Colds
- Rabbits can catch colds. If
your rabbit is sneezing a lot and appears to have a wet nose and messy front
feet, try VetRx for rabbits or consult a rabbit breeder for advice.
Diarrhea
- Diarrhea may be caused from too
much fruit or vegetables in the diet, or a change in food or water. Take
the rabbit off all greens and give it hay and oats for the day. This
should clear it up. If not, then it is best to take the bunny to a vet
who is used to dealing with rabbits, as the diarrhea may be cause by Coccidia
or enteritis and needs to be treated with medicine. You can buy "Dri-tail"
in most pet stores used in small animals to treat enteritis. That will
sometimes cure the diarrhea.
Ear
mites – Treat with any remedy used
for cats, or with mineral oil, or give Ivermectin 1% IM.
Fur
mites – They look like dandruff
flakes at the back of the animal’s head or back. It is common and can
spread rapidly from rabbit to rabbit. Mites can be eradicated by dusting
the rabbit with poultry dust or cat flea powder, tea tree oil, or give
Ivermectin 1% IM..
Hairballs
- All rabbits, especially ones with
wool can get hairballs. This is caused by swallowed hair becoming lodged
in the intestines. If the droppings of the rabbits become noticeably
smaller in size, this means your rabbit has a blockage. Give it 1/4
teaspoon meat tenderizer mixed in baby banana pudding, give it 2 times a day
until the rabbit starts eating and the droppings return to normal.
Heat
stroke - Rabbits may be panting,
staggering about, vomiting or have a wet nose. Place a cool wet towel
around the rabbit and move it to a cool place immediately. Do not splash
or immerse the rabbit in water. Give it cool water to drink and watch it
carefully.
Hutch
Burn - (Also called Urine Burn) It is caused by dirty environment, affects
area around genitals and/or inside of hind legs. First wash the affected
area with betadine or a mild soap then use an antibiotic cream (bag balm or
tea tree oil in Aloe vera gel works well) and keep cages clean and dry.
If the rabbit has a sitting board or mat in the cage it would be wise to
remove it until the area is healed.
Red
urine – This is due to incomplete break down of
food nutrients in some animals. Try
using food that is lower in protein. This is a normal condition and will
not harm the rabbit.
Snuffles
- This refers to a bacterial
infection in the upper respiratory system. It can be stress related.
Signs are sneezing, watery eyes, white nasal discharge, and breathing
difficulty.Sore
hocks – The bottom of the
rabbit’s foot is called the “hock”. ore hocks are caused from the
rabbit not having enough fur on the bottom of the feet to withstand the
pressure of the wire. To treat, put a sitting board in the cage.
Treat any wound on the bottom of the feet with Bag Balm or preparation H.
Teeth
– Check your rabbit’s teeth
regularly to be certain that it is not suffering from a malocclusion (improper
bite) that prevents it from eating normally. A rabbit’s teeth grow
continuously, and a malocclusion prevents the teeth from being filed down
through normal chewing. A bunny suffering from malocclusion must be
taken to a vet or rabbit breeder on a regular basis to have the teeth trimmed
properly. This must be done for the life of the rabbit, unless the teeth
realign themselves, otherwise the rabbit will starve to death. Lop
rabbits can get a malocclusion at any time up to a year old until their head
and jaw stop growing. Rabbits that chew on the cage frequently may end
up with a malocclusion.
Vent
disease - This is an infection
transmitted through mating. The signs are: blisters, scabs and pus in
the genital areas and even on the animals nose.
Wry
neck - A bacterial infection of the
inner ear, can also be caused by a draft or parasite .The signs are: loss of
balance, head tilting to one side, or darting eyes. Take the rabbit to a
vet as soon as you notice any of these symptoms, or the rabbit will die. Check
out Barbi Brown's
website for some great info on Wry Neck and how to treat it.
