Your Healthy Rabbit's Annual
Exam
Every rabbit should have an annual, comprehensive physical exam
where the eyes, ears, teeth, heart, lymph nodes, skin, and abdominal
organs are evaluated. Since animals can not express their symptoms
verbally, the annual physical is a very important part of their care
in order to detect problems early. This is the perfect opportunity
to ask questions about your rabbit's behavior. The doctors will not
give any tests or vaccinations without your consent. If your pet has
been seen at previous vets, please contact them about faxing the old
records to us at: 212-665-3459.
The Special
Medical Needs Of Rabbits
Anyone who has a pet rabbit needs to know of their special needs
and health issues. Although rabbits are often considered low
maintenance pets suitable for children, they actually need a great
deal of adult supervision. In order for a rabbit to lead a
fulfilling life, and for the owners to appreciate his or her
personality, the bunny must be allowed at least several hours of
exercise out of the sleeping cage. This requires a fair amount of
rabbit-proofing, to prevent unwanted and dangerous chewing of
electric wires, carpet and furniture. Small children should not be
permitted to pick up a rabbit, since the rabbit's spine can easily
break if the animal struggles.
Diet
A proper diet is crucial for the rabbit's health and longevity.
There is a great deal of misinformation from petshop employees
regarding rabbit feeding. Basically rabbits should eat large
amounts of grass hay like timothy, small amounts of plain pellets,
and a variety of fresh vegetables. We recommend the Oxbow Hay
company (800-249-0366) for mail order delivery of wonderful rabbit
diets and fresh hay.
Spaying & Neutering
All females must be spayed to prevent cancer of the uterus, which
approximately 70% of unspayed females will develop. Neutering a male
rabbit is not medically necessary, but will help with litter box
training, and will reduce aggression and allow harmony in
multi-rabbit households.
Things To Watch Out For
Rabbit owners should know that a rabbit who fails to eat for even
half a day can develop life-threatening intestinal disorders. Lack
of feces or diarrhea are also considered urgent problems in rabbits
and need rapid veterinary attention.
More Information
Please visit the house rabbit society webpage for a complete
source of information on all things bunny.
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