Swelling under the chin caused by tick

[Hermelin]

Hey everyone

I managed to find a tick on Odin under his chin. I often don’t touch that area under the chin on my bunnies, so I notice the tick a bit late. I wonder how long it take for the swelling to go down. He have lost fur around the area and look a little red. The tick is gone and I cleaned the area.

I’ve never seen so big swelling on my bunnies, it’s like a normal sized mosquito bite. I often find the ticks early but this tick was at a place I overlook.

Odin is not that happy, was a struggle first seeing what it was and later try taking it away and clean the area alone. I had to put him on the back and bribe him with apple. So he would lay still and move his head back while still keeping him in a position that not cause trance. So I don’t have a picture of the area.

I wonder if any of you get swelling around the ticks area? Just asking to make sure it’s normal, I will be keeping an eye on the swelling and see if it go down.

 

[Catlyn]

I wouldn't call it a swell exactly, but when Musti had ticks removed and as Storm had ticks removed some leave like a little bump, just where the bug had been. Usually it goes away over time and fur grows back to the spot. So i don't think that yoir bun reacts the way my buns act to them. Maybe different ticks? I'm not sure.

 

[Hermelin]

I wouldn't call it a swell exactly, but when Musti had ticks removed and as Storm had ticks removed some leave like a little bump, just where the bug had been. Usually it goes away over time and fur grows back to the spot. So i don't think that yoir bun reacts the way my buns act to them. Maybe different ticks? I'm not sure.

I’m use with that kind of small bump but this time it was a really large bump specially on Odin that is small. The swelling was next to the tick and not exactly under the tick. Under the tick was no bump but only fur loss around the area.

I’ll just keep my eyes and see of it will go down, now when the tick is gone.

 

[FuzzyBunny ph]

Did your vet prescribe medication for your bunn for the tick? I'm thinking it might be irritated and might get infected

 

[Hermelin]

Did your vet prescribe medication for your bunn for the tick? I'm thinking it might be irritated and might get infected

Didn’t take him to the vet, I’ll just wait and see if the swelling go down. I will be cleaning the area myself.

If it seem to get worse or don’t go down I’ll be taking him to the vet. It’s quite expensive going to the vet and I need to take the train and streetcar that are often packed with humans even during covid-19.

I have no sense of direction when driving the car alone. So it’s a big chance I will drive wrong in the city

 

[JBun]

I would keep an eye on it. If it worsens or looks infected, get him to the vet.

 

[Hermelin]

The swelling went down after a few weeks but it was quite slow. Now he only have a small naked patch where the swelling was located.

 

[Mariam+Theo]

I would be scared that your rabbit will get Lyme disease.
http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Skin_diseases/Parasitic/Ticks/Ticks.htm

 

[Hermelin]

I would be scared that your rabbit will get Lyme disease.
http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Skin_diseases/Parasitic/Ticks/Ticks.htm

The chance of getting lyme disease among humans is quite small. So I think the risk of Odin getting it is also small. Myself have still had more ticks than Odin this summer. Just the walk in the forest and I ended up with 6 ticks while Odin only got one, seem like I cleared his field. The only ones I know that have gotten lyme disease in my life have been my little brother, a friend to the family and one dog. So I would say the risk is a bit on the lower side. Even though 20-30% of the ticks carry the bacteria for lyme disease but it’s not as many that will get sick by it.

I also think that the tick at that time hadn’t been eating for a long time. Because it wasn’t really large and it was a female tick Odin had. Female ticks are the ones that get super large if they sit for a long time.

It was just the first time I had seen the swelling/ bump weren’t where the tick was attached.

But I will always be careful with ticks and always take my time to look for them on my bunnies.

Thanks for showing concern

 

[Mariam+Theo]

Oh, ok. I guess it isn't as common in Sweden than it is in America. Here is actually very common. My mom has it really bad and when I was younger she couldn't take care of us because she was sick in bed. My dog, my little brother, my friend's brother, and my friend's mom all have/had it too.

 

[Hermelin]

Oh, ok. I guess it isn't as common in Sweden than it is in America. Here is actually very common. My mom has it really bad and when I was younger she couldn't take care of us because she was sick in bed. My dog, my little brother, my friend's brother, and my friend's mom all have/had it too.

It might be true, ticks depends on how the season have been and how many animals survive. If it have been a good season for prey animals and the weather is humid and damp, the ticks will thrive while other times it can be a bad year.

This year the bunnies haven’t managed to get that many ticks as they usually do and It’s supposed to be a good year for ticks. Because the mild winter make more ticks survive than what would usually do during a cold winter with not a lot of snow. A lot of snow will also help ticks surviving the winter.

Also depending on the temperature it will cause ticks to not be as active. When the temperature goes under 5 celsius (41 F) the ticks stop being as active and right now the night and early temperature can go under that border

Cold blooded animals like ticks aren’t a fan of lower temperature.