Sick Dutch Rabbit!

Question
Dr. Krempels,
I recently purchased a female Dutch Rabbit from my local pet store about 3 weeks ago. She is a very active and loving rabbit who up until a few days ago displayed no signs of illness. I took her to the vet a few days ago because she had "crusty" bumps along her shoulderblaids accompanied by a white, flakey material that resembled dandruff. The vet informed me that it appeared the she had fur mites, but I had sprayed her about a week prior with UltraCare Flea & Tick Spray for Rabbits that had killed the mites and all that remained on her fur was the dead matter. He recommended that I change and clean her cage and everything in it and wipe her fur with a warm washcloth to remove what matter I could. I did all of this immediately yet found a small black bug crawling on her face this morning, I'm assuming this is a tick. In addition, after her visit to the vet she has begun sneezing which has become more frequent in the past 24 hours, I have read a little about upper-respiratory infections in rabbits and know the seriousness of it, I am hoping to get her in with the vet tomorrow, yet I am wondering if there could be any other causes for her sneezing (she does not have discharge from her eyes or nose and is acting normally), and if there is a better medication I can use to ward off mites, fleas, and ticks...please let me know!

Thank you so much I appreciate your help & time,
Stephanie

Answer
Dear Stephanie,

I don't know this vet, but any vet who would use some kind of anti-flea *spray* on a rabbit instead of the widely recommended (though expensive) drug Revolution (selamectin) is not one I would take my bunny to see.  You can find a more experienced rabbit vet here:

www.rabbit.org/vets

Please read this regarding the sneezing:

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

and

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

I hope this helps.

Dana