Solutions for Fleas on Rabbits

Fleas are tiny blood-sucking insects that commonly infect household pets, including rabbits. Nearly all rabbits will probably suffer from an infestation at some point in their lives, but whether the infestation is mild or severe it's important to consult a trained professional.

  1. Symptoms and Dangers

    • Rabbits scratch when they have fleas. If the infestation is severe, they may chew their backs or the base of their tail. Combing the rabbit's coat will reveal small black specks, which are either the fleas or flea feces. Severe infestations can cause anemia and even kill young rabbits. Some infestations result in flea allergic dermatitis (FAD). If left untreated, fleas can spread the myxomatosis virus. They also carry tapeworms.

    Prevention

    • Adult fleas only live for a few months, but in that time females lay up to 50 eggs per day. These eggs are non-sticky and will drop onto the floor or any other surface as the carrier wanders around the house. Fleas found on a pet are a small percentage of the problem. Larvae and pupae grow where they have fallen and fleas only emerge from the cocoon when they see a host within jumping distance. Regular vacuum cleaning will remove unhatched fleas from carpets and furniture.

    Treatment

    • Thorough and repeated grooming with a flea comb is the first treatment to try. Dip the comb in warm soapy water, brush it through the rabbit's coat once, then rinse the comb with clean water before continuing the grooming. Safe chemical flea treatments include Advantage (imidacloprid) -- although this should not be used on very young, very old or ill rabbits -- Program (lufenuron) and Revolution (selamectin). These products are all available from veterinarians. The dose of product must be measured carefully and applied to the back of the neck and wherever the rabbit cannot reach to groom it away. The rabbit's cage and any exercise area must also be thoroughly cleaned to avoid reinfestation.

    Warning

    • Some products approved for other pets should not be used to treat a rabbit that has fleas. These include Frontline (fipronil) and any powders or shampoos. Bathing rabbits is generally strongly discouraged because of the stress it causes. Neither flea-killing sprays nor "bombs" are recommended because of the harmful residue they leave. Safer alternatives are borax -- which is a multipurpose bleach -- or diatomaceous earth, which is a dust with razor sharp edges that destroy the flea's outer shell. These products are both organic.