Common Rabbit Health Issues and Solutions: A Complete Guide
Rabbits are delicate creatures that hide illness instinctively (prey animal behavior). Recognizing health issues early can save your bunny’s life. This guide covers the most common rabbit health problems, their symptoms, and solutions.
🚨 EMERGENCY SYMPTOMS – SEEK VET IMMEDIATELY:
- ❌ Not eating for 12+ hours
- ❌ No poops for 12+ hours
- ❌ Difficulty breathing
- ❌ Head tilt or loss of balance
- ❌ Seizures or paralysis
- ❌ Bleeding
- ❌ Severe diarrhea
- ❌ Extreme lethargy or unresponsiveness
⏰ THESE ARE LIFE-THREATENING! Don’t wait – go to an emergency vet NOW!
🔴 Critical Health Issues
1. GI Stasis (Gastrointestinal Stasis)
⚠️ SEVERITY: Life-threatening if untreated
What It Is:
The digestive system slows down or stops completely. This is the #1 killer of domestic rabbits.
Symptoms:
- Not eating or eating very little
- Few or no poops (or very small poops)
- Lethargic, hunched posture
- Teeth grinding (pain indicator)
- Bloated or hard abdomen
- Cold ears and feet
Causes:
- Insufficient fiber (not enough hay in diet)
- Stress
- Dental problems
- Dehydration
- Pain from other issues
- Lack of exercise
Treatment:
VET VISIT REQUIRED! This is an emergency.
- ✓ Vet will provide fluids, pain medication, gut motility drugs
- ✓ At home: Keep warm, gentle belly massage, encourage movement
- ✓ Syringe feed if recommended by vet
- ✓ Monitor closely every 2-4 hours
Prevention:
- ✅ Unlimited hay 24/7
- ✅ Plenty of water
- ✅ Daily exercise
- ✅ Minimize stress
- ✅ Regular vet checkups
2. Dental Disease (Malocclusion)
⚠️ SEVERITY: Serious, chronic condition
What It Is:
Rabbit teeth grow continuously. When they don’t wear down properly, they become overgrown and can cause serious problems.
Symptoms:
- Drooling or wet chin
- Difficulty eating (dropping food)
- Weight loss
- Eye discharge or bulging eyes
- Preference for soft foods
- Decreased appetite
Causes:
- Genetics (some breeds prone to it)
- Insufficient hay (learn about proper hay feeding)
- Injury or trauma
- Diet too soft
Treatment:
- ✓ Vet must trim or file teeth (requires sedation)
- ✓ May need regular trims every 4-8 weeks
- ✓ Severe cases may require tooth extraction
- ✓ Pain management important
Prevention:
- ✅ UNLIMITED hay (most important!)
- ✅ Provide safe chew toys
- ✅ Limited pellets
- ✅ Regular dental checkups
🟡 Serious Health Issues
3. E. Cuniculi (Encephalitozoon cuniculi)
⚠️ SEVERITY: Serious, can be fatal
What It Is:
A parasitic infection that can affect the brain, kidneys, and other organs.
Symptoms:
- Head tilt
- Loss of balance, rolling
- Seizures
- Weakness in hind legs
- Urinary incontinence
- Cataracts
Treatment:
- ✓ 28-day course of fenbendazole
- ✓ Supportive care (anti-inflammatories, fluids)
- ✓ Some symptoms may be permanent
- ✓ Many rabbits recover with treatment
Prevention:
- ✅ Preventive fenbendazole treatment (discuss with vet)
- ✅ Good hygiene
- ✅ Avoid exposure to infected rabbits’ urine
4. Pasteurellosis (“Snuffles”)
⚠️ SEVERITY: Moderate to serious
What It Is:
Bacterial respiratory infection caused by Pasteurella bacteria.
