Major Hair Loss

Question
I have a young mini-rabbit who over the period of two days, has managed to lose most of the hair on his face. The skin underneath is neither red, nor broken.

He is just recovering from an eye infection, but the balding doesn't seem to be situated around the eye. It's basically just the top mof his head up to the base of his ears and a little thinning on the cheekbones!

I got him this winter and he has lived inside with me bunkmate to a small Abssynian Guinea Pig. They get along quite fine, and there has been to hint of aggression between that. Nor hair loss, for that matter.

I'm building him an outdoor hutch at the moment.

Please, I really do need help.

Answer
Dear Geneva,

Hair loss that happens this suddenly is usually due to a physical reason, and since you mention that bun lives with a guinea pig, my first question would be:  does the GP groom the bunny?  This sounds like a major, neurotic grooming event by the piggy.  

There could be other causes, but if the skin is not red nor irritated, then the grooming would be my first guess.  Please also see:

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

for more information on the various causes and treatments of fur loss in rabbits.

If the fur grows in over the next couple of weeks, there's probably nothing to worry about.  But if the baldness spreads, or does not resolve, a trip to the vet would be advisable.  You can find a good rabbit vet here:

www.rabbit.org/vets

Hope that helps.

Dana