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Common Health Questions

Obesity | Hairballs | Dental | Fly Strike |Urinary

Obesity

As with other species of pets, obesity is a serious condition which is becoming more common in the pet rabbit.

This may be because the rabbit itself is now the third most popular pet in the UK, or because we have busier lifestyles now and do not have time to give them the proper care they deserve.

Obesity can occur through lack of exercise and/or an unsuitable diet. Rabbits should be fed on a high fibre, low carbohydrate, low protein diet. Many rabbits get little or no hay with too much cereal foods, fruit, crackers and crisps.

An obese rabbit may suffer from arthritis, heart disease, sore hocks, urine scald, skin and coat problems and even flystrike because it is unable to groom itself or ingest caecotrophs.

In obesity cases the vet may suggest weaning off the dried food altogether. A hay and veggie diet should help keep rabbits lean and healthy. Fruit leaves and herbs can be used as treats instead of items like crackers and fruit.

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Hairballs

Hair balls in rabbits are also known as trichobezoars. They are caused by a build up of hair/fur in the digestive system. When cats suffer from hair balls they can vomit to eliminate this blockage.

Unfortunately, rabbits do not have the ability to vomit. However, a diet high in fibre will help the rabbit pass these hairballs. Stress and boredom can cause over-grooming in rabbits so environmental enrichment may help prevent this problem.

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Teeth

Although the mouth is part of the digestive system, it is considered separately here because of the huge importance of dental health to the well-being of the rabbit.

Tooth problems are the commonest reason for seeking veterinary attention for rabbits. Dental disease is often the underlying cause of other disorders of the rabbit e.g. digestive system, malnutrition, skin disease, fly strike, social disharmony (aggression).

Apart from a few exceptions (genetic malformation in certain breeds, trauma) dental problems are due to feeding unsuitable commercial diets which, as mentioned above do not promote proper wear of the teeth.

If the teeth are not worn down by chewing, the cheek teeth grow too long and are forced together. At this stage the only external sign may be weight loss as the rabbit has difficulty eating. Further growth forces the mouth open slightly so that the front incisors do not meet properly and they start to overgrow and lengthen. The upper incisors curl back into the mouth and the lower incisors protrude outwards. This is usually the stage at which a problem is noticed but there is already considerable damage by this time.

Because the rabbit cannot chew properly, the cheek teeth wear unevenly and form sharp points which cut the cheek and tongue. This is painful, the rabbit is reluctant to eat and may dribble. As the condition progresses, the jaw may become lumpy as the jaw bone erodes. This is very painful and may lead to infection of the tooth roots and abscesses on the face and head.

Other signs of dental disease are persistent runny or infected eyes. This is because the tear ducts will be affected by abnormalities of the roots of the incisor teeth. Dental problems may also affect the rabbit’s ability to eat their caecotrophs which then stick to the rabbit’s bottom and attract flies. Failure to eat caecotrophs may also lead to nutritional deficiencies.

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Urinary

Normal rabbit urine can vary between different colours, however this is not something, which is always a cause for concern. Red urine for example does not always indicate the presence of blood. Certain plant pigments can cause a reddish urine and antibiotics can also cause this colouration.

One the other end of the scale urine, which appears thick and white with a toothpaste consistency, indicates the presence of urinary crystals. This can result from a diet, which is low in fibre but too high in protein and calcium.

Fresh water should be available 24 hours a day. Most rabbits will drink out of a water bottle but some will drink out of a bowl. Monitor your rabbit if it drinks from a bowl because a wet chest or dewlap may prove an attractive site for skin infections.

Rabbits can easily be house trained. However, be careful when choosing which type of litter to use because if clumping litter is eaten it may cause severe digestive problems. Paper and wood based litter tends to be safer but avoid litter, which is dusty as this may lead to respiratory problems.

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Fly Strike

This is when flies lay their eggs in the faeces covered fur around the anus of the rabbit. The eggs can hatch quickly and the maggots eat the rabbit’s flesh.

Warm moist conditions encourage flies; you should avoid soaking the rabbit and clean the faeces away carefully. You can prevent fly strike by giving your rabbit a high fibre diet to prevent obesity and ‘sticky bottom’.

More information on caring for a rabbit can be found on www.houserabbit.co.uk.

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