Symptoms:
- Sneezing, snuffling sounds
- Nasal discharge (white or colored)
- Matted fur on front paws (from wiping nose)
- Eye discharge
- Head tilt (if spreads to inner ear)
- Difficulty breathing
Treatment:
- ✓ Antibiotics (long course, often 4-6 weeks)
- ✓ Nebulization therapy
- ✓ Keep nasal passages clear
- ✓ May require ongoing management
Prevention:
- ✅ Reduce stress
- ✅ Good ventilation
- ✅ Avoid drafts
- ✅ Clean environment
- ✅ Quarantine new rabbits
🟢 Common but Less Serious Issues
5. Sore Hocks (Pododermatitis)
⚠️ SEVERITY: Moderate, painful if untreated
What It Is:
Pressure sores on the bottom of the feet, often from wire floors or hard surfaces.
Symptoms:
- Red, swollen foot pads
- Loss of fur on feet
- Open sores or scabs
- Reluctance to move
- Thumping less (painful feet)
Treatment:
- ✓ Change flooring immediately (soft, padded surfaces)
- ✓ Topical treatments (vet-prescribed)
- ✓ Antibiotics if infected
- ✓ Pain medication
- ✓ Weight management if overweight
Prevention:
- ✅ NO wire flooring!
- ✅ Provide soft surfaces (fleece, mats)
- ✅ Keep nails trimmed
- ✅ Maintain healthy weight
- ✅ Encourage movement
6. Ear Mites
⚠️ SEVERITY: Minor but uncomfortable
Symptoms:
- Head shaking
- Scratching ears
- Brown, crusty discharge in ears
- Ear inflammation
Treatment:
- ✓ Topical or systemic parasiticides (vet-prescribed)
- ✓ Usually resolves in 2-3 weeks
- ✓ Treat all rabbits in household
7. Flystrike (Myiasis)
⚠️ SEVERITY: Life-threatening emergency!
What It Is:
Flies lay eggs on rabbit (usually around dirty bottom), maggots hatch and burrow into skin. VERY dangerous!
Risk Factors:
- Dirty bottom (diarrhea, obesity, mobility issues)
- Warm weather
- Outdoor housing
- Open wounds
Symptoms:
- Visible maggots
- Strong smell
- Lethargy
- Loss of appetite
Treatment:
EMERGENCY VET VISIT!
- ✓ Remove all maggots (under sedation)
- ✓ Wound cleaning and treatment
- ✓ Antibiotics
- ✓ Intensive care often needed
Prevention:
- ✅ Daily bottom checks in summer
- ✅ Keep bottom clean (butt baths if needed)
- ✅ Maintain healthy weight
- ✅ Bring outdoor rabbits inside in summer
- ✅ Fix any causes of diarrhea immediately
8. Hairballs (Trichobezoars)
⚠️ SEVERITY: Can lead to GI stasis
What It Is:
Unlike cats, rabbits can’t vomit. Ingested hair can form a mass in the stomach.
Symptoms:
- Decreased appetite
- Smaller, fewer poops
- Lethargy
- Can progress to GI stasis
Treatment:
- ✓ Increase hay intake
- ✓ More water
- ✓ Pineapple or papaya (enzymes may help)
- ✓ Exercise
- ✓ Vet may prescribe gut motility drugs
Prevention:
- ✅ UNLIMITED hay
- ✅ Regular grooming (especially during molting)
- ✅ Plenty of water
- ✅ Daily exercise
9. Uterine Cancer (in unspayed females)
⚠️ SEVERITY: Very serious, often fatal if untreated
What It Is:
Up to 80% of unspayed female rabbits develop uterine cancer by age 5.
Symptoms:
- Blood in urine (not always visible)
- Behavioral changes
- Decreased appetite
- Lethargy
- Abdominal mass
Treatment:
- ✓ Spay surgery (removes uterus and ovaries)
- ✓ Early detection crucial
Prevention:
- ✅ SPAY your female rabbit by age 1-2!
- ✅ This also prevents unwanted pregnancies and reduces aggression
10. Heat Stroke
⚠️ SEVERITY: Life-threatening emergency!
What It Is:
Rabbits can’t tolerate heat well. Temperatures above 80°F (27°C) are dangerous.
Symptoms:
- Rapid breathing or panting
- Drooling
- Lethargy, weakness
- Red ears
- Convulsions
- Collapse
Treatment:
IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED!
