Skin problems. Ughh

[Jana15]

So I have been gone for about two days and my mother has been taking care of the rabbits. Anyways, I got back yesterday and was looking over the same buck that had fly strike a few weeks ago (Which has temporarily been moved into the basement) and noticed a crusty, whiteish scab looking bald spot between his shoulder blades on his back. I searched it up on google with no luck, so i gave it a good dose of Tincture of iodine watered down a bit. I came back and looked at him today, and the place looks alittle bit better, but then i noticed a bald spot about the size of your pinky nail, on the front of his ear, and under his eye. Just plain skin on these two. I examined his fur along his back closer, and there is a TON of little black specks (Look alot like dirt) through his fur. HELP! I would add a picture, but my camera is broken, and my NEW Droid's camera is already messed up. URGH.
Is it mites, or Sarcoptic Mange?? I really need help on this one. What should I do to try to get rid of this, what ever it is?? I guess I am just an unlucky rabbit owner, and own an unlucky rabbit!

 

[LadyKarli]

Thinking mites. a dose of ivermectin should clear it up.

 

[Jana15]

Where can I find ivermectin? Local feed store? And is it an injection or oral? Willing to try anything!

Edited
How does this sound?
http://www.amazon.com/Durvet-Ivermectin ... B000HHOEIU

 

[Miss M]

You can give either oral or injectable ivermectin orally. I got 1.87% horse paste from the feed store for under $6.

You give about a pea-sized amount to the rabbit, three doses, 10 days apart. This makes sure the eggs that haven't hatched yet will be taken care of, too. Smaller pea for small rabbits, larger pea for large rabbits. Just think about the sizes of peas you've seen.

I don't know anything about the pour on you linked to, but I think some have used it.

You CANNOT give ivermectin to DUTCH rabbits. It kills them. For them, you'll probably have to go the Diatomaceous Earth route.

 

[Jana15]

This buck has defiently got alot of dutch in him. So ivermectin is out. Can you find Diatomaceous Earth at a feed store?

Edited
Is this a good choice?
http://www.amazon.com/Diatomaceous-Eart ... food+grade

Where do yall get yours from?

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I originally ordered mine online from wolfcreekranch but the shipping is a killer. I recently found it for $25 for 50lbs at a local feed store, which is less than the cost online, and no shipping costs!

 

[Jana15]

Tractor supply said they carried it for garden, and horses. I am checking around at other local feed stores and see what they have. If I can't find it anywhere else, should I get Horse or gareden? And would you dust him with it? Sorry for the bombard of questions!

Edited-
Hooray! Found a ten pound bag for $8. Hopefully I will get it today, or maybe tomorow. The feed store lady said you could also use Sevin dust. Is anyone familiar with this? I know we put it on our tomatos to keep worms off of them.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I have heard of using sevin on dogs and cats (?), but have no personal experience. (I hate pesticides!) The important thing with DE is to buy food grade. The stuff for pools will kill your critters- it has something to do with the way it is processed.

 

[ottersatin]

To be save why not just
rub Listerine mouthwash into the affected area.
It will work though I don't know why.
Perhaps the boogers fall to their death due
to the Alcohol in the mix.
Ottersatin. ldtimer:

 

[Jana15]

To be save why not just
rub Listerine mouthwash into the affected area

That's an idea. Couldn't get to the feed store today, and since they are closed tomorow, it is worth a try!

How do i use the DE on him? Just rub it deep in his fur? SHould I avoid getting it into his eyes or anything?

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Are mites contagious over the internet? :hmm: It seems a lot of people here on RT are having mite trouble, and now I am too! AAARRRGH!

So... to answer your question, Jana, I rubbed it into their fur. Both are does with kits... I am hopeful that it is not mites in my case, and the kits are chewing their fur, but I doubt it. I put some on the kits too, and am going to blow the stuff all over the cages. Garden supply stores sell hand crank blowers for pesticide dust. This is mine, on the ground in front of the bunnybarn:




I ordered it from wolfcreekranch, but just saw a similar product at Ace hardware.

 

[Jana15]

I just saw somthing like that on amazon when I was looking up DE earlier. And I am guessing these mites can spread to other animals like dogs and cats? I guess the cat is now banned from the basement until I can DE everything, maybe including him! Oh how pitiful it will be to hear his meows through the door while I am down there.
My Dachshund just got over a skin infection from last week that required a round of Antibiotics, It is just one thing after another! Does DE unplague people as well? op:
But no ne ever said having a herd of animals was easy!

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Most mites are host-specific, so they prefer a certain type of animal over others. There is a risk that they will take up residence on your other pets, though. Just dust everybody- DE is great for killing any insect or bug with an exoskeleton. It is very sharp at the microscopic level, and works by scratching the waxy exoskeleton, thereby causing dehydration.

 

[Miss M]

I rubbed it into the fur, too. Very, very messy! Just think of a live powder puff loaded with powder!

What's the regimen again, MSD Once a week for 3 or 4 weeks?

 

[MamaSheepdog]

You want to do it for three weeks to catch any eggs that might hatch. I *think* it would dehydrate the eggs too, but the problem is some mites will lay eggs in crevices (especially poultry mites), so some may be missed.

Miss M, how long did it take for the fur to grow back?

 

[Miss M]

It didn't take but a week or so before we started seeing short fur coming back in. I ended up having to switch to ivermectin halfway through, because the doe was about to kindle, and I didn't want the nestbox full of DE (which can be very harmful if breathed in).

 

[Jana15]

Thanks everyone! I am planning on getting some DE tomorrow, powder for everyone!! :bunnyhop:

Will post updates later!

 

[Piper]

would sulfur help? I have the salt/mineral spools and have seen recommendations to get a big salt block and hammer out pieces for the buns. Sulfur is suppose to help with flys (for other animals), could it help with other rabbit parisites like mites?
Saw, sulfur blocks by the mineral blocks at TS. 'Could' there be an advantage of having mineral/salt AND the sulfur/salt block in the cage?

 

[Jana15]

Our cat came up today with two tiny bald spots on his face, I am hopeing DE is safe for cats two? He will defiently injest some when he grooms. I am sure its fine since it is food grade, but just makeing sure.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Jana,

I add DE to all of my animal's food. It is supposed to act as a wormer. I take it for a couple months every year myself.