We all try to prevent health issues in our rabbits as much as possible but there is only so much you can do. Unfortunately sometimes rabbits get ill so here is some information on the most common health issues that rabbits can get.
If you think your rabbit is sick, always take them to a vet.
Encephalitozoon Cuniculi (E. Cuniculi) is a protozoal parasite. Spores are shed in infected animals' urine and transmission usually occurs from the ingestion of contaminated food or water or, less commonly, by inhalation of spores.
Approximately 52% of healthy rabbits in the UK carry the parasite, but many never show any clinical signs.
If the rabbit is infected with E. Cuniculi and showing clinical signs, it may exhibit any, some or all of the following:
Treatment is possible if you catch it early. A 28 day course of panacur usually kills the parasite. However symptoms can be permanent so you should discuss a treatment plan with your vet.
Bloat the most disturbing and life-threatening condition in rabbits. It happens suddenly, without any warning, and leads to a rapid accumulation of gas in the stomach.
The stomach feels hard and the rabbit looks like a balloon. When bloat reaches a certain stage, the situation is irreversible and fatal. So urgent vet care is needed as soon as possible.
The rabbit is in terrible pain. Pain indicators include moaning, grunting, and grinding teeth. A rabbit may take an object into her mouth and bite down hard on it. Rabbits suffering from bloat are often dehydrated and will refuse to eat or move. The rabbit may appear depressed, sitting in a hunched position in one spot or in a litterbox. Some rabbits will "crash" their heads into their abdomens, where it hurts. Others may suffer breathing difficulties due to the lungs being compressed by the distended stomach.
Coccidiosis is a condition caused by a liver parasite, which, if left untreated, can prove fatal. Symptoms include diarrhoea, weight loss, a swollen stomach, lethargy, a lack of appetite, and jaundice. This is very infectious, so you will need to act quickly and quarantine your pet.
Healthy rabbits can be carriers of the protozoa. The eggs, shed with the feces, will contaminate the environment, food and water. Although the disease occurs essentially in intensively managed animals, especially younger ones, it appears also in well cared for rabbits.
We use a preventative treatment at our rabbitry just to be safe. We also feed willow as this is a natural defense against the parasite.
GI stasis is the slowing of passage of food through the GI tract. This is due to a change in the population of bacteria normally living in the GI tract that ferment rabbits’ food. GI stasis is not typically caused by an actual physical obstruction but by a change in GI bacteria.
Rabbits stop eating for several different reasons. They may become sick with other diseases, such as dental problems or kidney disease, that commonly cause them to have a decreased appetite. They will also often stop eating when they are stressed, overheated, painful from injuries or arthritis, or uncomfortable from other gastrointestinal problems such as bacterial, viral, or parasitic intestinal infections.
Some rabbits get GI upset when they are eating too much carbohydrate (e.g., pellets) and not enough fibre (e.g., hay). Regardless of why they stop eating initially, rabbits that do not eat undergo a pH change in their GI tracts that favors the growth of gas-producing bacteria. When these bacteria proliferate, they produce painful gas that makes the rabbit want to eat even less. These bacteria also may produce toxins that, if untreated, not only make the rabbits feel sicker, but also lead to organ failure and death.
Rabbits with GI stasis often look bloated, pass little to no stool, and have big, gas-filled stomachs.
The best way to prevent GI stasis from developing in your rabbit is to feed it a high-fiber, hay-based diet with supplemental vegetables, a small amount of pellets, and small amounts of fruit (as fruit is high in carbohydrates).
This condition is seen as an emergency.
Flystrike occurs in the summer and is potentially lethal. If the rabbit's rear-end and house isn't kept clean, the rabbit’s fur can become soiled with droppings. The droppings make an ideal place for flies to lay their eggs. Within 24 hours the eggs will have turned into larvae and started to burrow into the rabbit. This is extremely painful and unpleasant for the rabbit, and sadly it will have to be put to sleep by a vet. You can reduce the chance of flystrike by keeping the hutch clean and making sure that your rabbit's diet isn't too rich.
During the summer months it’s advisable to check your rabbit’s behind twice a day for buildups and use a preventative treatment such as rear guard.
Snuffles is used to describe a variety of symptoms your rabbit may have, such as a snotty nose, runny eyes, sneezing and wheezing. Whatever the symptoms, the conditions is likely to be caused by a bacterial infection. Your vet can give an antibiotic to try to alleviate symptoms. However, sometimes the symptoms will just be masked by the antibiotic and may re-appear at times of stress or if the rabbit is unwell with another illness. Once a rabbit develops snuffles it is usually a life-long problem.
RHD is a serious and fatal disease in rabbits. It is also known as VHD (Viral Haemorrhagic Disease).
The main route of transmission between colonies of rabbits is by passive transfer – the virus particles stick to the feet of a bird, rodent or human, who then carries them to new and vulnerable bunnies. In the case of pets, not even house rabbits are safe, because the virus particles may be carried in on your shoes, clothes or even your skin.
The most common symptom with RHD-1 is sudden death, often (but not always) with bleeding from the nose and mouth immediately afterwards. Sometimes, rabbits may last a little longer, even a couple of days; if so, they will be very feverish, depressed and lethargic,
be prone to bleeding from nose, mouth and anus, and often will develop bruising under the skin or a rash (like in septicaemia). They will usually die within 48 hours of first developing symptoms.
RHD-2 is often slower (although sudden death does occasionally occur), with rabbits living for up to nine days before succumbing – the overall mortality rate, however, seems to be roughly the same. However, the problem with RHD-2 is that, because the rabbits live longer, they spread more of the virus around.
There is no treatment for RHD 1 or 2.
Fortunately, there is a vaccine to prevent RHD 1 and 2. Rabbits can still contract the diseases while vaccinated however it gives them a much higher rate of survival.
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