Constipation, diarrhoea and bloating can be caused by inappropriate diet (low in fibre high in carbohydrates) stress, or parasites. Rabbits must not become dehydrated as once this happens things can go down hill very quickly. Which ever symptom is exhibited veterinary advice should be sought immediately just to be on the safe side.

Coccidiosis

Coccidiosis is a highly contagious and aggressive parasitic infection of which there are nine species that affect rabbits, eight of which affect the intestine the other one the liver. It is spread by the rabbit consuming the eggs or Oocysts of the parasite from another infected rabbit. The oocysts can remain active for a year, so the importance of good hutch sanitation is vital.

Symptoms can include reduced appetite, loss of weight, depression, rough coat, abdominal pain, pale, watery and mucus faeces. In serious cases death, growth retardation and paralysis can occur.

Even after treatment rabbits can still be carriers and can often have relapses.

Liver coccidiosis usually affects the young to yearling rabbit, symptoms are a lack of normal growth and sometimes a slight persistent diarrhoea.

Adult rabbits are sometimes passive carriers of coccidiosis without showing any symptoms themselves. The simple fact is that treatment may not kill all of the Coccidia oocysts. A certain number of them can burrow into the lining of the intestines and go dormant for years. It is virtually impossible to kill them when they are encysted in the lining of the intestines. Therefore, during times of stress, the oocysts may re-activate and start to reproduce, causing another outbreak. The amount of stress needed to cause a flare is variable from one individual to another. For example for some a simple car journey or change of owner may be enough.

It is worth noting that young rabbits are the most susceptible, especially from when they about 2 to 3 weeks old and start to consume their mothers caecal matter who may be infected herself. Symptoms are manifested in kits any time from 3 weeks onwards once they are being weaned. The diarrhoea has a distinct odour that once smelt is never forgotten.

We strongly suggest adding a quality pro-biotic such as Avipro Plus to their drinking water, doing so will assist the young ones immunity at such a stressful time.

As a preventative to assist keeping the levels of infestation low (it is never totally eradicated) it is suggested to treat twice yearly in the Spring and Autumn with a product such as Coxoid. Add 6ml to 1 Litre of water and distribute a few inches of this in to each bottle. Once drunk replenish with fresh water. Repeat this for 7 consecutive days. Discarding any Coxoid left in the bottles after 24 hours as it does not remain stable.

If using as a treatment then leave a 7 day gap and then repeat with 3ml of Coxoid to 1 litre of water and continue to treat for a further 7 consecutive days. There is some expert thought and writting that infact a full 4 week course is the way forward.

Jeyes fluid is said to kill the oocysts, using at 1 part Jeyes to 80 parts water, however you must allow the hutch to thoroughly dry if using this product.

Mucoid Enteropathy

This is another diarrhoeal complex. ME for short, usually affects the young who are raised on a high carbohydrate, low fibre diet. Initially one would notice a slight listlessness, lack of appetite combined with an insatiable thirst. Within 12-48 hours the young rabbit will become very weak and pass a clear, jellylike substance. If palpated, some rabbits will have a distended and doughy to hard caecum. There can also be heard a sound from their abdomen like a half full Thermos.

Dehydration is the killer, fluids given subcutaneously offer the best method of re-hydration and only offering a high fibre feed may help, however the chance of recovery is low, death follows very swiftly.

Enterotoxemia

A severe form of diarrhoea with symptoms of oozing diarrhoea and depression which can affect any age. It is caused by a toxin released by a bacterium called Clostridium spiroforme. This is not a transmittable disease, but has a low recovery rate.

C. spiroforme is a normal inhabitant of the caecum, a member of the caecal flora, and it is well-regulated by the growth of other normal flora until a larger amount of nutrients unused by other bacteria becomes available. When this occurs, C. spiroforme initiates a population explosion, and, in the presence of glucose, begins to release its deadly chemical toxin.

