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Rabbit Health 101

By Susan Wong

We know it’s sometimes hard to tell when your rabbit is sick or not at all. Here are some tips to determine whether you must rush the vet. Please note the information below is just for guidance and not a diagnosis of your rabbit’s condition.

Signs of a well rabbit:

  • Normal eating patterns (hay, veggies, and pellets)
  • Nose wiggles. Rabbits breathe through their nose.
  • Ears should be up and alert, moving around (unless you’re a lop). Ears may be cool or warm depending on if your rabbit’s been snoozing. Ears should be and have no discharge or buildup of wax.
  • Eyes are open and bright.
  • Normal feces and urine output. Feces should be dark brown, hard, and dry. Rabbits may have yellow to orange-red urine. Usually if your rabbit’s urine has darker color, it’s likely not blood. Blood in urine is not like that out of a wound but is rather diluted in color.
  • Rabbit flops are not signs of a seizure; it’s a sign of a happy rabbit.

Some common rabbit ailments may have symptoms subtle and difficult to notice. If the answer to any of the below questions is yes, it indicates your rabbit may have a condition that warrants a visit to the vet.

    • Is your rabbit grinding its teeth? This is a sign of pain and should not be confused with the teeth purring when they are happy. Usually, you’ll see other symptoms below accompany it.
    • Does your rabbit refuse treats and has it stopped eating? Is your rabbit’s stomach firm or hard (not pudgy)?
    • Can you hear gas? Do you have gas medication (say, baby simethicone) on hand to give? If so, you can always give the infant dose of 0.3 mL and massage the stomach. If this does not help within 2 hours, seek veterinary attention.
    • Has your rabbit become picky about its food? Is your rabbit drooling, or are there lumps around the mouth and jaw? This might be teeth problems or other issues with the mouth. If the incisor teeth are fine, there may be a mouth ulcer instead.
    • Is your rabbit’s feces unusual (soft, discolored, unusually shaped) or has it altogether stopped defecating? This can be an indicator of gut stasis.
    • Has your rabbit stopped urinating? This may be dehydration.
    • Is your rabbit breathing through its mouth and/or stretching their head out and up? This may be a serious respiratory problem and should be immediately addressed by your veterinarian.
    • Is your rabbit’s nose wet or crusty? Can you see mucus coming out of his nose?
  • Are your rabbit’s ears cold and pulled back? 
    • Are your rabbit’s eyes not alert or half closed or closed? Are the eyes cloudy or look dry?
  • Does your rabbit have urine scald or a wet bottom?
  • Does your rabbit have an unusual amount of dandruff? If your rabbit normally does not have dandruff, the sudden amount may be fur mites.
  • Is your rabbit scratching their ears a lot? Are they kept clean or are the ears irritated?
  • Has your rabbit been sitting in the same place for many hours?
  • Is your rabbit reluctant to move?

Edited by Erica W.