Yesterday afternoon I finally figured out why Symphony, one of our two New Zealand does, has been so standoffish and cranky.
I bred her a couple weeks ago, and so I had been attributing her attitude change to pregnancy. However, while standing beside her cage petting our buck Cacao, she flicked and ear up and it was full of nasty scabs.
Having read it in one of my rabbit books, I knew instantly it was ear mites. I checked the other rabbits and everyone appears to be in fine shape, but I didn't have anything to treat it with.
A quick Internet search yielded several results, including buying an ear mite medication. Second choice was mineral oil.
So we made a trip out to Petsmart, who sells several different ear mite medications, NONE of which are listed as safe for pregnant animals. (Although they do sell several that can be used on non-pregnant animals. FYI)
On to plan B!
Target had mineral oil, and this morning I gloved up and grabbed a slip tip syringe. A cc of mineral oil lightly rubbed over the scabbing and dripped into the ear canal was handled in just a matter of moments. She got a few drops in the other ear as well. A repeat will be done in 10 days to make sure we've got them all.
I'm not one to blindly treat, so I didn't do the other rabbits. Some folks recommend it and some don't. I'll be watching the others closely from here on out and if it looks like we are having an outbreak I may treat them all then.
**UPDATE 1/27/13 - All the crusts are gone and just a few scabbed areas remain but are healing. A second dose will be administered in a few days, but already Symphony is back to her old happy, friendly self. No one else is showing any signs, though we continue to check them.
Next time we'll be more prepared for the little things life throws our rabbits,
because we've invested in the Raising Rabbits Essentials e-books. A must have!
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