Fur Loss and Skin Problems in Rabbits
Common Causes and Treatments
There are many reasons a rabbit can lose fur, some of them completely normal, and others a sign of health or behavior problems. In this article, Dana Krempels, Ph.D. highlights some of the causes of normal and abnormal fur loss
Normal Shedding:
A healthy rabbit will usually change its coat twice a year. If all things are normal, the shed areas will regrow fur as the old coat falls out. Some unfortunate rabbits seem to shed all the time. This may be due to inbreeding causing a problem with the normal genetic response to day length and other seasonal cues, or to too much artificial lighting disrupting the rabbit's normal Circadian rhythms. In any case, when your rabbit sheds, even during a normal shed cycle, there are certain things that you, the caregiver, can do to make sure the shed is uneventful and comfortable for your bunny.
Proper Care:
When a fastidious self-grooming animal such as a rabbit undergoes a shedding cycle, it's almost inevitable that some fur is going to be swallowed. Although rabbits do not typically get "hairballs" (with the exception of some of the long-haired breeds), ingested hair can be difficult to pass, and can make the bunny uncomfortable. The goal of the rabbit caregiver should be to reduce the amount of ingested hair as much as possible.
Correct diet will help push ingested hair through the intestine.
Intestinal motility problems arise when a rabbit does not eat sufficient rough fiber and does not drink enough liquid to keep the intestinal contents well hydrated. Dehydrated intestinal contents are prone to form desiccated, difficult-to-pass masses of food and hair, and the situation can be made worse if the bunny is shedding/molting. During a molt, it's important that your bunny have free-choice, unlimited fresh grass hay, plenty of fresh, wet greens, and plenty of fresh, clean water to drink. A heavy, ceramic crock is better than a sipper water bottle, as a rabbit will usually drink more from a bowl, and in a more natural position. Hay, wet greens and water will all keep the intestinal contents well-hydrated and easy to pass and the bunny far less likely to suffer from any intestinal irritation related to ingestion of hair. Don't worry if you see your bunny leaving "strings of pearls": fecal pellets strung together with twists of fur. If the fur is coming out, then things are working fine, though you might want to do more grooming to reduce the amount of hair the bunny swallows. Here's how.
Grooming off loose fur will help prevent fur ingestion.
Daily grooming will help prevent discomfort during a shed cycle. A soft-tipped, wire brush or small, very fine-toothed flea comb will help you gently comb out loose fur. Careful plucking of loose fur tufts is also fair play, though many bunnies will object, and need to be groomed on a secure surface where s/he can't run off in protest. A good way to remove loose fur that's not tufting is the Wet Hand Rubdown. Moisten your hands, and gently rub the bunny backward and forward over the entire length of the body. Loose fur will stick to your moist hands and form a thick sheet. To remove the felt, simply rub your hands together to make a roll, throw it away, and repeat the procedure until your bunny's loose fur is mostly removed.
Abnormal shedding:
In some cases, a bunny will undergo what we call a "coat blow," shedding great clumps of fur all at once, and sometimes even leaving small bald patches. If the bunny is healthy, within a few days the bald patches will become pigmented, and then start to grow hair. If this doesn't happen, however, the fur loss may be due to one of several disease processes, and you should consult your trusted rabbit veterinarian for help in determining what the problem is, and how to appropriately treat it.
