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By Edison T. Rabbit -
November 1999
So you and your rabbit
friend are enjoying some quality time. As you spend time with your bunny, your "sixth
sense" kicks in. You look at your friend and something just does not "ring"
right with him/her, but you cant place it. It might be time to take your rabbit into the
vet just to see if something may be wrong.
We bunnies can't tug on your pant leg and say "Hey there! I've got something wrong
with my ear!" but we can communicate to you that something may be wrong though the
only method we have: behavior.
Its a good idea to pay attention to your rabbit friend's habits. The can speak volumes
when things are not going well. So what are the warning signs something may be wrong?
Below is a bit of a checklist of things to watch out for.
If your friend is not active and not
interested in his/her normal play toys, there could be a problem brewing. |
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If your rabbit is suddenly not interested
in eating, especially his/her favorite foods. |
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Monitor your friend's water intake. If there is a consistent
vast departure from the normal amount that your friend drinks,
the alarm bells should go off in your mind. |
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This may sound gross, but take a look at the contents of your
rabbit's litter box as you change it. If the droppings are not
rounded or seem smaller than normal it may be a sign of GI
Stasis. Or if the seem somewhat watery it could be diarrhea. Get
your friend into a vet immediately! |
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If your rabbit's eyes seem watery, if
he/she is sneezing, or has a runny nose, its time to get your friend to the vet post haste
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If your bunny seems to be shaking his/her
head a lot or scratching at his/her ears, it could be time to check your friends ears for
possible ear mites |
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Observe you bunny's breathing. If he or
she is breathing in a shallow manner, call your bunny's vet! |
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Is your rabbit constantly grinding its
teeth loudly? If the answer is yes, it could mean that it is in pain. |
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Is your rabbit constantly irritable? this
could also be a sign that your friend is hurting. |
Above all don't
wait until its convenient for you to get your rabbit into the vet's
office. The longer you wait, the longer your friend remains in
danger. It could mean the difference between surviving a medical
catastrophe or not surviving at all
The main point is to
watch your rabbit friend. Learn the way your bunny communicates. In
his/her own gentle subtle way, they may be trying to tell you that
he/she is not feeling well. Listen to that infamous "sixth sense"
that you may have. You could be saving your friend's life!
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