bunny? :?