Alopecia in Rabbits

Alopecia, or hair loss, in rabbits can have several different causes. Watch for symptoms in your rabbit. If hair loss occurs in your pet, see a veterinarian for proper diagnosis and treatment.

  1. Causes

    • Alopecia often occurs during seasonal shedding. Another cause is a behavior problem in rabbits known as barbering, when one rabbit will chew or pull hair from another rabbit in the same cage. Other causes could be parasitic infections, neoplastic causes, nutritional defects or infectious diseases.

    Symptoms

    • The primary symptom of alopecia is hair loss. However, other symptoms such as vomiting, fatigue, weight loss or gain, and changes in appetite are important to note to your veterinarian because they can point to the reason alopecia is occurring.

    Patterns of Alopecia

    • Different patterns of alopecia, such as hair loss only from a certain part of the body, are key in diagnosing the cause of alopecia.

    Diagnosis

    • Your veterinarian may scrape skin from your rabbit and perform a biopsy to rule out infections. Other tests may include blood tests, x-rays and urine analysis.

    Treatment

    • A veterinarian may prescribe medications as treatment for alopecia. The type of medication will depend on the underlying cause of the hair loss.

    Warning

    • Only a veterinarian can properly diagnose and treat your rabbit for alopecia. Avoiding treatment could cause permanent damage to, or even the death of your pet.