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Mumsnet does not check the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you're worried about the health of your pet, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Mumsnet does not check the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you're worried about the health of your pet, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Small pets

What could these white lumps be on my Rabbit?

18 replies

MoreRainbowsPlease · 10/04/2021 23:19

My rabbit is a neutered 5 year old male. Today I noticed a white lump on his bottom, gave him a wash and it came off, but he is a bit sore and has a couple of other white pin prick spots on his anal area. He had a huge amount of white manky stuff in his anal gland area which stank and was not like the normal coffee bean stuff I have to clean out occasionally.

He has slightly odd anatomy due to a prolapse when he was a baby, and he does struggle to keep himself clean (I do wash him when needed).

Any ideas of what it might be. I have googled and not found anything that seems to match his symptoms. I will take him to the vets but he hates travelling so if it is something I can deal with at home it would probably better for him. I will try and upload a pic.

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MoreRainbowsPlease · 10/04/2021 23:24

I have obviously cleaned him up (the photo makes him look much dirtier than he was!) When I washed the white spot it came off, so not sure if it was a spot that burst.

What could these white lumps be on my Rabbit?

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OppsUpsSide · 10/04/2021 23:25

I would take him the vets OP, rabbits are buggers for going down hill quickly

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CausingChaos2 · 10/04/2021 23:26

I’m sorry, I haven’t seen anything similar on any of my rabbits (and at one point I had 10). I would probably get him checked at the vet.

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MoreRainbowsPlease · 10/04/2021 23:27

I know, this rabbit is a bugger for needing vet trips! He absolutely hates them and gets very distressed. Luckily the vets isn't too far from me so he doesn't have to be stressed for too long. He is eating, drinking and pooing fine so I was hoping it might be something I could deal with at home. I will ring the vets in the morning and see if I can send them that picture first, and then take it from there.

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AuntieDolly · 10/04/2021 23:31

Have you googled flystrike?

www.thehealthypetclub.co.uk/flystrike-advice/

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MoreRainbowsPlease · 10/04/2021 23:32

CausingChoas2, my brother and I have had 6 rabbits in my lifetime and I've never seen anything like this either. I did panic it could be flystrike, but I am fairly certain it's not that. This rabbit has lost some fur on his tummy from where he can't keep himself clean enough and that does get sore sometimes, so I wondered whether it is something like that. Maybe he's got sore from his urine and it's got infected.

I'm not going to be flavour of the month with him for this vet's trip. He honestly gives me the old shoulder for a day or 2 after vet trips!

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MoreRainbowsPlease · 10/04/2021 23:35

AuntieDolly I am worried about flystrike. I have never seen it, and I'll be honest I haven't googled images as I thought I'd find it too distressing. His hutch is regularly cleaned out and disinfected, but I do worry about the poo on the lawn. I do try to clear it up, but it is quite difficult, could he get eggs on him from that? He likes to poo in the same places so does end up going on poo that has been around for a few days.

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CarelessSquid07A · 10/04/2021 23:39

That looks really sore. Rabbits are prone to abcesses it could be that. It sounds like urine scald could be a possibility.

Both need urgent vet trip to prevent infection. I have a stressy traveller as well but we always seem to be at the vets often. The only thing that helps is a calmer companion as his girlbun isn't fazed by anything.

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StartingGrid · 10/04/2021 23:41

I had a doe who suffered from what appeared to be a bacterial infection similar to this - she too wasn't quite anatomically correct. A course of metronizadole helped her no end - hopefully the vet can take a culture and prescribe a targeted antibiotic. Don't be fobbed off with baytril!

Also every rabbit owner should have a bottle of F10 germicidal fly and wound spray - if ever flystrike does occur, it kills maggots and prevents eggs hatching, as well as if used regularly preventing them laying. In the worst case it buys valuable time to get bun to the vets.

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MoreRainbowsPlease · 10/04/2021 23:45

I do have 2 rabbits, but they are not bonded as they only get along when there is mesh between them. I do worry that he could die from the stress of taking him to the vet as it really does bother him, but it seems that he does definately need to go. Hopefully it will be something simple to treat. It's just a shame I can't go in with him at the moment to help try and calm him down. Last time I took him to the vets for his vaccination a couple of months ago you have to hand them over at the door and wait outside.

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MoreRainbowsPlease · 10/04/2021 23:47

StartingGrid, I will look into getting the F10. Last year he was due to have a coating of something put on to help prevent flystrike because of his difficulties keeping himself clean, but because of lockdown it got cancelled and I didn't rebook him in as by the time I could get a routine appointment it was the autumn so I decided to wait till this year.

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MoreRainbowsPlease · 10/04/2021 23:48

What would be the first signs of flystrike that I would notice? I keep reading about seeing maggots, but that is obvious, would there be anything I might notice sooner?

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StartingGrid · 11/04/2021 00:25

It would only be fly eggs that you'd be able to see otherwise, but to be honest as the temperature has been so varied recently I'd be surprised if it were flystrike as I've not seen a bluebottle in about a fortnight. Bun would also be very subdued, off food, possibly shaking with pain. How is he in himself tonight?

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StartingGrid · 11/04/2021 00:29

What he had before was most likely rearguard, he wouldn't be suitable for that now though as it can't be used on sore or broken skin. If you did ever think there were maggots you could try putting an electric shaver/toothbrush against the genital area as the vibration draws them to the surface but if an infestation had took hold bun would likely only have a matter of hours before it was fatal so it would be an emergency vet job, day or night

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StartingGrid · 11/04/2021 00:32

Just to add, the benefit of f10 vs rearguard is it can even be used on open wounds. I would ask the vets to clip his fur around the genital area as if he does weemon himself wet fur will make urine scald more likely. Looked back at your earlier post and you said he's eating fine so I'm quietly confident it wouldn't be flystrike!

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StartingGrid · 11/04/2021 00:52

Last post as for now I am having a full on convo with myself but just checking is he vaccinated? Are his eyes and nose free of lumps?

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MoreRainbowsPlease · 11/04/2021 01:02

He is vaccinated and eyes and nose free from lumps. he is eating absolutely as normal (which is a ton as he is a constant eater). He is quite a big rabbit, he is a 4.4kg english cross.

I keep going to check on him, he is fine, but I am sure he is looking at me very suspiciously!

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MoreRainbowsPlease · 12/04/2021 12:39

Just thought I'd update in case anyone is invested in my rabbit's bottom! It is infected from where he can't clean himself properly. The vet has shaved the area so I can keep him clean and apply cream, he also has painkillers. I also need to get him to lose weight (although I have tried that before, he just constantly eats in the garden).

StartingGrid the vet suggested the F10 once he's healed so I am going to get that.

I am so relieved it's nothing more sinister. The rabbit is mightily peed off with me though!

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