Ear Care for a Rabbit

A rabbit's ears are more than just cuddly and floppy. They regulate the rabbit's temperature and can reveal important information about its health. Rabbit ears contain an extensive blood vessel system visible through their skin. When the need for blood arises in the body, it tends to be drawn from the ears. It's important to examine the ears for signs of parasites, inflammation or wax build-up. Untreated parasites or infection can cause torticollis, or "head tilt," a condition that causes a rabbit's head to twist over sideways. Infection can also lead to facial nerve paralysis.

  1. General Care

    • Examine a rabbit's ears regularly for inflammation. Take the rabbit to the veteranarian for regular check ups as a preventative measure. Never pick a rabbit up or restrain it by its ears. The ears are fragile and sensitive. The ear cartilage can be injured easily. If an ear is broken, it will never heal. Never poke an object in a rabbit's ear as it can damage the inner ear.

    Ear Wax

    • Remove any wax buildup on a rabbit's ears. Soak a cotton ball in a cleaner made specifically for rabbit ears. Be careful not to push the wax into the ear canal. Clean the ear by making gentle swipes from the base of the ear to its tip. If the ear wax has a foul odor, that is an indication that the rabbit has parasites and you should schedule an appointment with a veterinarian.

    Ear Mites

    • Ear mites create pain and cause a rabbit to scratch its ears. More sores and infection can form as a secondary condition. Unnoticed, ear mites can dig deeper into the external ear canal. Left untreated, ear mites can damage a rabbit's hearing permanently. Symptoms of ear mites include excessive shaking and scratching of the head, redness, thick reddish-brown crusts and bleeding of the ear canal. The veterinarian may prescribe parasiticide to treat mites. In addition, you can treat the ears by soaking a cotton ball in lukewarm mineral oil and using it to saturate the ear crust. Use a cotton swab to remove the saturated crust. Do not pull the crust out of the ear because it can tear the sensitive skin and cause an infection. Use a medicated shampoo on the rabbit during the treatment period.

    Ear Infection

    • A rabbit can have an external or middle ear infection. According to the PetMD website, symptoms of either kind of infection include redness and swelling of the external ear, white and creamy fluid at the ear canal, excessive ear wax, crusts around the ear canal and scaling around the ear canal. Scaling can lead to obstruction and hearing problems. Other infections like upper respiratory, rhinitis, sinusitis, bacterial and yeast can cause an ear infection.