Unusual shedding

Question
I have a Holland lop rabbit named Rocky that is almost four years old.  He eats a regular diet of three baby carrots every morning, the normal rabbit pellets, occasional treats with seeds or fruit (yogurt drops have made his stools runny, as has lettuce), and also has water supplied regularly.  He is kept in the house in his cage except when we take him outside being closely watched.  He has regular loving time and is often allowed to romp the house with me while the kids are at school.
Throughout the duration of having him as our pet, I have noticed around February and August he will shed his fur more profusely than usual, and always in a uniform pattern; no areas of large amounts of fur missing in one place.  We keep his cage in the kitchen near an air conditioning vent which he seems to like now since it's been warmer and we have turned the air on.
In the last two weeks I have noticed large areas missing his longer fur (the under fur is still present) at both right and left hind quarters.  Then I have actually pulled loose fur from his head and other body parts by the handful.  Last night I decided to comb through his fur, though I know grooming is not reccommended.  In doing so, I combed out a sandwich baggie full of fur!  I know it's getting warm, but he has never done this before.  Is there something more serious that I should consider taking him to the vet for, or am I over-reacting?  He is the only pet we have and is very much a part of our family, and we want to do what's best for him.  Your insight would be greatly appreciated.

Answer
Dear Janna,

I'm not sure who told you that grooming is not recommended, but that's not true at all.  In fact, when your bunny is undergoing a heavy shed--as he is now--then you did exactly the right thing by combing out the loose fur!  Not doing so will result in his ingesting the fur when he grooms himself, and this can cause intestinal irritation and other problems.  To be sure he's passing any ingested hair while he's shedding, be sure he gets a correct diet with unlimited fresh grass hay, fresh, wet greens, and unlimited fresh drinking water.  Nothing else is necessary, though some places will try to sell you enzyme tablets and recommend "hairball" remedies.  Rabbits don't need them if they are well groomed and properly fed.

As long as the fur is growing back in normally under the shedding coat, I wouldn't worry.  Sometimes a bunny will go through a real "coat blow," but it's not a problem as long as the fur is removed by you so he can't eat it.  You can read more here:

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

Hope that helps!

Dana