Ear infection Rabbit

Question
We just now noticed our rabbit has a bad infection in her ear.  The inner part of her ear is all crusty and the ear feels hard.  What can we do for her tonight please.  We are cleaning it now with an ear wash.

Answer
Dear Wendy,

If the ear is hard and crusty, it sounds less like an ear infection and more like ear canker/mange.  Please see:

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

for pictures and more information.  The only safe, effective treatment that really works well is topical Revolution (selamectin) from your rabbit vet:

www.rabbit.org/vets

If there really is *pus* in the ear, then an alternative course of action is required.  A good vet will examine and determine this, but you really can't handle this without a vet's help.

The very first thing I would request from the vet is a culture and sensitivity test on the pus in the ears:

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

Without this, the proper antibiotic to treat the problem cannot be truly known.  The medicine drops your vet gave you are safe for rabbits, but simple topical application of these drops is not likely to be enough to cure this serious problem.

Whether the hearing loss is permanent cannot be known until the infection is gone, but pus in the ears can certainly block his hearing!  Ear flushings will help.  Please ask the vet about this.  Lukewarm water and Chlorhexiderm flush are very helpful.  I usually instill slightly warmed liquid into the ear, squish it around by gently massaging the base of the ear, and then *gently* and *carefully* suctioning out the liquid (and rinsed pus) with a pediatric ear bulb.   These should be available at most pharmacies, or they can order one for you.  Here's what they look like:

http://shop.tps-online.com/browse.cfm/4,803.html

In many cases, bicillin injections every 48 hours can really help with infections like this, but **ONLY IF** the bacteria causing the problem are sensitive to penicillin.  (Note that oral penicillins are deadly to rabbits, and must never be given; injectible Penicillin G Procaine plus Benzathine (= bicillin) is fine)  You can find more information here:

http://www.rabbit.org/health/abscess.html

Please feel free to share any of this with your vet.  Good luck!

Dana