Rabbits can be infected by various mites, one of which is the fur mite. The mite is called Cheyletiella parasitovorax in Latin. The adult mites are passed on by direct contact between animals. However, they can also survive in the environment for a number of days and can therefore also be transferred from animal to animal in this way. Dogs, cats and also humans can be infected. In the latter, this can lead to an itchy skin irritation.
Cause
Rabbits become infected with fur mites through contact with infected rabbits. In addition, there are indications that healthy rabbits can be carriers of fur mites without suffering from them. Only when immunity decreases due to, for example, insufficient food, a lack of vitamins or the occurrence of another disease can fur mite infection lead to clinical symptoms. Cheyletiella lives in the keratin layer of the skin and does not burrow. The different stages from egg to adult mite occur on one and the same rabbit. The females lay eggs and these eggs stick to a hair, approximately 3-4 mm above the skin. The larvae first develop into pupae and then into adult mites. This entire cycle takes approximately 5 weeks.
Symptoms
Fur mites can often be recognized by the bald spots and loose hairs that come off very easily. Not every rabbit with bald spots has fur mites, so it is important to take your rabbit to the vet if he/she suddenly has bald spots. There may also be other causes that make your rabbit maintain its coat less well. For example, dental problems or pain.
Rabbits often suffer from itching and scratch themselves open. Scratching causes wounds and the bald spots can become larger and larger. Scratching causes scales to come loose and it will look like your rabbit has dandruff. In addition, the coat can also become paler in the places where the mite is located. In some cases, Cheyletiella is not the cause of the bald spots, but another mite is the cause. This mite causes bald skin without scales. This mite ensures that the hair follicles are affected, resulting in hair loss. This mite is mainly found on the neck, back and stomach. Your rabbit’s skin is bald and the hair falls out in clumps. There may be itching, but this is not always the case. A mite infection is very contagious. Therefore, treat all animals in the house, even if they do not all show symptoms yet. In addition, it is very important to clean the enclosure very well (at least twice a week), to replace the bedding and to clean the floor and walls of the enclosure and the toys and the food and water bowls in it very well. It is best to throw away wooden toys and buy new ones in their place.
Diagnosis
The diagnosis is made by combining the coat symptoms and microscopic examination. The fur mite is a persistent skin inhabitant, which must be treated for a long time before the problem is completely gone. Furthermore, the environment must also be treated to prevent re-infection from, for example, the cage.
Treatment
By combing your rabbit thoroughly, you can bring the mites out of the fur. The mites are just visible to the naked eye. It will not always be possible to comb the mites out of the fur, sometimes it is necessary to look at the hairs under a microscope. Any mites can be made more visible under the microscope, but eggs of the mites can also be seen under the microscope. As a treatment, it is best to comb your rabbit, in this way you remove all the flakes from the fur. In addition, your rabbit must be treated with a mite killing agent. There are pipettes that you can squeeze into the neck, which kill the mites. You must repeat this treatment after about two weeks.
Prevention
After your rabbit has been treated, you should also treat the environment. Mites fall off your rabbit during the infestation and can continue to live in the environment for a while. If you do not know where the fur mite came from, first buy a new pack of straw, sawdust and/or hay. A good product to disinfect the cage is Veip halamid-d. Textiles should be washed at a minimum of 70 degrees.
