Keeping your rabbit healthy over the summer

July 15, 2008
Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for child_and_rabbit.jpgI hope that your rabbit has been healthy over the winter, now summer is approaching there are a few things to keep in mind to keep him in good shape. 





Vaccinations
There are 2 essential vaccinations to protect your rabbit -       

Myxomatosis: an untreatable condition transmitted by insects (fleas and mosquitoes) from wild rabbits. Commonest in summer and autumn, vaccination is recommended twice yearly. All pet rabbits, indoors or outdoors, are at risk. 
 
VHD (Viral Haemorrhagic Diarrhoea): arrived in Britain in 1992 and is always fatal. VHD is spread by direct contact with infected rabbits, or indirectly via their urine/faeces. The VHD vaccine is incredibly effective. Your rabbit can be protected with a single injection anytime from 10-12 weeks of age, then a booster every 12 months.  
  
Fly strike
rabbit_bum.jpgRabbits are said to have "Flystrike" (myiasis) when flies lay eggs upon them and the eggs then hatch into maggots. This is a painful and potentially fatal problem in affected rabbits.  
Flystrike is especially common during the summer months, but can occur at anytime of the year. Keeping your rabbits bottom clean and the cage free of flies is essential. We reccomend a product called Rearguard applied directly to the rabbit which will not stop the flies landing but can prevent maggots developing fully.
 
Some rabbits are at higher risk of developing fly strike and need more careful monitoring; Rabbits with diarrhoea, old rabbits and rabbits with dental disease or obesity.
 





Diet
rabbit_wild.jpgThe best way to feed your rabbit is to mimic the diet of wild rabbits!    Rabbits weren't designed to eat rabbit mix! Rabbits are designed to eat grass and food high in fibre. The bulk of your rabbit's diet should be made up of grass. This can be fresh (if your rabbit has a lawn run) or hay. It is essential for rabbits to have a high quality fibre source to keep guts and teeth healthy.  


rabbit_dandilion.jpgNext add in range of green vegetables and a small amount of commercial rabbit food to ensure adequate vitamins and minerals. The amount of fresh greens are varied according to how soft the faeces are, you should be aiming for evenly sized, dark, plump "rabbit raisins"!
 
Never make sudden changes to your rabbit's diet. Introduce new foods gradually, over at least two weeks. When first trying a new green food, give a very small portion e.g. a single leaf. Make sure your bunny tolerates this before adding other new foods.
 



Bunny M.O.T.
Keeping your bunny running smoothly isn't difficult. Check the following regularly to recognise problems early.
 
  • Nose - Should be clean and dry.
  • Eyes -  should be clean and bright. 
  • Ears - should be clean and dry.
  • Skin and fur should be clean, even and shiny. Dandruff is usually caused by mites. Tail and bottom - should be clean and dry.
  • Teeth - Rabbit teeth never stop growing and if the top and bottom teeth don't line up correctly, they'll grow too long and the bunny won't be able to eat properly. If you think your rabbit has a tooth problem take it to the vet. Feet - nails need to be trimmed every few months. Hocks - A small bare pink patch is normal, especially in large rabbits. Sore hocks (red, broken or infected skin) need to be treated by a vet.

If you want to see all our reccomendations for keeping your rabbit healthy, have a look at our fact sheets on our website.  

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