Holland Lop Runny, Enlarged Nipple

Question
My Holland Lop girl will be 4 next May and has never been bred before.  The other day I noticed her nipple was swollen and was oozing a clear liquid.  It stopped oozing but the nipple is still swollen.  What is wrong?

Answer
Dear Hannah,

It's not normal for a rabbit's mammary glands or nipples to be enlarged or oozing.  It could mean that she has mastitis (infection of the mammary glands) or even mammary cancer.  This is far more common in unspayed, unbred females than in those who are spayed.

Please get your bunny to an experienced rabbit vet:

www.rabbit.org/vets

for examination and evaluation of her condition.  If it's mastitis, it is very likely treatable with appropriate, rabbit-safe antibiotics, as per the results of a culture and sensitivity test:

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

If it's cancer, then the vet will know the best next step to take.  It it's restricted to only one breast, then surgical removal might be recommended.  But the *first* step is certainly to get her some expert medical care, and the sooner the better.

I hope this helps.