Rabbit Skin Care

Question
We have a mini Lop Bunny , Male 5 years old. In the last month we have noticed on his back that he has developed dandruff , flakey skin. It is not very bad. But I want to know is there anything I can give him to help clear this up.I.E supplement etc. We have been brushing him to help it as well.

Answer
Hi Kath.... What you are seeing with your Minilop is actually not that uncommon. I am gussing that the fur is also very thin in that area due to the rabbit scratching due to irritation. Sometimes these things are caused by irritation due to a small mite, that is nearly microscopic. Don't be alarmed..it is so small you won't see it, and it won't spread to you! If I am correct, here is a solution. What I have found that is very successful is to mix about 1/4 small bottle of Campho-penique (the liquid, about $4 at Walmart) with a small bottle of mineral oil (about $1.50). Place a few drops in the thin area  on the back, and rub it in. Do this a couple times a day for about a week. It will NOT hurt your rabbit, and in a week the fur will begin to thicken up, and the dry, dandriff will disappear. If my assumption is correct, this will do the job. The way it works is that the 'Phenol' agent that is in the campho-phenique will kill the mites (but NOT hurt the bunny), and as the new mite eggs hatch, the phenol will catch/kill them also. A week will catch all the ccycles. The oil will soften the skin and ease the irritation, so the rabbit won't want to scratch in that area. I have seen these get so irritating that the rabbit actually scratches itself until the skin in raw and bleeds, so this is a good remedy that will keep it from getting that far. Also check inside the ears of your rabbit. Occasionally, when we see this dry area, it can also migrate to an ear problem, and with MiniLops, it can go unnoticed for weeks, since the inside canals of the ears are not easily seen. If that has happened, you'll see a crusty substance at the bottom of the ear.  If you see that, do the same thing, but put a little more in the ears, as that is harder to eradicate. (The worst cases I have seen require straight CamphoPhenique into the ear, but that is somewhat drastic when the rabbit is really hurting!) For sequencing, repeat applying to both the dandruffy area, and the ear (if you need to)about a week after the initial treatment is over. That should help you out. IF this is nothing more than some dry skin, this treatment will also work and should end the problem. With raisning, having over 200 rabbits each year, and over 6000 in the last 30 years, I have seen a fair amount of this, and it is nothing to worry about if you get it early!  Best wishes, Steve