ear fungus

Question
Thanks for the speedy response.  My bun hasnt ever been given revolution, but her ears dont look anything like the photos on the web site.  Perhaps scabs was the wrong word, well she has tiny black spots/bumps, which when I scratched at them, seem to flake off.  Should I try giving her revolution and see if that helps?  I dont know if this helps but she is 1.5yr old french lop, and lives uncaged indoors.

   
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Followup To

Question -
Hi Dana, about 4 months ago I went to a vet because of some strage tiny scabs on my rabbits ears.  The vet did some test and got back to me about a month later to tell me that she tested positive for ear fungus.  well the whole time I was putting anamax on her ears (he suggested that doing so might be helpful) and they seemed to have gotten better by the time the test results came back.  Well the scabs are back now, and now he won't give me the perscription...he said I need to bring her back for another look.  Well "the look" cost me $100 last time and I just dont have that kind of money.  Is there anything you can suggest?
Thanks

Answer -
Dear Jamie,

One hundred dollars for an office visit does seem a bit expensive.  But I'm also a bit suspicious about the "ear fungus" diagnosis.  Yes, rabbits can get dermatophytes (e.g., "ringworm" fungus), but this usually is not characterized by scabbiness.  

Was the bunny ever given Revolution (selamectin)?  Scabby ears are far more often due to mites than to fungus, although the presence of mites/ear canker can predispose a bunny to having yeast and/or bacterial infection in the affected areas.

Please see:

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

and, if you think a second opinion is in order, you can use this list to find another vet:

www.rabbit.org/vets

I hope this helps.

Dana


Answer
Dear Jamie,

I am not suggesting that you give any kind of medication without consulting your vet.  But I do know that Revolution will often resolve many different types of skin conditions that are due to mites.  Not all skin conditions on rabbits are due to mites, of course, but they also don't all look like the ones on the web site.  Those are pretty extreme.

I would ask the vet about trying Revolution.  Since the scabs aren't life threatening, you don't have to give the Revolution now.  You have time to ask the vet.  Revolution has proven a very safe drug for thousands of rabbits, and if the fungus medication doesn't work, then I would suspect mites as the most likely cause of the problem.

Hope this helps!

Dana