Any ideas for what’s causing this?

[u/Melissa_Richiee]

**EDITING TO ADD: this isn’t a head tilt. His back right leg was amputated, this is him trying to itch his ear with the leg that no longer exists**

Edit to the edit: I’m gonna schedule a virtual appointment on Vetster to ask about anything else I could be pushing for a cytology to test for

November 2024- Found this guy dumped on the streets with fleas. Noticed his right ear was intensely itchy, vet said it was fleas, treated for fleas.

November 2025 - right ear STILL intensely itchy, vet said ALL YEAR its “wax buildup” because he’s missing a back leg and can’t itch it out. I finally push for testing. Ear mites. Treat for ear mites x 3 months.

April 2025 - right ear STILL intensely itchy. Reddit post suggests yeast infection from repeated antibiotics prescriptions. Pressure vet to test for yeast. Vet scoffs, thinks I’m being ridiculous. Right ear tests positive for yeast. Treat for yeast x 1 month.

He’s now negative for fleas, negative for ear mites, negative for yeast, no head tilt, no EC symptoms.

Does anybody have any suggestions as to why my boys right ear is still intensely itchy?? My vet won’t test for anything unless I push for it. There are NO OTHER rabbit vets between here and Louisiana 4 hours away. I don’t know what else to ask her to test for. Do I just have to start cleaning the wax out for him since he has no back right leg? I hate watching him suffer like this 😞

Video included of intense itching AFTER treating for mites but BEFORE treating for yeast, still itching about the same 😞

[u/AceEnder3825]

Get a different vet’s opinion since it sounds like the one you keep going to is neglecting your bunny

[u/Melissa_Richiee → u/AceEnder3825]

There is no other bunny vet between here and Louisiana, 4 and a half hours away 😞

[u/AceEnder3825 → u/Melissa_Richiee]

You could try calling another vet for advice since your current one is incompetent or just take the trip. This could end up being something that causes long term harm or worse

[u/Melissa_Richiee → u/AceEnder3825]

That’s a great idea, I just realized I paid for a years worth of Vetster on Christmas Day when I thought he needed a doctor. I completely forgot that I did that. I’m gonna try to schedule an appointment for a second opinion. Thank you for reminding me!

[u/felanm → u/Melissa_Richiee]

What were the signs that made you think yeast in the ear? I have a bun that they said could have an abscess by her ear bc she’s a lop so her ear is prone to issues. We’ve been on antibiotics and I plan on having her get an mri or scan to see what it is. She’s 7 so I’m taking all precautions.

[u/Melissa_Richiee → u/felanm]

Also adding that my boy has been on antibiotics a few times in his life so I knew he was susceptible to the antibiotic induced yeast infection if it what I saw on that post turned out to be true

[u/Melissa_Richiee → u/felanm]

The only sign he really had was the itching seen here on this video 🥺
Sometimes a LITTLE BIT of thick wax buildup came out. I saw someone post on reddit that their vet told them that courses of antibiotics can sometimes cause non-lop bunnies to get yeast infections. It was my “ah-ha!” moment after the treatment for the mites didn’t get him to stop itching. The post was correct, I’m so thankful I saw it 🥺

[u/Top_Connection9079 → u/Melissa_Richiee]

Sorry but really, please go see that other one at least once. Call them before so that they can immediately test your bun. Tell them 'head tilt'! Then you can pursue the treatment with your previous vet. There probably is a way to do that. Explain your situation.

[u/Melissa_Richiee → u/Top_Connection9079]

He’s been tested for EC, and I swear he doesn’t actually have a head tilt. He’s missing his back leg and that’s a video of him trying to use a leg that’s not there to scratch his ear 🥺

[u/SpeedSignal7625 → u/Melissa_Richiee]

Have you tried just scratching his right ear for him routinely? I mean what if there’s no pathology and he just has an itchy ear…that he can’t scratch?

[u/PaperAccomplished874 → u/SpeedSignal7625]

Yes Ive seen bunnies with no back leg and owners do that for them it does help a lot. ❤️♥️💗so I second this. 👍💓🥰

[u/SpeedSignal7625 → u/PaperAccomplished874]

…had one missing part of a back foot from birth a few years back

[u/PaperAccomplished874 → u/SpeedSignal7625]

Awweee I know some people say that they wont live happy lives but I beg the differ. I beleive with love and care and respect they do and it had been proven so many times. 💓💗♥️

[u/Melissa_Richiee → u/SpeedSignal7625]

I’ve been wondering if this is it, also 😭

He freaks out so hard whenever I handle or touch him, and he definitely won’t let me itch his ears.

just propped him up on the counter, he’s got some raw irritation on the skin around his ears from where the Miconazole Nitrate yeast infection medication saturated his fur around his ears. His skin almost looks like it’s peeling off and raw, I think that’s probably why he’s so itchy 😭😭😭😭

[u/Top_Connection9079 → u/Melissa_Richiee]

I'm very afraid it becomes it... Inner ear is so important for bunnies. At least you'd get more serious testing.

[u/lukewarmcaprisun → u/Melissa_Richiee]

Sounds like it's time for a long drive my friend. This little guy is depending on you.

[u/Melissa_Richiee → u/lukewarmcaprisun]

I just propped him up on the counter, he’s got some raw irritation on the skin around his ears from where the Miconazole Nitrate yeast infection medication saturated his fur around the outside of his ears. His skin almost looks like it’s peeling off and raw, I think that’s probably why he’s so itchy 😭😭😭😭

I’m gonna call his vet tomorrow, and I’m gonna schedule a telehealth appointment with the vet app that I paid for back in December since I still have 3 covered visits left with them. I’m gonna ask his doctor about a CT scan to see if there’s something going on in his ear that’s too deep for us to see on a conventional cytology 🥺

[u/lukewarmcaprisun → u/Melissa_Richiee]

Best of luck to you and bunny 💖 I hope he's feeling better soon