Very localized dandruff, not mites

[VermillionGirl]

My bunbun is currently an only bunny child, and as such has a hard time grooming everywhere on his own body. My partner and I do our best to help him with his hard to reach places but have noticed that he has a very localized patch of fur right between his shoulder blades that appears to have dry skin and dandruff on it. The dandruff is small pieces that are really only noticeable because they get caught in his long fur. I will see him “owling” (that’s what I call it- he basically is like that girl from the exorcist and will turn his head almost completely around when grooming) and trying to get at that hard to reach place. I will help him out by brushing, gently scratching and rubbing him in his hard to reach places. However when it comes to that one very small patch he seems to just have some kind of dandruff issue. It does not appear that the skin there has any kind of discoloration, inflammation, increased sensitivity, mites, or anything else wrong with it. I think he just cant get there well enough to keep the fur there clean. I was in the habit of just getting the little flakes out myself, but after looking around online I have not seen anyone else that seems to have any similar issue with their bunny. We originally thought he had a dry patch of skin (we live in Texas and while he is an indoor bunny who only goes outside while supervised and on his harness/leash, I thought maybe the crazy Texas weather could be to blame). We “treated” it by applying a lotion-ish type moisturizer  (it was 100% rabbit safe, all natural, and put on so he wasn’t eating it), which he really really enjoyed having done and even seemed to like having it on his skin. However I still saw little dandruff pieces occasionally so we discontinued it. Since then it has not been any worse, nor has he shown any signs of being uncomfortable in that area. I just wanted to see if there was a better treatment for what appears to be either just an area he cannot clean himself or perhaps a patch of dry skin that we just can’t tell is dry even? Again- the skin underneath that area doesn’t appear dry or in any way damaged, but we still find little dandruff pieves right there anyways. Do rabbits just shed their top dermis layer like people do and I am only noticing that he has flakes because it’s the one ares he can’t get to his fur to clean himself? The dandruff is not particularly “crunchy” or anything, it’s relatively soft and pliable whenever I have pulled pieces out of his fur. Is there any at home bath or treatment he might need? I don’t bathe him, other than the occasional butt bath, but he is one of those bunnies that likes to play in the water so sometimes I fill a small container up with a little water and he will hop in and out and splash around, and likes for us to gently pour water on him while he does so sometimes  (another question: is that normal or is our rabbit just kinda strange? Haha) so if he needed a little bath on that one area it definitely wouldn’t be an issue. It would be just like one og his usual favorite past times

[Bam]

It could’ve just dry skin, and then some bag balm or diaper rash cream etc could help. The area you describe isn’t possible for them to reach, that’s one reason why mites can thrive there. My Bam had mites when I got him and he did the “owl” thing with his head so much so that he fell over in efforts at getting at that area.

You can treat empirically with Revolution, but you need a vet to prescribe it.

My. Bam gets a bit of dry, flaky skin on the back of his ears sometimes, esp during molting. I put home-made beeswax cream on it.

Oh, and about his fondness for water: not common, but sounds super-charming. As long as he dries properly after, it’s not a problem, the main problem with bunnies and water is if they panick. Your bun seems quite fearless

[Author]

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