As with humans, prevention is key when it comes to rabbit illnesses. In fact, most diseases in rabbits can be avoided through appropriate care, vaccinations, spaying or neutering, a proper diet, and clean living quarters. But sometimes, your pet bunny can still get sick. Here are signs to watch out for:
Change in Appetite
When a rabbit suddenly develops an increased or decreased appetite for food, this could be an indication of a problem in the gastrointestinal tract. Decreased appetite is especially something to look into.
Change in Stool Appearance and Frequency
Checking on the stool is a good way to gauge your rabbit’s health. Rabbits on a healthy diet produce large, well-formed fecal pellets. Small or loose stools could indicate bacterial or parasitic disease in which case, you need to quarantine the rabbit if you have other pets and to the vet for an examination.
Change in Behavior
Growling, biting, and attacking are common in rabbits that have not been spayed or neutered. If the rabbit is exhibiting such hostile behavior afterwards, then the aggressiveness could be caused by pain or adrenal-related rabbit illnesses.
Presence of Weird Lumps
Abscesses, cysts, or cancer can cause abnormal skin masses in rabbits. Once you notice the presence of lumps, take your pet to the vet immediately for a diagnosis and the appropriate treatment.
Excessive Drooling
Slobbering, along with a loss of appetite and hair loss around the mouth and nose, could indicate a dental issue. Dental problems in rabbits could be caused by diet, infections, trauma, genetics, and many other factors.
Difficulty in Breathing
Rabbits breathe only through their nose, so if they have difficulty breathing, have your pet checked for upper respiratory tract problems, which can also be indicated by nasal discharge, coughing, or sneezing.
Cloudy or Bloody Urine
Based on a rabbit’s diet, normal urine color varies between yellow and dark orange red. Cloudy urine can indicate elevated levels of calcium, which could ultimately lead to urinary tract obstruction, a life-threatening condition. On the other hand, hematuria or blood in the urine could indicate urinary tract infection, a urinary tract stone, or cancer.
Presence of Large Flakes or Abnormal Hair Loss
While some rabbits shed big clumps of fur as a normal part of moulting, massive hair loss may be caused by fungal infections. This is worth looking into as these conditions are contagious if you have other pets. If your rabbit is exhibiting excessive flakiness, it could be a sign of an infection caused by mites, which can affect both humans and animals.
Head Tilting and Poor Coordination
Head tilting is usually caused by a problem with the vestibular system, which is responsible for balance. Apart from head tilting, a rabbit with vestibular disease may also exhibit poor coordination when trying to hop around that could lead to injuries.
Not all signs of rabbit illnesses lead to life-threatening conditions, but it’s still a good idea to consult your vet if you are not 100% sure about what your pet bunny is going through. It is also important for you to take your pet to the vet at least once a year before the age of 4 and every 6 months or so. A physical examination with one of our Sykesville vets will help determine whether your rabbit is sick or healthy.
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