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Rabbit Health: Common Problems & When to Call the Vet

The most common health problems in pet rabbits — dental disease, gut problems, flystrike and snuffles — plus the red flags that mean an urgent vet visit.

· rabbits, health, flystrike, dental disease, when to see a vet

Rabbits are prey animals, and they are famously good at hiding illness. By the time a rabbit looks unwell, a problem has often been developing for a while. The most reassuring thing you can do is learn what “normal” looks like for your rabbit — what they eat, what their droppings look like, how active they are — so you can spot a change quickly. The People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) describes several common health problems you should know about.

Dental disease

Dental problems are very common in pet rabbits, and PDSA says they are usually caused by a diet that’s too low in fibre. Common problems include overgrown teeth, sharp “spurs” on the back teeth, tooth root abscesses and broken teeth.

Because rabbits hide pain, dental disease often goes unnoticed until it’s severe. Signs to watch for include overgrown teeth, weight loss, a dirty bottom, drooling, reduced appetite, tooth grinding, weepy eyes and a bumpy jaw. PDSA recommends checking your rabbit’s teeth at home about once a week and having them examined by a vet a few times a year (at least once a year as a minimum). Never try to trim your rabbit’s teeth yourself — that can crack the tooth root or expose the nerve, causing severe pain. The best prevention is a diet high in fibre, meaning grass and hay.

Stomach and gut problems

Rabbits need to eat regularly to keep their guts moving. If your rabbit stops eating, PDSA says this is a serious concern — they risk gut stasis, a gut blockage, dehydration and liver disease. Contact your vet straight away if your rabbit is eating less than normal. Common causes of a reduced appetite include dental pain, stress and gut problems.

Diarrhoea is also something not to ignore. Instead of their normal hard pellets, your rabbit may pass soft or runny poo, sometimes with mucus or blood, and this indicates that something is wrong — often a poor or low-fibre diet, dental disease, gut parasites or a sudden diet change. PDSA advises booking a vet appointment as soon as you notice anything other than normal, solid pellets rather than waiting to see if it improves. Bear in mind that rabbits also pass soft, sticky poo called caecotrophs, which they normally eat straight away — it’s easy to mistake these for diarrhoea, but their presence can still be worth mentioning to your vet.

Flystrike

Flystrike is a painful, life-threatening condition caused by flies laying eggs on fur, which hatch into maggots that burrow under the skin and feed on flesh. PDSA notes that fly eggs can hatch within hours and cause serious damage in as little as a day, so it’s an emergency. A rabbit with a dirty bottom, open wounds, or one living in a dirty environment is at higher risk, especially in the warm summer months.

If you find maggots on your rabbit — even just one — contact your vet immediately for an emergency appointment. Do not try to remove maggots at home. Prevention is straightforward: check your rabbits daily, keep them and their housing clean, and remove soiled bedding and droppings at least once a day.

Respiratory infections (“snuffles”)

“Snuffles” is the term vets use for a respiratory infection in a rabbit. It commonly causes sneezing, discharge from the nose, weepy eyes, fast or noisy breathing, a reduced appetite and weight loss. PDSA warns these infections are often very serious because rabbits can’t breathe through their mouth if their nose is blocked, and they tend to hide symptoms. Left untreated, snuffles can even cause death. Contact your vet if you notice symptoms, and treat it as an emergency if your rabbit is struggling to breathe.

Vaccination matters

Many of the threats rabbits face can be prevented. PDSA says pet rabbits should be vaccinated against myxomatosis and Rabbit Viral Haemorrhagic Disease types 1 and 2 (RVHD-1 and RVHD-2). The first vaccination is given at around five weeks of age, followed by a yearly booster. PDSA recommends vaccinating all rabbits, including indoor ones, because these diseases can spread via insects such as fleas and mosquitoes, wild rabbits, and on surfaces like clothes and shoes.

Everyday care

As general advice, keep your rabbit’s diet close to what a wild rabbit eats: a large amount of hay and fresh grass, an adult-sized handful of leafy greens twice a day, and only a small amount of rabbit nuggets daily. PDSA recommends a high-fibre diet as one of the best ways to prevent both dental disease and gut problems.

Above all, get to know your rabbit’s normal behaviour and check them daily. If anything changes — especially their appetite and their droppings — a quick call to your vet is cheap reassurance.

Sources

This article is for general information and is not a substitute for professional veterinary advice. If your pet is unwell, contact your vet.

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