How much is a flea treatment for a rabbit?

DO NOT use Frontline (chemical name is Fipronil) on your rabbit! This topically applied flea medication has been linked with numerous rabbit deaths due to severe neurological side effects.

Advantage for Kittens and (NOT Advantix) and Revolution for Kittens have safely been used to treat flea and ear mite infestations in rabbits. Make sure that you use the size that corresponds to your rabbit's weight (i.e., don't use the Revolution for Cats when it is meant for larger-sized animals).

Do not attempt to use flea collars on your rabbit! Do not put any kind of a collar on a rabbit since it could severely injure itself trying to take it off.

Do not attempt to use a pyrethrin-based flea dip, flea powder or flea bath for your rabbit. Rabbits are extremely chemically-sensitive animals.

People recommend using a flea comb to extract loose fleas, but this can only do so much, and topical flea medications are strongly suggested. Please make sure you only buy these from a veterinarian's office or a pet medication website that will only take your order after receiving a valid prescription from a veterinarian. There are websites where you can order topical flea medications without a prescription, but it can't be guaranteed that you are buying the guaranteed authentic product.

Be sure to treat the environment that the rabbit is living in as well. If your rabbit lives indoors, wash/wipe down all surfaces and bedding. Vaccum the floors, carpets and upholestry as flea eggs and flea larvae thrive in these environments. Fleas are notoriously difficult to get rid of. A highly suggest flea treatment for upholstered surfaces is to use a mixture of boric acid/Borax (use 20 Mule Team borax or any other brand) and salt and spread this generously on rugs, carpets and couches, leave on for a day and then vaccum off. Repeat for a day or two. Remove all animals and make sure that they don't come into contact with this mixture. The boric acid kills the fleas and the salt dries out the larvae and eggs. Continue to vaccum the house as much as possible and wash bedding, sheets and other applicable materials in hot water.

It would be highly suggested to thoroughly clean out the rabbit's cage, all toys and food bowls in hot water.

http://www.bunnybunch.org/rabbitcare1.html#alert

From http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Skin_diseases/Parasitic/fleas.PDF

It is important to treat both the rabbit infested by fleas and the environment.

Fleas are eliminated by sprays, powder products or topical products:

-pyrethrin based products

-selectamin: Revolution (US) or Stronghold (Europe)- Pfizer, 18 mg/kg. A single topical (local) dose should be sufficient; if not, repeat in 30 days.

-imidacloprid: Advantage- Bayer, one single application is generally enough to remove the fleas. If this is not the case, the treatment can be repeated after 30 days. The vapors of this product can lead to irritation of the eyes; it is thus recommended to aerate the room where the rabbit lives in.

-Iufenuron: Program- Novartis, 10 mg/kg. One sole treatment should be sufficient. If not, the treatment can be repeated after 30 days.

Impregnated anti-flea collars should never be used in rabbits. They lead to severe irritation of the skin. There are reported cases, where the rabbit attempted to remove its collar, and died as a result of jamming its jaw in the collar.

Treatment of the environment is important (boric acid such as Fleabusters; Vet-Kem Acclaim Plus- Sanofi; Staykil- Novartis; Indorex- Virbac; acaricide spray). When treating a carpet, vacuum first in order to further penetration of the spray or powder. Shampooing and steam cleaning are not ideal; their residual humidity can increase the mite problem. During treatment of the environment, rabbits should be kept in another part of the home to avoid the danger of contact with the products.

Articles

Links in Rabbit References: Fleas

http://homepage.mac.com/mattocks/morfz/rabrefs.html#fleas

Fleas and Rabbits

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Skin_diseases/Parasitic/fleas.PDF

Flea Control

http://www.ontariorabbits.org/health/healthinfo9.html

Fleas

http://www.lagomorphs.com/fleas.pdf

Alert on Topical Flea Products

http://www.bunnybunch.org/rabbitcare1.html#alert

New Products Make Flea Control, Prevention Easy

http://www.bunnybunch.org/rabbitcare1.html#flea

Fleas on Rabbits

http://www.allearssac.org/fleas.html

Fleas, Ticks, and Your Pet FAQ

http://www.faqs.org/faqs/pets/fleas-ticks/

http://www.welshrabbitry.com/health.html#flea