hair loss and dandruff on back

Question
I have 2 rabbits..one is an angora and the other is a mini lop.  I believe the mini lop is about 2 yrs old..both are an ASPCA adoptions.  Over the summer I babysat a holland lop and he recently went home.  I noticed the mini lop had some behavioral changes and wasn't worried, but now she is losing her hair in a patch on her back and it is all dandruff.  When I brush her I get more dandruff than hair..and she is making a cooing noise. Her eating and drinking habits have not changed. What should I do?  

Answer
Dear Jo Anne,

If your female bunny is not spayed, her "cooing" may be whimpering that a doe makes when she's approached if she is pregnant or having a false pregnancy.  I hope it's not the former!  But here's some important information on that:

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

You don't say what type of "behavioral changes" she showed, but it might be that she bonded to the Holland Lop, and she's grieving for her companion.  That type of stress could predispose her to many illnesses, including showing clinical signs of fur mites.

Angoras are highly prone to fur mites (Cheyletiella sp.), but these are easily treated with Revolution (selamectin) from your vet:

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

You can find a good vet to help you here:

www.rabbit.org/vets

I hope this helps.

Dana