My bunny has a bald spot, scab on back near neck

[2mindless]

I just noticed yesterday my bun has 2 reddish/pink kind of lumps & a bald spot [fur missing] on his back where the right shoulder is. There was also a miniscule bit of "yellow" scale....reminds me of when babies have "cradle cap". I can't figure out what this is & he didn't have it before as I was providing nursing care when he broke his hip & was relatively immobile. He is a HOUSE rabbit; he's spent weeks inside since his injury...otherwise I occasionally take him outside in the school field for "walk abouts" or "scoots" [he runs a little]. I did notice this bald patch or marks during his time of convalescence. i'd wondered if something bit him...I'm sort of paranoid of fleas or mites after having been outside for 1.5-2.5 hours. But there's nothing anywhere else...he is not scratching or chewing himself...there is nothing in his fur anywhere [or ears] & I have been diligently & 'vigilantly' checking. The 2 pink lumps are kind of weird...they are marbled, sort of "wart" like? Hard to describe...I've never experienced anything like this in my other rabbits.

 

[2mindless]

Wish I had gotten a photo of it...can't now, my bun is at the "sitter" for next 3 weeks. I leave on vacation Sunday afternoon...won't be back til 3rd week of August...the spots could be gone by then.

I had thought of taking a photo but hard to do one handed with my cellphone camera which is all touch screen operation. I showed the sitter who used to raise rabbits. She was puzzled by it...me too, since he's not had any injections or vaccinations & it's been WEEKS since he had some oral doses of a liquid pain medication for a fractured hip, so way too long after the fact for it to be any kind of side effect [reaction] to the med. I actually wondered if rabbits can develop "psoriasis" or skin allergies like people do? But then I got thinking, if so...he'd have stuff all over him, not isolated to this one area.

I actually feared "mange"...but impossible for him to contract, he's not been near a HOST [singular house bunny. I live alone, no other pets or people].

 

[Maureen Las]

I had an adult bun who developed fur mites while recovering from extensive dental work; he was never taken outdoors. I am convinced that a lowering of immune function caused by illness and stress can bring on something like this much like a pasturella type infections can remain latent in a healthy rabbit.
We can never predict where exposure to something occurred ...could have been in hay.
In your case doesn't sound like fur mites. I hope that you were able to give your sitter your vet contact info .

 

[tonyshuman]

Agreed with above. Also, you describe it a lot like a fungal infection, like ringworm, which bunnies can get. The fungus that causes it is always present in the environment.

 

[2mindless]

I never found out what caused the bald spot & the 2 tiny wart like bumps that had been there were gone when he returned from the pet-sitter [I was away on vacation so he was at the sitter for 3 wks until August 16th]. The sitter never said anything & he didn't develop anything further...the hair is growing back in. But oddly enough I felt a tiny nodule on his left shoulder [the previous spot was on the right]. I parted the fur & had the toughest time getting a good look. There appears to be a miniscule lump on his shoulder....there's a bony ridge there. I have no idea why he's suddenly getting these things. I do not have money to take him to the vet again [he had a hip fracture 8 weeks ago & it cost me $253 just to have him seen with 1 x-ray]. I have no $$$ to take him to the vet again [$100 per exam]. I've been diligently checking him for any sight of a mite or anything else. I can only figure something may have BIT him while outside last week [I occassionally take him out in a school yard on his collar & leash for a romp in the grass]. There's tiny insects sometimes get in his fur...these tiny gnat like things. Once some tiny wiggly little thing began burrowing in the fur of his ear [external] & I flicked it off immediately & took him inside. I check his fur & wipe him down when we get indoors, & I've not found anything [no exposure to fleas] to date.