- ✓ Move to cool area immediately
- ✓ Apply cool (NOT cold) water to ears
- ✓ Offer water
- ✓ Get to vet ASAP even if improving
Prevention:
- ✅ Keep environment 60-70°F (15-21°C)
- ✅ Air conditioning in summer
- ✅ Frozen water bottles to lie against
- ✅ Ceramic tiles (stay cool)
- ✅ Never leave in hot car or direct sun
🏥 When to See a Vet
🚨 EMERGENCY – Go Immediately:
- Not eating 12+ hours
- No poops 12+ hours
- Difficulty breathing
- Seizures, paralysis, head tilt
- Bleeding
- Severe diarrhea
- Visible maggots
- Heat stroke symptoms
⚠️ URGENT – Call Vet Same Day:
- Decreased appetite
- Fewer/smaller poops
- Lethargy
- Teeth grinding
- Eye or nasal discharge
- Limping
- Abnormal behavior
📅 SCHEDULE APPOINTMENT:
- Annual checkup
- Spay/neuter
- Nail trim
- Dental check
- Weight loss plan
- Non-urgent concerns
🏠 Home Health Monitoring
Daily Checks:
- ✓ Eating normally?
- ✓ Pooping normally? (size, amount, consistency)
- ✓ Drinking water?
- ✓ Active and alert?
- ✓ Normal behavior?
Weekly Checks:
- ✓ Weight (use kitchen scale)
- ✓ Fur condition
- ✓ Nail length
- ✓ Bottom cleanliness
- ✓ Teeth (front incisors visible)
Monthly Checks:
- ✓ Full body examination
- ✓ Feel for lumps or bumps
- ✓ Check ears for mites
- ✓ Examine feet for sores
💊 First Aid Kit Essentials
Must-Haves:
- 📞 Emergency vet number (saved in phone)
- 💊 Critical Care formula (for syringe feeding)
- 💉 Syringes (no needle, for feeding/water)
- 🌡️ Digital thermometer (normal: 101-103°F / 38-39°C)
- ⚖️ Kitchen scale (track weight)
- 🧤 Styptic powder (for nail bleeding)
- 🩹 Gauze and bandages
- ✂️ Small scissors
- 🔦 Flashlight (for examining)
- 📒 Medical records
Nice to Have:
- Simethicone drops (gas relief – vet approved)
- Heating pad or hot water bottle
- Towels (for handling/transport)
- Pet carrier (for vet visits)
🔍 Finding a Rabbit-Savvy Vet
IMPORTANT: Not all vets know rabbits! Find a rabbit-savvy vet BEFORE you need one.
How to Find One:
- 🔍 Search “exotic vet” or “rabbit vet” + your location
- 🔍 Ask at rabbit rescues/shelters
- 🔍 Check House Rabbit Society vet list
- 🔍 Call and ask: “How many rabbit patients do you see monthly?”
Questions to Ask:
- Do you have experience with rabbit surgery?
- What anesthesia protocols do you use for rabbits?
- Do you offer emergency services?
- Can you spay/neuter rabbits?
💡 Prevention is the Best Medicine
The Top 10 Ways to Keep Your Rabbit Healthy:
- ✅ Unlimited hay 24/7 – Prevents most digestive and dental issues (learn proper nutrition)
- ✅ Spay/neuter – Prevents cancer, aggression, unwanted babies
- ✅ Annual vet checkups – Catch problems early
- ✅ Proper diet – Hay, veggies, limited pellets
- ✅ Daily exercise – 3-4 hours minimum
- ✅ Clean environment – Daily spot-cleaning
- ✅ Monitor closely – Know what’s normal for YOUR rabbit (understand behavior)
- ✅ Stress reduction – Quiet, safe environment
- ✅ Regular grooming – Especially during molts (grooming guide)
- ✅ Climate control – Keep cool (60-70°F)
🔗 Essential Reading for Rabbit Health:
- Master proper nutrition to prevent digestive and dental issues
- Learn grooming techniques to prevent hairballs and skin problems
- Understand rabbit behavior to detect pain and stress early
Remember: Rabbits hide illness until it’s severe. Trust your instincts – if something seems off, it probably is. When in doubt, call your vet. It’s always better to be overly cautious than to wait too long. Your rabbit depends on you to be their voice! 🐰💚
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