Healthcare

Preventative Healthcare

• Desexing – A spayed or neutered rabbit is less likely to develop cancer. Additionally, desexed rabbits display fewer undesirable behaviours such as aggression, spraying and phantom pregnancies, as well as being friendlier and easier to toilet train. Desexing a rabbit increases the chances of successful bonding with another rabbit (Ellerslie Vet Clinic, 2018).
• Vaccination – Within New Zealand, there are three known variants of Calici virus, which can cause death in 12-26 hours. It is vital that all rabbits are vaccinated yearly with Filavac to ensure they are protected against the various strains of the virus (Herd, n.d.-b).
• Annual Vet Checks – Annual vet checks can help diagnose and monitor illnesses that owners would not otherwise pick up on, such as dental or organ issues.

Grooming

It is important to groom companion rabbits as when they groom themselves, they can swallow a lot of fur, which can form hairballs in the intestinal tract and can lead to stasis or an obstruction. Grooming helps remove excess fur, as well as checking for potential health issues (Herd, n.d.-a).
Short-coated breeds should be groomed at least once a week and long hair should be groomed daily. Rabbits are prone to developing mats if not regularly groomed, and keeping fur clipped/trimmed short may help prevent these (Herd, n.d.-a).

While grooming, the following areas should be checked: (Herd, n.d.-a).

• Scent glands
• Feet
• Nails
• Skin – check for parasites

• Electric clippers
• Slicker brushes
• Zoom Groom
• Nail clippers
• Combs

Additional information about grooming can be found at Westley’s World's Grooming page.

Stasis

Gastrointestinal (GI) stasis is a syndrome of reduced gastrointestinal motility in rabbits. It is by far one of the most common disorders seen in pet rabbits. GI stasis can be caused by an inappropriate diet, stress, illness or another painful condition. Rabbits with GI stasis will stop eating, with the lack of food exacerbating the condition, which can quickly become life-threatening (Oglesbee & Lord, 2020).

Treatments

• The abdominal ‘jiggle’ – Giving the belly a jiggle can help relieve gas.
• Rehydration and support feeding – Electrolytes and syringe feeding of Dual Care or Critical Care can help keep the GI tract moving.
• Monitoring body temperature – Ensuring hypothermia does not develop.
• Motility medication – Intestinal motility agents can help get the static intestine moving again.
• Subcutaneous fluids – Fluids can be giving for rehydration if needed.
• Pain relief – Pain relief can be given to rabbits suffering from GI stasis to encourage eating.

Additional information about GI stasis and related conditions can be found at Westley’s World's Stasis/Ileus/GI Hypomobility/Bloat page.

References
Ellerslie Vet Clinic. (2018, May 14). Rabbit spey surgery. https://ellerslieveterinaryclinic.nz/rabbit-surgery/#:~:text=Spaying%20or%20neutering%20your%20rabbit,the%20age%20of%205%20years
Herd, J. (n.d.-a). Grooming. Westley’s World. https://www.westleysworld.com/thefiles/grooming
Herd, J. (n.d.-b). RCD/Calici virus. Westley’s World. https://www.westleysworld.com/thefiles/rcd-calici-virus
Herd, J. (n.d.-c). Stasis/Ileus/GI Hypomotility/Bloat. Westley’s World. https://www.westleysworld.com/thefiles/stasis-ileus-gi-hypomotility-bloat
Oglesbee, B. L., & Lord, B. (2020). Gastrointestinal diseases of rabbits. Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents, 174–187. http://doi.org10.1016/b978-0-323-48435-0.00014-9