Ear infections in rabbits are hard to treat and can quickly become fatal as infection spreads.
Immediately consult a vet if you notice behavior changes, pain symptoms, decreased eating or pooping, head tilt, flickering eyes, or other concerns.
Causes:
Lop eared rabbits are at high risk because they cannot clean their own ears well and ear canal shapes/sizes. Lops have droopy ears, smaller ear canals, and an L-shaped ear canal that can prevent detection of ear infections by just looking into the ears with an otoscope. Ear infections typically become chronic, and typically need recurrent antibiotic therapy. Many lop rabbits go on to have a very expensive, invasive procedure called a partial ear canal ablation – bulla osteotomy or PECA-BO.
Other causes: Poor environment, long nails, genetics, etc.
Prevention
1. Routine vet care and exams.
2. Clean lop eared rabbit ears every 1-2 weeks (frequency & other breed needs can vary based on each rabbit’s needs).
3. Maintain a clean environment.
4. Trim nails regularly.
How to Clean Ears:
- Pour a small amount of solution in the ear.
Vet recommended solutions to help dissolve wax: 1) Cerumene, 2) EpiKlean. - Massage the base of the ear.
- Do not stick anything into the ear, but you may gently wipe with a cotton ball if needed.
Ear infections must be detected and treated early. Failure to treat leads to severe pain and death because the infection spreads.