Please help! Ear issues!

[Meatloaf-n-Bunnito]

I have two bunnies, both lionheads from the same litter. A female named Meatloaf and a male named Bunnito. They are one year and two months old. Both are altered.

Ok... Tonight when I took Meatloaf out for some cuddles I noticed an odor which smelled a bit like someone had passed gas. I dismissed it and noticed miss meatsie was still going through her shedding. so instead of cuddles i sat her down to be brushed. i then noticed the smell again. so i picked up my lil loafer and proceeded to snif around her and .oticed the smell was by her head. i took out a baby wipe (unscented and alcohol free), to wipe her down in case she somehow got something on her. and for whatever reason i felt like i should inspect her ears. maybe because i remember a dog we used to have had smelly ears... so i sat her still and pulled her ear open so i could get a good look and noticed it was all red like she had scratched the heck outta it!

And i do admit i have issues with her and trimming her nails. she doesn't like me grooming her period... not brushing or trimming... nothing! Her brother, Bunnito is so much calmer and easier to manage but with both i need to put them on their backs... Which is easier said than done and i have the scratches to prove it. so i think she cut her ears up but now i am worried if the smell was from an infection... Or if she just got some pee on her... I left her be after i saw that and checked bunnito who had one ear that is a lol scratched up...

So what i am looking to know is if i can use some hydrogen peroxide on a qtip to swab their ears and then just trim their nails down as much as i can to hopefully disway any further clawing. i had initially bought a cruddy pair of trimmers and recently found an awesome pair that works wonderfully and ironically cost much less than the cruddy pair.

I just worry cause my bunny vet is about three hours away in another city cause there are no bunny vets where i live... and their hours make it extremly difficult to get to... and then there is the whole money issue... If i can just monitor her ears with some peroxide and clipping her nails short i will be glad to take a few scratches... granted i need to clip her claws anyways. i didnt tonight cause i felt bad and freaked a bit and everyone was asleep. thought i can't sleep now out of worry. i feel like a horrible bunny mama now. i had no idea something like this would happen. =[

 

[PaGal]

I am not experienced with ear problems but hopefully someone will come along that can help.

I have read however that hydrogen peroxide should not be used as it is harsh for their skin.

 

[Meatloaf-n-Bunnito]

Yeh i looked more after i posted and i am 90% sure now after getting a bright flashlight on the ear that it's mites... Glad it's nothing serious, but it means a call to the vet monday. Oi! =\

 

[bunnies4504]

Ya this is not because of scratching I don't think...definetly has to be ear mites. There will be a bad smell, and the ear will turn red and be flaky and scabbed inside. The bunny will shake his head a lot, but doesn't scratch as often. Hope he gets better


Sent from my iPhone using Rabbit Forum

 

[JBun]

With both of your buns showing signs of irritation in their ears I would be inclined to think that it is likely mites as well, though it would be good to rule out an ear infection. A less severe case of mites isn't an immediate emergency(meaning you wouldn't need to see a vet today), but you do want to see your vet as soon as you can get in there. And just keep a close eye on it until then.

 

[Meatloaf-n-Bunnito]

Thanks everyone. Their ears are pretty stinky... And i am getting my bf to help out with getting them to the vet asap. In the mean time i'll trim their nails down as much as i can to avoid them doing too much damage to their ears. And from what i read about how mites progress them seems to be pretty early on still as to get a good look at it i can to pull the ear flap open a bit and look down the canal. It's just starting to be more visible in meats and in bunnito his ear that i noticed it in isn't nearly as bad as meatloaf's and the other ear doesn't have any visible signs. And poor loafie fron scratchy her ears so often one has a lil bald spot on it. =<

i am so glad i noticed the stinkyness. I never read anything about ear mites before looking up their symptoms. =( glad i such an obsessive bunny mama lol. Least i know they aren't on death's door.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Go to the library and see if there are any remedies you can try at home. We had one rescue that was really terrible when she came to us and it took a bit of time to clear it up but our vet gave us the right stuff.

 

[HiddlesKenway]

Here is some instructions on how to use honey:

Treating Your Rabbit's Ear Mites With Honey - Put three teaspoons of honey in a bowl and add about 3ozs of warm water. Mix the honey and water together until the honey is dissolved into the water. Now, you'll need a drinking straw or a bulb syringe, to put the honey/water solution in your rabbits ear.

Pick up your rabbit and place it on your lap, holding it firmly with one hand. With the other hand, squeeze the honey/water solution into the bulb syringe or into the drinking straw and then release it into your rabbit's ear. Make sure the solution covers the entire inside of the ear, holding the ear upright so the inner ear gets completely coated with honey. Repeat with the other ear, making sure the whole of the inner ear is coated. Dab any dripping honey off your rabbit, so it doesn't end up all over his/her fur and she's ready to go back in her cage. (I always give mine a nice cuddle afterwards. She's deserved it).

