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RABBIT ILLNESSES Domestic rabbits are different from wild rabbits because they are protected from any predators and it is not necessary for them to search for their own food. If they become ill it is not because they are neglected but because they have an illness. Your rabbit can live between six and ten years depending on the breed. It is important to have a big enough hutch for your rabbit with a covered area for him to hide and feel safe. A rabbit outside run is good for the rabbit to run around in but this also must have a covered area to protect the rabbit from any other animals and bad weather. There are hutch and run protectors to keep the rabbit from getting too hot or cold and bottle covers to stop the water freezing in winter and growing the nasty green algae in summer. |
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Mucoid Enteritis The symptoms of this illness are diarrhoea, weight loss, appetite loss and fever but little more is known about it. Mucoid enteritis occurs mostly in rabbits around two months old and in pregnant and lactating rabbits. It can also occur after a change in the rabbit's diet or in certain breeds which could indicate that it could be a hereditary disease. It is better to gradually introduce new foods to your rabbit and keep the rabbit in a constant even temperature as temperature change could be another factor. Your vet could provide antibiotics but it is better to try to prevent the problem. |
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Hair balls When your rabbit cleans himself he will swallow small amounts of fur which do not often cause a problem because the fur will be digested with the other food. Sometimes due to less fibre in the diet the fur will accumulate into hair balls which can block the digestive tract. To prevent this, ensure your rabbit's diet is good and if you have a long haired rabbit, keep it regularly groomed to remove all the excess hair. Heatstroke Excessive heat is dangerous to rabbits so they must be kept away from radiators and direct sunlight. Keep the hutch well ventilated. If your rabbit pants severely, flops about maybe over one side and has no energy he could be suffering from heatstroke. Lumps If your rabbit has a lump it is unlikely to be cancerous. They are usually cysts or infected wounds. It is quite difficult to know if your rabbit has any bumps on the skin because unless you are stoking the rabbit the lumps are very difficult to see. Rabbits can get wounds from rusty nails working their way loose in the hutch and cheap straw and hay can often cause problems by being too coarse or containing harmful bits of wire or other objects. If you are worried, clean the wound with rabbit friendly antiseptic and contact your vet to see if your rabbit needs antibiotics.
If you are looking for rabbit illness information, the following links may also be of interest to you: See also: rabbit problems, rabbit parasites, rabbit health disorders and rabbit ailments
Malocclusion Malocclusion is a hereditary condition occurring when the teeth are misaligned. Rabbit's teeth grow constantly and if they are not aligned properly they will not wear down and this will prevent the rabbit from eating properly. Wild rabbits would starve to death with malocclusion and vets recommend that any baby rabbit born with the problem is put down to prevent the condition being passed on through breeding. If you have a rabbit with malocclusion you either have to have the teeth filed down every few weeks, this is very stressful for the rabbit, have the teeth taken out or have the rabbit put down. The options are not very good because if you have the teeth taken out you will have to feed your rabbit only soft food for the rest of his life. Myxomatosis This is probably the best known rabbit disease. Your rabbit must be vaccinated against this and VHD. Myxomatosis was introduced to wild rabbits to keep the numbers down and it is a deadly disease. It is spread by mosquitoes and the symptoms are: fever, weeping eyes, swellings on the face or genitals and listlessness. Myxomatosis can be cured if caught early but otherwise is fatal. Viral Haemorrhagic Disease (VHD) Your rabbit must be vaccinated against VHD because there is no cure. The symptoms are: listlessness, no appetite, fever and possible oral and anal bleeding. Weight loss If your rabbit is loosing weight and he is healthy and being fed well the cause could be parasites, tooth problems or poisoning. You should consult your vet for proper diagnosis.
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Try searching on the Internet for "rabbit illness information" and you will be amazed just how many pages are on offer. Try it for yourself by hitting the search button below! |