Rabbits are generally very healthy animals, making them a good choice as pets and livestock. They typically have fewer health issues than many other animals and easily treated most of the time. Here we list some to the more common issues found in rabbits and the way these issues are treated.
Ear mites- Ear mites are probably the most common problem that rabbit owners have. They are also very easily treated. Symptoms may include the following: Excessive scratching of the ears, excessive shaking of the head, holding the head at a tilt, a discharge in the ears, black “dirt” in the ears.
Ear mites can be easily treated by applying mineral oil to the ears one or two times per day. Place enough oil in the ear to fill the ear canal. Then gently rub the base of the ear in order to work the oil down in to the ear. Then coat the entire inside of the ear with the oil as well. Do this to both ears and to all the rabbits you have since ear mites are transferable by touch. Be sure to wash your hands before touching any of your other pets because you can pass them on to other animals as well. Continue to treat with the oil for 3 to 7 days or until the ears are a healthy pink color.
See a healthy rabbit ear.
Over Grown Teeth- This issues occurs when rabbits do not have sufficient items to chew. A rabbit’s teeth never stop growing. They are kept at a healthy length by chewing on things such as wood. If the teeth become too long the rabbit may not be able to eat properly. If they are just slightly over grown then you can supply them with a block of clean untreated wood to chew on. Hay also helps to keep the teeth healthy. If they are very over grown you will need to have the teeth trimmed. This is not painful to the rabbit but is best done by a vet or someone with experience in the procedure. healthy teeth
Red Urine- This is not a true health problem. Though we may see red urine and think the worst, most of the time it is harmless. When a rabbit consumes more vitamins and minerals than his body can absorb the excess will be passed through the urine causing it to be red. When this is the case the urine is completely liquid, no clots or solids of any kind. The best treatment is to withhold all extra feedstuff. Only feed rabbit pellets and water for 48 hours. This should clear the urine and return it to normal. If you see clots or solids of any kind passed in the red urine there could be serious internal problems, so contact your vet ASAP. If no solid or clots are seen then the problem is simply too many vitamins and minerals, follow instructions above.
Runny nose- A rabbit’s nose is usually dry. If your rabbit has a runny nose there are two possible causes. The first could be sniffles. This is a clear, thin discharge from the nose, and may be accompanied with some sneezing. This is easily treated with a product called VET RX for rabbits. This can be found at the following suppliers. Jeffers (livestock supply), Klubertanz, and Bass. All of which can be accessed from our suppliers links page.
The second condition is a more serious one called "snuffles". This is a thick, colored discharge from the nose and possibly the eyes and can be accompanied by excessive sneezing. If it has not progressed very far this can also be treated with the product
VET RX for rabbits, if caught later it will need antibiotic treatment. A tetracycline powder is suitable. This can also be found at the above listed suppliers. If you are unsure of the severity of the condition see your vet. If it appears to be a severe case you may need stronger medicine than you can not purchase with out a prescription.Healthy noes and eyes
Sore Hocks- This is a conditions that causes sores on the bottom of the back feet of the rabbit. The back feet are usually covered in a thick fur pad from the “ankle” to the toe. When this fur is not thick enough the rabbit can develop sore hocks . This appears as raw, or if bad, a bleeding sore on the hind feet. To treat this, place a smooth, solid surface, such as a ceramic tile, in the cage to give you rabbit a more suitable place to sit, allowing the pressure to be distributed more evenly on the feet. Also clean the sore daily with an antiseptic such as beta dine. Do not leave anything on the rabbit that he can ingest since they do clean this area of the body. You may also want to give him a 3-7 day round of antibiotic “ tetracycline” to help speed the healing process. The antibiotic can be found at the local feed store or from the following suppliers listed on our suppliers links page: Jeffers(livestock supply), klubertanz, Bass.