Do Rabbits Get Alopecia?

Do rabbits get alopecia? You may be familiar with alopecia in people. It is the loss of hair, either partially or completely. Did you know that your pet rabbit could also develop alopecia?

It is true, rabbits can develop alopecia as a disorder or as a symptom of another disorder. You can't really expect your rabbit to get alopecia, there isn't a certain breed, sex, or even age at which rabbits get alopecia. It can also occur slowly or quickly. If you want to try to prevent alopecia in your pet rabbit you can make sure they have a nutritional diet and a clean environment.

How can you tell if your rabbit has alopecia? It's pretty easy, they will have abnormal hair loss. It may be patchy bald spots, or spots that appear to have thinning.  Almost all furry animals shed, alopecia is more than just shedding though.

If your rabbit appears to have alopecia you should contact your veterinarian. If you have more than one rabbit in one cage and you notice hair loss you may want to monitor the pets. Sometimes barbering is the cause. Barbering is a behavioral issue when one rabbit pulls out the hair of another rabbit. If this is the cause, separate the rabbits.

A veterinarian will run tests to determine the cause of your pet's alopecia. Parasitic infections including fleas and mites can cause alopecia, also bacterial infection, vitamin and protein deficiencies. Neoplastic issues such as tumors can also sometimes result in hair loss in rabbits. All of these causes can affect the growth of hair follicle, therefore resulting in alopecia.

Once the underlying cause is determine, treatment can begin. Your rabbit will have to take medication o get rid of infections. Supplements can help a rabbit recover from deficiencies. If tumors are the cause of a rabbit's hair loss, they may require surgery to remove the tumors.

The information provided on this site is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your veterinarian or other health care professional. You should not use the information on this site for diagnosis or treatment of any health problem or for prescription of any medication or other treatment.