Caring for a sick pet rabbit

I can't possibly cover everything that can happen to your pet rabbit and I have no desire to try to substitute for veterinary care.  However, I will cover some of the more common problems and some things you can do while you are waiting to go to the vet's office.

Anorexia

Anorexia, that is, not eating, is a very serious problems in rabbits.  While you or I could go a day or two without eating and recover, a couple of days without food can kill a rabbit.  Their digestive tracts were meant to continuously process food.  They have a complex system that is easily disrupted.  If your rabbit is not eating, act swiftly.

Remove pellets and give straw or hay in unlimited quantities.  If he will eat the straw, then fine.  If not, go on to try to tempt him with the following:

• fresh herbs such as parsley or cilantro
• fresh raspberry or blackberry leaves  
• no more than 1 leaf of kale or spinach
• vegetable baby food (in a syringe, if needed)
• canned pumpkin
• 1 tsp. plain yogurt

Try to stay away from fruit unless that is your only choice because too much sugar can cause its own imbalances.

Dehydration

Dehydration is even more serious than anorexia.  Use Pedialyte, an ORT solution, or water given in a syringe.  Some breeders use Gatorade or similar products, but again, the sugar can cause its own problems.

To syringe feed, squirt the solution slowly into the mouth pointing sideways toward a cheek, never toward the throat.

Be very diligent in providing the liquid.  Your rabbit needs about 1 oz. of water per day per pound of body weight.  If he or she is dehydrated, then more is needed to make up for the loss as well.

Get your rabbit to the veterinarian who can give your rabbit Lactated Ringer's subcutaneously or intravenously.

If your rabbit has true diarrhea (watery feces), treat for dehydration.

Excessive Cecal Matter

Your rabbit's normal solid waste is small round droppings that have little odor.  If you should start to see soft, smelly clusters like little grapes, you are seeing excessive cecal matter.  Normally, your rabbit produces a small amount of this matter and consumes it, directly from the anus and thankfully usually in the wee hours of the morning.   The rabbit's body has manufactured nutrients that the rabbit consumes to stay healthy.

If your rabbit's diet gets out of balance - or if your rabbit becomes stressed - he or she will produce more than can be consumed.  Your rabbit is not sick, but you have been given a strong warning that your rabbit will become sick if something doesn't change.

Remove your rabbit's pellets and other feed.  Replace it with straw or hay (not alfalfa).  Once the excessive cecal matter is gone, add back pellets slowing, making sure that you are not providing more than he or she needs.  If you were feeding other fruits and vegetables, add back one at a time, watching for excessive cecal matter.  If you see it, back off again.  You've exceeded your rabbit's limit.

A healthy rabbit can stay on hay and water for two weeks, if needed.

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GI Stasis

GI Stasis is when the gastro-intestinal system shuts down.  You can spot GI Stasis because your rabbit stops producing fecal matter or produces small, sparse, oddly shaped matter. 

Rehydration, getting your rabbit to eat, and dealing the with associated pain are paramount.  Massaging your rabbit's tummy may be very appreciated.  You can use a stethoscope to listen for abdominal sounds.  No sounds and very loud sounds are both signs of trouble.  I use baby gas drops (simethicone) with GI Stasis to help ease the gas pain.

For more in-depth information, read Gastrointestinal Stasis:  The Silent Killer by Dana M. Krempels, Ph.D.

Wry Neck (Head Tilt)

Suddenly, your rabbit's head is tilted to one side.  There are several possible causes:

• injury
• stroke
• ear infections
• brain infections

• No matter the cause, your rabbit will probably appreciate a neck rub to keep the muscles from being too tense. 

In young rabbits, the causes is probably not a stroke.  Usually infections  are to blame. 

 

If the tilt is not too severe, suspect an ear problem and check for redness, swelling, and scratches around the ears.  You will probably need to see your veterinarian for an otic form of Baytril which is used long-term (4 weeks).

 

If the infection is of the centralized nervous system, it may be from pasteurella, especially in larger breeding or from e cuniculi, especially in smaller breeds.  E cuniculi is a parasite.  Some breeders use ivermectin to treat e cuniculi, but ivermectin does not pass the blood-brain barrier. 

 

I have used fenbendazole successfully with wry neck.  It has not cured my rabbits 100% of the time, as wry neck has several causes, it would be unreasonable to have one cure.  But it has made a remarkable difference in about half of the cases. 

 

Fenbendazole is the main ingredient in Safeguard horse and cattle wormer.  I use 1 small pea-sized blob per day for 5 days, wait a week, and then repeat.  I do not use it with pregnant does.  You can check out the drug dose calculator for more information.