Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 5: Recognizing illness
• Part 2 of 5: Treating dental diseases
• Part 3 of 5: Treating gas pain
• Part 4 of 5: Treating a crooked head
• Part 5 of 5: Treating injuries
• Tips

Rabbits have a natural tendency to hide disease. The most important factor in keeping your rabbit healthy is knowing and being on the lookout for signs that your rabbit is sick. If you see such signs you should take your rabbit to the vet, but veterinarians qualified to treat rabbits are not always available. However, there are a few ways to help your rabbit in the meantime.

To step

Part 1 of 5: Recognizing illness

1. Watch for changes in behavior. