A detailed dermatologic examination is necessary in all rabbits presented with skin disease suspected to be secondary to parasitic infestation. Because rabbits are prone to being fractious, safe restraint is required to obtain quality diagnostic skin samples, and anesthesia or sedation may be indicated in some patients.2-6
Several useful dermatologic diagnostic tests, including impression smears, are available for rabbits. Direct slide impressions are often used in patients with moist, exudative, or crusted lesions. A moistened swab can also be used to collect cytologic samples, which can then be rolled onto a slide. Brushed hair and debris can be useful for detection of superficial ectoparasites (eg, certain mites, lice) and their eggs. Skin scrapings (Figure 2), both superficial (ie, collection of oiled debris) and deep (ie, down to dermal capillary bleeding), can also be useful in the detection of ectoparasites and their eggs. Because rabbits have thin skin, a dulled scalpel blade or a scraping spatula should be used to perform skin scrapings. Bacterial culture and susceptibility testing can be useful for samples collected from any exudative, crusted, nodular, or cystic lesion. A trichogram can be used to evaluate for ectoparasites and dermatophytosis (eg, fungal hyphae, ectothrix) and for broken or fractured hair ends that would help determine whether hair loss is traumatic. Acetate tape impressions are preferred for drier lesions and can be useful in the detection of superficial ectoparasites and their eggs, particularly Cheyletiella spp. Other common diagnostic tests include fungal culture, Wood’s lamp, skin biopsies for histopathology, and clinical pathology testing, including CBC and serum chemistry profile, as some skin lesions may be reflective of systemic disease.