RABBIT WELFARE
Neutering (Male - castration / female - Spay) - why it is important?
Castrating your male rabbit has many benefits. It can stop scent marking, unwanted hormonal attention to you or other pets and aggression. An intact male with a spayed Doe can still cause issues as he will harass her. This can lead to serious fighting. Un spayed does are also prone to uterine tumours.
Vaccinations strongly recommended for your rabbit to keep them healthy
Nobivac Mxyo and VHD1 - Combined vaccination available from vets - cost is approximately £40 to £50 depending on your vet practice and given once a year.
Rabbits need vaccinations to prevent/protect against myxomatosis and Rabbit (Viral) Haemorrhagic Disease (R(V)HD) which cause intense suffering to rabbits. Combined vaccines offer annual protection against both diseases. Rabbits can be vaccinated from five weeks.
What is myxomatosis?
What is VHD1/VHD2?
Rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD), also known as rabbit calicivirus disease (RCD) or viral haemorrhagic disease (VHD), is a highly infectious and often fatal disease that affects wild and domestic rabbits.
Symptoms may include:
Rabbits need vaccinations to prevent/protect against myxomatosis and Rabbit (Viral) Haemorrhagic Disease (R(V)HD) which cause intense suffering to rabbits. Combined vaccines offer annual protection against both diseases. Rabbits can be vaccinated from five weeks.
What is myxomatosis?
- Virus spread by fleas/mites/biting flies e.g. mosquitoes.
- Widespread in British wild rabbits.
- Early symptoms - puffy swellings around face/ears/eyes which can cause blindness, spreading around the anus/genitals.
- High fever. Eating/drinking becomes increasingly difficult.
- Death within 10-14 days pending which strain (Peracute, Acute and Chronic - buns have been known to survive from the Chronic form and shed the virus within 30 days, Most rabbits who recover from myxomatosis are immune to re-infection for the rest of their lives).
- Occasionally myxomatosis is more prolonged - multiple lumps appear.
What is VHD1/VHD2?
Rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD), also known as rabbit calicivirus disease (RCD) or viral haemorrhagic disease (VHD), is a highly infectious and often fatal disease that affects wild and domestic rabbits.
Symptoms may include:
- Loss of appetite
- Lethargy
- High Fever
- Spasms
- Sudden death with no symptoms or signs of illness
- Blood from eyes or nose
RVHD-2 (Filovac Vhd K C+V) Vaccination Or Erovac - new vaccination for rabbits, available at vets (ring ahead to check) - cost is approx. £30 to £40 pending vet practice. Web guidelines seem to differ on whether it is given every 6 months or yearly, however manufacturing guidelines read that it lasts a year. Seek advice from you vet.
What is (R)VHD2?
VHD-2 is a variant form of the original VHD-1 virus and differs in as much that a rabbit infected with the RHD-2 virus typically DO NOT show the symptoms that are common with VHD-1 infection so it is far more difficult to diagnose. Full fact sheet available at: http://www.thebrc.org/Facts%20Sheet%20RHD-2.pdf
What is (R)VHD2?
VHD-2 is a variant form of the original VHD-1 virus and differs in as much that a rabbit infected with the RHD-2 virus typically DO NOT show the symptoms that are common with VHD-1 infection so it is far more difficult to diagnose. Full fact sheet available at: http://www.thebrc.org/Facts%20Sheet%20RHD-2.pdf
Flystrike
What is Fly strike?
Fly strike (Myiasis) is often caused by the green bottle fly (Lucilia sericata) and related fly species laying eggs on rabbits. The green bottle flies are attracted to damp fur, urine, faeces and the odour of rabbit scent glands. They lay their eggs on or around the rabbit's rear.
How to prevent Fly strike:
Fly strike is a distressing and potentially fatal condition. However it is easily preventable. Whilst we cannot eliminate flies from the environment, by monitoring your rabbit daily you should be able to dramatically lower the risk of fly strike.
Fly strike (Myiasis) is often caused by the green bottle fly (Lucilia sericata) and related fly species laying eggs on rabbits. The green bottle flies are attracted to damp fur, urine, faeces and the odour of rabbit scent glands. They lay their eggs on or around the rabbit's rear.
How to prevent Fly strike:
Fly strike is a distressing and potentially fatal condition. However it is easily preventable. Whilst we cannot eliminate flies from the environment, by monitoring your rabbit daily you should be able to dramatically lower the risk of fly strike.
- Use a preventative spray for your bunny i.e. Fly Guard or Rear Guard which is sprayed around the bunny bottom. Always, read the instructions before applying.
- Remove all soiled bedding daily, if possible litter train as it makes cleaning out easier
- Ensure that your rabbit is not being overfed. This can result in diarrhoea, leading to a dirty bottom
- Feed greens and fruit in moderation. Some rabbits cannot tolerate an over-abundance of green food and it can lead to diarrhoea and a dirty bottom..
- For the same reason, take care when putting your rabbit out on the lawn in the summer, so as to prevent access to excessive amounts of fresh grass.
- Check your rabbit twice daily to ensure that it is clean and dry. This includes house rabbits, who can also be at risk
- Disinfect hutches weekly.
- Keep the rabbit dry and use a cleanser to remove faeces
- Keep the hair around the bottom very short by trimming with scissors or clippers
Rabbit Diet
HAY! and lots of it! A rabbits’ diets should be made up of around 80% grass and hay. Grass and hay is vital, for two very important reasons. The first is so that they have healthy guts and the second is their teeth. Rabbits’ teeth grow continually and so the action of chewing the long strand fibre of grass or hay wears the teeth down evenly. It is only this chewing action that keeps their teeth properly worn in the way nature intended. Rabbits must have access to unlimted hay 24/7
If a rabbit isn’t eating enough hay then its constantly growing teeth will not be naturally worn down. The edges will continue to grow and cause painful spurs which will cut into the bunnies mouth which will in turn require an expensive trip to the vet for dental work.
A good quality rabbit pellet should also be fed to your bunny on a daily basis alongside a very small amount of fresh vegetables or fruit. Muesli is not advisable to feed, pellets are a much more balanced and quality food to feed. Good brands include Excel, Burgess, Supreme Science Selective, Pets at home own brand pellets and also Chudleys.
If a rabbit isn’t eating enough hay then its constantly growing teeth will not be naturally worn down. The edges will continue to grow and cause painful spurs which will cut into the bunnies mouth which will in turn require an expensive trip to the vet for dental work.
A good quality rabbit pellet should also be fed to your bunny on a daily basis alongside a very small amount of fresh vegetables or fruit. Muesli is not advisable to feed, pellets are a much more balanced and quality food to feed. Good brands include Excel, Burgess, Supreme Science Selective, Pets at home own brand pellets and also Chudleys.