Tyzzer’s disease, is a contagious bacterial disease, caused by Clostridium piliforme is characterized by profuse watery diarrhoea, anorexia, dehydration and lethargy. Death occurs within 1-3 days in rabbits 6-12 weeks old. Acute outbreaks have been associated with up to 90% mortality. Infection occurs by ingestion and is associated with poor sanitation and stress. Thorough disinfection of the housing with household bleach is recommended.

Two types of Colibacillosis are seen in rabbits.It is not uncommon for entire litters to succumb to this disease.

Lawsonia intracellularis has been reported to cause diarrhoea in weaning rabbits. Symptoms include diarrhoea, depression, and dehydration, which resolve over 1-2 weeks. Disease does not cause death unless associated with another infection.

It is extremely painful and if left untreated the rabbit will die from starvation.

Hairball tonics may hinder the movement of any impaction (compacted food/hair) in the GI tract. These remedies basically coat the impacted matter in an oil, which may mean any ORT you have administered will pass by and not hydrate.

The Midnight Feast (Coprophagy)

A word of warning . . . never let your rabbit get fat! Often rabbits become overweight through being fed incorrectly or being allowed to pick out the feed they like and leaving the nutritionally balanced pellets uneaten.

An overweight rabbit can not reach its anus and this is bad news because it will not be gaining the nutrients required through the process of copography. They will start to lack certain vitamins such a K and many of the B group.

Coprophagy is required as the food is not entirely digested the first time it passes through the digestive tract, therefore many nutrients are not absorbed. So, just as it leaves the body the rabbit will re-ingest the caecotrophs (the soft droppings) which will then pass through the digestive tract a second time for any remaining goodness to be absorbed.

Finally being passed out as the faecal droppings we are all more familiar with, which are dry, hard and round. People do not very often see coprophagy as it usually takes place at night.  The first partly digested caecotrophs resembles a small bunch of soft chocolate coloured grapes covered in a mucous that prevents the stomach acids from damaging the nutrients until it reaches the small intestine.

It is worth mentioning that a kit doesn't produce its own caecotrophs until it is about 3 weeks old, but comsumes it mothers from about 2 weeks old.

A good rule to keep in mind is, if you see more than 20% of your rabbits droppings in the form of caecotrophs, then you are feeding your rabbit too much! It should only be on rare occasions that you see caecotrophs!

Ulcerated Eye (damaged cornea)
& Eye Infections

An ulcerated eye is the result of an injury to the rabbits cornea. The area will appear white and raised, its not a pleasant sight.

Ulcers can be caused by a multitude of things but the most common offender is long sharp straw. As soon as you notice symptoms take a good look around the hutch. What could have caused the injury? Has anything new been added to the dwellings? Are you using a new unprocessed (unwashed, uncut, not dust extracted) brand of straw or hay?

Unfortunately there is not a lot you can do to treat this, its really just a case of letting nature take its course. Overtime blood vessels will extend across the eye to the ulcer bringing increased blood flow in a bid to heal the effected area, so the more blood vessels the better!

However the lesion to the eye can introduce bacteria, which if allowed to spread can cause serious problems. So it is best to take your rabbit to the vets and get some anti bacterial eye ointment as a preventative measure. We recommend TIACIL.

Once healed the rabbit may be left with scar tissue that can cause slight impairment of vision.

This ear ailment is often not immediately noticeable in lop rabbits. It is caused by mites.

Symptoms include consistent shaking of the head, frequent ear scratching and occasionally eye muscle spasms. Thick crusts form and serum oozes with permanent damage to the skin and flesh. Secondary infections can occur which can cause damage to the inner ear and may also attack the central nervous system which can lead to torticollis (wry neck).

The ear can be cleaned out with a mild hydrogen peroxide but do not attempt to remove the crusts as this is extremly painful for the rabbit and it will start to heal naturaly once the treatment is working. Ivermectin is the most effective treatment. Ideally given SC in the same dosage as for fur mites and will require 3 applications at two weekly intervals (treatment must extend over 21 days to cover the mites life cycle)

Flesh wounds should be bathed in a mild antiseptic. Deeper wounds should looked at by your vet. New research also indicates that the use of honey on wounds speeds up the healing process and acts as a good barrier.

