The following is a list of the most common ailments and diseases that can affect your rabbit. It’s very important to talk to your veterinarian about how to prevent disease and keep your rabbit healthy and happy.
Respiratory infections
Rabbits are susceptible to bacterial and viral respiratory infections. Although they may begin as a low-grade infection, they can escalate rapidly – what begins as a sneeze can progress to a major respiratory problem (including an often-fatal pneumonia and possibly cause other health issues). Often these infections are caused by poor living conditions – dusty hay, poor hygiene, overcrowding, poor diet, etc.
If the infection is in the nose, it is called an upper respiratory infection, often referred to as ‘snuffles’. It is most commonly caused by one of two bacteria – Pasteurella or Bordetella and causes runny eyes, a runny nose, and sneezing.
A rabbit with pneumonia will often struggle to breathe. Their chest will be heaving, their rate of breathing will be increased, and they often have a discharge from the nose. They will probably stop eating, and their faeces (if they produce any) will be dry and hard.
If you think your rabbit has a respiratory infection, isolate the affected rabbit immediately from your other rabbits to stop the infection spreading. Seek veterinary care, as antibiotics and supportive care may be needed. This may require a few days in hospital until your rabbit is stronger and eating by on their own.
Skin ailments
Skin problems can be caused by fleas and other skin parasites, as well as conditions such as ringworm, urine scald, and faecal contamination of long fur. These problems are usually associated with inadequate cleaning of the hutch and removal of soiled bedding. Veterinary care may be needed to clip and clean the skin, diagnose the problem, and provide a safe and effective treatment.
Skin abscesses
Abscesses — painful swellings in the skin that are full of pus — occur more commonly in entire (non-desexed) male rabbits that fight with their companion rabbits. The swelling can reach golf ball-size before bursting. Veterinary assistance is required, as pus in rabbits is often very thick and does not drain readily.
Overgrown teeth
Dental problems in rabbits are very common, and are often the result of abnormal anatomy, poor diet (‘muesli mixes’), and lack of sunlight. This can cause your rabbit intense pain and discomfort and severe weight loss. For more information see our article on dental problems in rabbits.
Gastrointestinal stasis
Gastrointestinal stasis is the term commonly used to describe a syndrome in which the normal movement of the rabbit’s gastrointestinal (GI) tract is reduced. This causes the passage of food through a rabbit’s GI tract to slow down, which can cause a lot of discomfort and a range of problems in the GI tract, and which can lead to a life-threatening blockage.
GI stasis is often caused by an inappropriate diet, but stress is also commonly involved. Pain, other illness, dehydration, and intestinal blockage can also contribute to GI stasis.
Affected rabbits will show a decrease in appetite and/or drinking and produce less faeces than normal (and the faeces produced will often be dark, dry, small and can be oddly shaped, eventually they will stop producing faeces at all). Rabbits will often be lethargic and less active as the GI stasis progresses and becomes more painful.
To help prevent GI stasis:
- Provide your rabbits with an appropriate diet.
- Have your rabbits’ teeth checked regularly (at least yearly) by a veterinarian.
- Regularly groom your rabbits to minimise the hair they ingest.
- Keep your rabbits in an environment that is optimised to meet their needs and reduce the likelihood that they will feel stressed. For example, keep their environment free from persistent stressors such as loud noises.
- Make sure your rabbits are not able to access objects they can can ingest that may cause blockages such as plastics, metals, and unsafe foods like seeds and nuts.
- Ensure your rabbit has plenty of clean fresh water at all times.
- Keep up to date with preventative healthcare and have any health problems treated promptly by a veterinarian.
Contact a veterinarian immediately if it has been more than 12 hours since your rabbit has eaten or produced faeces.
Sore hocks (pressure sores)
Sore hocks, also called pododermatitis, is a condition where rabbits exhibit changes in gait, loss of appetite, pink sores on the skin, and bleeding of the feet. Sore hocks are often seen on the hindfoot and front paws. It is important to line your rabbit hutch with appropriate floor and bedding material (grass hay, straw or shedding paper) to provide some cushioning for your rabbit’s feet to prevent pressure sores developing. See our article on how to house your rabbits for more information.
Flystrike
This is a condition where flies lay maggots on rabbits and the maggots burrow into the rabbit. Flystrike is usually fatal. This is painful for the rabbit, and if the maggots are not spotted quickly the rabbit can quickly go into shock and die. It is very important to protect rabbits from flies and maggots by making sure the rabbit house is both fly and mosquito-proof (use mosquito netting over flyscreen wire, ensure adequate ventilation). Check your rabbit’s fur, especially around the anus, to make sure there are no pellets stuck in the fur, as this could attract flies. If the fur is soiled, tease out the pellets or carefully use scissors to cut the fur away.
Myxomatosis
This disease is transmitted from rabbit to rabbit via mosquitoes. Symptoms can include dry sore eyes and nose, swollen earflaps and genitalia, and failure to eat or drink. The disease is usually fatal, and no vaccination is available. Protect rabbits by making sure the rabbit house is mosquito-proof (use mosquito netting, ensure adequate ventilation). For more information, see these articles about myxomatosis:
- What is myxomatosis and how do I protect my rabbit from it?
- Why can’t I vaccinate my rabbit against Myxomatosis?
Calicivirus
This is a virus which is spread directly from infected rabbits or indirectly by contact with contaminated areas or by insects, including flies and will cause a rapid death. A yearly vaccination will protect your rabbit from this disease. However, more, and earlier vaccinations may be required to help safeguard against a new, deadlier strain (RHDV2). Protect rabbits by bringing them inside the home, making sure the rabbit house is insect-proof (use mosquito netting, ensure adequate ventilation) and the yard is rabbit proof. For more information on calicivirus see this article.
