my bunny has a swollen ear

Question
my bunny has a seriously swollen ear and it seems very painful to touch. there does not seem to be any open sores but there is a scab about 1/2 cm in diameter on the outside of his ear. he doesn't move his ear at all and he is very reluctant in allowing me to touch it. what can i do for him?

Answer
Hi,

You really need to take him to the vet to find out what is going on.  If there is an infection he will need antibiotics and there aren't to many that are safe for bunnies.  A good rabbit savvy vet will know which ones to prescribe.  He may also need pain medication which again is only safe when prescribed by a vet.  Sometimes when bunnies are in pain they don't feel like eating.  When they don't eat they get gas pain which makes them even more unlikely to eat.  It is a vicious cycle and by the time you realize the animal is in distress it is often to late.

I would highly recommend you see your vet tomorrow.  If you do not have a vet you can look here:

http://www.rabbit.org/vets

Good luck

Pam