Repeat this honey treatment again the day after, then every other day for 14 days. After this, treat just twice a week for the next two weeks. As ear mites have a 28 day life cycle, you must continue the treatment until the 28th day to make sure the ear mites have all been killed.

 

[Sweetie]

I have had issues with ear mites with my rabbits. When Prince passed away, Sweetie came down with ear mites and I didn't have any money to get her in, so I found a home remedy that is safe for rabbits.

You can use mineral oil in the rabbits ears. You have to treat the ears for three weeks to get rid of the ear mites.

I would not use honey in a rabbit's ears for fear of causing future problems.

 

[ladysown]

yeah.. I'd nix the honey idea as well. Oil does the trick quite nicely. Takes about 1-2 weeks to clear them out.

oh should add.. DON"T use peroxide.. it actually slows down the healing process.

 

[Meatloaf-n-Bunnito]

Yeah... I read about the oil, but I feel it is best to bring em to the vet just in case they caught a secondary infection. My bf has his vacation starting April 28th. We will go up then to the vet. Plus, I wanna make sure my bubnies get their nails trimmed nice n short and get tips on how to handle my beasts. They do not trance well at all for grooming time, so i am always getting mauled. They are the sweetest things every other time... But i swear they turn pure evil when they knlw they are gonna be flipped over... Then again I can't blame em... But it's near impossible to clip em any other way >_<

Anywho i was also gonna get then a checkup before i figured i could put it off til i had nore money so this is the excuse i needed. Lol

 

[Sweetie]

I must warn you that ear mites will get worse if left untreated. Plus if there is a secondary infection, that will get worse as well. Is there a sanctuary that will examine the rabbits for free and treat them for free. Around where I am at we have Rabbit Haven. There has to be something there that can help you. I can tell you exactly what to do for the ear mites as I have had issues with them. For the possible secondary infection, you are going to need to find a low cost to free place that knows rabbits well and get them there.

 

[Meatloaf-n-Bunnito]

There is no rabbit aavvy vet place here. The only vet who knows a lil bit about rabbits works at a place that someone how killed a cat while declawing it and is known for abusing animals. I live in a crappy city with no cities nearby. I can't get to anyone sooner than the 28th. I am keeping an eye on em and if they seem to get any worse I will do something then, but this is what I have to work with right now. =[

 

[Meatloaf-n-Bunnito]

Soo... The worried side of me won and luckily my bf has this friday off. Going to the vet this Friday! Yay! Hang in there lil furrballs! <3

 

[JBun]

A month is really far too long to wait to treat this. In a month it could be far worse and a secondary infection could develop, as well as the possibility of damage to the inside of the ear. If getting to your vet is a problem, what about calling your vet to get dosage info for your rabbit and picking up the needed medication somewhere close by. A livestock feed store will carry injectable ivermectin(can also be given orally). Or the vet could call in a prescription for the ivermectin or Revolution at a closer vet office or even a place that you could order it online.
http://medirabbit.com/EN/Skin_diseases/Parasitic/earmite/Psoroptes.htm (GRAPHIC PHOTOS)

ETA: Oops, just saw your new post Glad you will be able to get them to the vet sooner.

 

[Sweetie]

Soo... The worried side of me won and luckily my bf has this friday off. Going to the vet this Friday! Yay! Hang in there lil furrballs! <3

I am pleased to see that they will be getting treatment sooner than a month. When bunnies get sick with whatever, they cannot wait for treatment, they will get worse. What I am saying here is it is always best to get them in asap to a rabbit savvy vet because they go downhill so fast.

I am pleased that they are getting to the vet this Friday, instead of in a month.

 

[Meatloaf-n-Bunnito]

@sweetie While you say this, my situation is a bit difficult, as that there are no rabbit savvy vets in my city. I know it's not good to wait, why I put in the effort to get them in sooner. If I couldn't have I probably would have had to ask my parents... Which, I am glad I didn't. I do the best that I can for my lil fluffy butts. And, I think they know this.

 

[Meatloaf-n-Bunnito]

UPDATE!!!: Vet went well. Both have mites and a secondary infection. Meatloaf weighs in at 3.4lbs and Bubnito at 3lbs even. =]

Doc says that he can tell they are well loved and well taken care of. Also got their nails trimmed and one fur mat removed from Meatsie's bum. But other than that they're good.

Only thing I worry bout and plan to call the vet Monday about is the dosage of the meds. It's gonna take 32 drops a day between the buns and it has to last two weeks... I don't think that is enough meds for two bunbuns. Maybe one bun, sure. So imma call to see if maybe I am reading something wrong or of I am just gonna need more meds.

Either way, love my bunnies and glad they are ok and doing well. =>

 

[JBun]

I'm glad the vet went well

Drops? What did the vet prescribe for the mites and the secondary infection?

 

[Meatloaf-n-Bunnito]

He made up a mixture of Ivermectin with an antibiotic so I'd only have to put one thing in their ears.