Rabbit Infection

Question
QUESTION: Hi! I have a Cottontail rabbit that I let free after a year old. I rescued him from my backyard when she was a few days old. About 2 weeks ago, he had a tick on his neck, and it dropped off. But then, just about 2 days later, he had a large wound on his neck from another rabbit in a fight. I didn't do anything about it, because I thought it would heal itself. But then in about a week, suddenly, the wounded area grew into a large bubble!! The size of a quarter in circumference. It looks just like another tick, but I'm certain it's not, because it's grown FROM the skin. There's a dark circle around the bubble, near the center. But I think that's just a scab from the tick. My mom was wondering if we should put some anti bacterial spray on my rabbit, but I know rabbits have very sensitive skin. I also am aware that rabbits can die easily from infections. What should we do?

ANSWER: Hi Lacy


The large bubble would to me either be an abscess or the tic is still in there.


Here are two photo of a rabbit with ticks.
http://www.google.ca/imgres?q=ticks+on+rabbit&hl=en&biw=1280&bih=585&tbm=isch&tb
http://www.flickr.com/photos/daveynin/2755939908/

Here is a photo of an abscess. An abscess will typically have reddening around the area and might be warm to the touch because there is an infection underneath. If this is the case, a vet may prescribe oral antibiotics and might lance the abscess to drain and to keep infection at bay after the (tick or abscess) is removed/ drained. I have treated my rabbits wounds by warm salt water compressions and then I used tea tree oil which is anti-fungal and anti-bacterial after the salt water. I have had enormous success this way. You can find tea tree oil at any local drugstore.

Here is a similar account of a rabbit who had a tick that bubbled.


http://en.allexperts.com/q/Rabbits-703/2011/7/big-bubble-rabbit-neck-1.htm


there seems to be conflicting trains of thought as to how to deal with removing a tick, and whether to try to smother it (with vaseline, alcohol, etc) or not.

The claim from those that say "smother" is to really cover well the entire tick so that it cannot breathe, and that it will detach itself in order to save itself.

The other camp says either with tweezers or fingers, grab the tick as close to its head as possible and slowly pull back on it (slowly) to remove the entire head and body together.

I'd say whatever you believe would work better where the tick actually is on your rabbit's body.  Also keep in mind if you smear it with vaseline and then try to pull it out it's going to be very slippery even with tweezers.

I probably would try to pull it out real slow with fingers at the base of its attachment and pray the head comes out with the body.  If the head is left in you need to get it out with the tweezers.  

Once the tick is out them you can deal with disinfecting the bite area.  If you dilute some regular hydrogen peroxide with water (50/50 ratio) and dab a cotton swab or cotton ball with it, and dab onto the bite.  


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: My rabbit also had another wound in his neck from another's rabbit bite. My
mom wants to know how to treat it. She was wondering about anti-biotics from
store.

Answer
Anti-biotics from the store is somewhat vague. Can you be more specific...

I still highly recommend the course of treatment suggested above. Clean with warm salt water and tea tree oil. I have brought my rabbits out of their injury without anti-biotics and using these two items. Try it. If you cant take him to  a vet, at least try this method. It has worked for me over and over when I was too strapped to take my bunnies to the vet.

Alice