lice or? on rabbit

Question
We have outside rabbits. Discovered the tiniest white bug on the rabbit.  couldn't tell if was more, she also had flaky skin.  What could this be?  And how do I fix.  Do I need to worry about it spreading to my children?

Answer
Dear Kaye,

Most ectoparasites of rabbits will not inhabit humans, so there's little worry there.  The bugs you see might be lice, or they could be mites.  In either case, you need to get bunny to a good rabbit vet for some Revolution (selamectin), which should do the trick for either type of parasite.

Please see:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/furloss.html

and find a good rabbit vet here:

www.rabbit.org/vets

DO NOT USE FRONTLINE on the bunny, as it can be fatal to them.

Dana