 

[2mindless]

I had a suspicion that perhaps his injury has caused some sort of "systemic" reaction & he's breaking out in these individual bumps because his immune system was under previous strain from the injury? These types of unusual things can happen with people when they've had a traumatic injury...I'm just guessing. He's healthy & content...he's fully recuperated from the fracture & has already back to his former self with no lameness or limitations [no limps or imbalance in his rear end]. The vet said he'd have weakness & spontaneous collapsing disorder...never walk right again but none of that happened. He's better then excellent I just don't know what these occasional tiny wart like things are...? Warts or a plaque like fungus on the limbs which is from the virus that causes warts can develop on people when the immune system is severely compromised...something happens in the 'limbic' system. I saw this in a documentary...so I have these odd suspicion & I'm anxious about my bunny, but there's doesn't seem to be a manifestation of any more bumps anywhere else...just this tiny thing right now, then it goes away.

 

[tonyshuman]

Rabbits often carry a papilloma virus which can cause warts. I haven't heard of them being correlated with immune system disruption, but it is possible. There is a connection between stress of any kind and immune system function. The way you talk about insects getting on your bun doesn't sound good, though. They're getting too close. I wouldn't take him outside, or if you do, consider treating him monthly with Revolution to deter bugs. My bunny has some papillomas in her ears that don't really change a lot--sometimes they get a bit scaly, but they are tiny--smaller than the siize of a normal human mole.

 

[2mindless]

My bunny is still getting these bald patches on his back...usually near his shoulders. Sometimes there's a red mark. One in awhile I see him with his hind foot high up his back itching...I think the mark is that he's scratched himself with a toenail. I've been keeping a close eye on him for the past 2 months...he does have some yellow, flaking stuff...he's been "molting" for the past 6/7 weeks & I find the "yellow dandruff" goes along with this as he's often got miniscule flakes of skin elsewhere. I find it rather 'vexing' & perplexing that he consistently has this recurring patch on his shoulder...I found another "similar" bald spot with the same "yellow" scaly skin in another area. I still don't know if it's anything in conjunction with taking him out in the field to romp. We only go out once a week.

Yesterday was a first! I was a bit 'freaked' out when I took him out in the field, I was getting a reddish/orange powder all over my shoes. I motivated him to MOVE to mid field, keep him out of that area. He'd been eating some grass & clover [no digestive upset overnight]. I looked up the "phenomenon" online & turns out the reddish powder is a type of FUNGUS called 'Lawn Rust'. It results from MOISTURE [alot of rain & improperly nourished grass.] Eww I was not impressed. There's no other optimal area to take him out to play. The park is home to nesting turkey vultures & alot of people with dogs; kids. The front lawn of the apartment building is "ok"...but right along the road/very close proximity to traffic which would cause him undue stress. This SUCKS. I wiped down his fur & paws when we got inside...he wasn't discoloured but my shoes were coated. I'm thinking the rest of the field is not contaminated by this grass rust...just a select area, so would it be safe to take him out in the field-I'd examined the grass there [it's a HUGE landscape, size of 2 football fields] it shows no evidence of lawn rust. I'm remotely undecided because he does eat some grass & nibbles the clover.

 

[JBun]

If your rabbit has flaking irritated skin, he most likely has mites. It's best to get it treated before it gets much worse.

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Skin_diseases/Parasitic/furmite/fur_mite.htm

 

[majorv]

It sounds kind of like mites to me, too. A couple of our rabbits picked up fur mites, probably at a show. We treated everyone...a few got Revolution but we dosed the rest with ivermectin orally.

 

[kira❤tonio!!]

Take it to the vet now! Straight away!! It could be very serious !!


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[2mindless]

I would expect if it's fur mites I'd see something & wouldn't there be issues elsewhere. Since fall he's been indoors, no more romps out in the yard...there's been no more issues since I stopped taking him outside to play in the yard. I did find lawn rust in some of the grass...this is a type of fungus that develops in lawns from dampness....I began thinking he was having some type of skin reaction to this...it's hard to tell. I've owned other rabbits before; 13 years ago the albino male that I had got ear mites. He went through agony with those...I didn't know then what it was & it affected his brain [he got that condition where the head tilts]. Anyways...my current bun is fine. No more skin issues with the yellow scaly stuff & flaking. It's really weird that since being indoors it's cleared up & I haven't had to do anything. I keep a close eye on him.