Ear Problems

Rare in guinea pigs, other than tears from the odd fight between boars, but fairly common in rabbits, isolated ear problems can occur as a result of mite infection or foreign body. Olive oil dropped into the ear is soothing and will help float any foreign body that is in there to the surface. For an in depth article on rabbit ear infections read Dana Krempel's article.

Rabbits, especially white ones, can also suffer from sunburn to their ears so always provide shade in an outdoor run.

Conventional veterinary treatment for ear mite includes Ivomec injection and topical anti-mite treatment. It is extremely effective and you should always consult your vet as soon as you suspect there is a problem.  Some rabbit owners have used Thornit anti-canker powder for dogs with good effect as a first aid measure.

Yellow ears in chinchillas are a sign of deficiency. Chinchillas require vitamin E, methionine and choline to convert carotene into vitamin A in the liver. Supplementation remedies this.