The problem of flystrike is caused either by diorreah or failure of the rabbit to consume its caecotrophs. The faeces stick to the skin and fur around the tail and anus. This then encourages flies to lay their eggs. Once hatched, the maggots will eat in to the flesh. Longer furred rabbits are mostly susceptible, as many keepers fail to make a regular check. In the summer this should be done on a daily basis.

There are over 3000 different species of lice, each having their own unique way of attaching themselves to their host. The mite has a life cycle of about 3 weeks. A louse egg (nit) attaches to your rabbit’s fur with its saliva which makes them difficult to remove.

Lice feed on your rabbit’s skin debris, secretions and blood. The infestation is commonly referred to as ‘walking dandruff’. The rabbit will suffer skin irritation, usually noticed along the shoulder blades in a V shape. They may have some hair loss, dandruff (scales), itching and sometimes a thickening of the skin.

Rabbits can pick up mites from many places but they aren’t usually a problem. It is once the rabbit becomes run down that the mites get the upper hand.

It is recommended to treat twice yearly as a preventative measure. Spring and autumn being the suggested times. Hutches will need to be completely sanitised to remove any mites/eggs.  

The most common treatment for mite in the UK is Ivermectin.

Selamectin has proved more popular and effective overseas but as of yet is not readily available here.

Always follow the instructions carefully and ensure you are administering the correct dosage. Under no circumstances use products meant for cats and dogs. There are chemicals that are toxic and carcinogenic that will cause terrible painful deaths,

Below is a photo of the most easily available product which is 0.8% strength and can be purchased in sensible sizes for owners of just a few pet rabbits.

First signs are lumps and puffiness around the head and genitals progressing into conjunctivitis and possibly blindness. The rabbit will then experience flu like symptoms eventually developing into a secondary bacterial infection like pneumonia. An unvaccinated rabbit will usually die after 13 days. It is vitally important you keep on top of fleas and mosquitoes as this is how Myxomatosis is spread.

Rabbits can be vaccinated against Myxomatosis from 6 weeks of age and yearly boosters are required. Having your rabbit vaccinated does not guarantee it will not be contracted, but the chances are small. Rabbits that do contract the virus however will have a greater chance of recovery.

'Snuffles' is a description that actually covers a multitude of ailments. The main symptoms are runny nose, eyes and related complaints such as sneezing. It is highly contagious. The main infections associated with snuffles are Pastuerella, Bordatella and Staphylococcus. A visit to the vets is required as left untreated death could result.
Rabbits have a small chest cavity. They breathe through their nose and so it must be noted that it is very serious if a rabbit must resort to mouth breathing. Rabbits are in trouble if they lose 20% function of their lungs. By comparison a human can cope with up to 70% loss of function.

In the first intance it can be treted with udder cream. If the condition is advanced then it can be treated with anti-biotics from your vet.

Symptoms of this venereal disease include blisters, lesions, and/or scabs on the genitals and anus. This is often spread to mouth, lips, nose, eyelids, ears, and feet when the rabbit grooms himself. Transmission of syphilis occurs through mating and is passed from a mother to her young. Vent disease can also be caused by unsanitary living conditions. 

Treatment of antibiotic injection should be sought from your vet.

Ticks are blood-feeding parasites that can be transferred to your rabbit when put out to graze. They are found in tall grasses and shrubs. Physical contact is the only method of transportation for ticks.                                                    

Ticks will not usually require treatment as after a couple of days when they are 'full' they will drop off. It is best to avoid removing the tick yourself as you are likely to rip the tick in half leaving its head still attached to your rabbit’s skin. However if it is causing your rabbit real discomfort and you feel you have to remove it go armed with a magnifying glass and a pair of tweezers and be sure to remove the head!