? skin problem

Question
Hello,
My rabbit is 3yrs old, male,neutered and has always shared his accomodation with his brother who has not been neutered. They do not fight and are inseperable. They groom eachother and share the same bedding, drink bottles and foodbowls. They are both healthy with good appetites and have always been so. Snape, the rabbit in question, licks and pulls the fur out from under his chin and at one time was almost completely bald on a patch under his chin about 2-3cms round. The edges were quite sore. The vet diagnosed mites and treated both him and his brother. They have been treated again since but with no apparent effect. The vet keeps telling me it is mites and that it is very contagious, but although Snape has suffered with this problem, his brother has never suffered any signs or symptoms of this. I can't help thinking it could be a 'dermatitis' or something not catching as his brother would surely have shown similar symptoms.I have tried a natural, rabbit/small pet cream to try to help him, but worry in case he ingests too much if he keeps licking the site so I don't use it too often.
I have been to my vet 3 times over the last couple of months, and now am looking for another opinion. I trust my vet but think it might be something else. Can you suggest anything? Thank you. Sheila

Answer
Dear Sheila,

Snape is showing *classic* symptoms of molar spurs.  Many rabbits who have perfectly matched incisors (front teeth) still have molars that do not meet exactly right, and because rabbit teeth grow continually, the uneven wear can cause sharp spurs to form.  On the bottom, the spurs point towards the tongue, and on the top, they point into the cheek.  As you can imagine, this can be quite painful and annoying, and it often causes the bunny to drool.  The saliva is caustic, and the skin under the chin and on the chest (and sometimes the front paws) can become red, irritated, and cause the bunny to pull out fur and worry at the area incessantly.

Unfortunately, most vets don't know how to check for spurs, let alone file them smooth.  However, you can find a good rabbit vet in your area with the referral list linked here:

www.rabbit.org/vets

You really need someone who has done this before and knows what to look for; too many vets will take a glance at the front teeth and pronounce the bunny "fine."  But trust me, the back teeth are often a mess, even if the incisors look perfect.  You can read more about this here:

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

I hope this helps get you on the right track.  When you take the bunny to the vet, be sure to bring them both for moral support (bonded bunnies should NEVER be separated, even for vet visits or even when one is sick!) and to make sure they don't scuffle when the one returns from the vet smelling strange.

Good luck!  Please write back if you have any other questions.

Dana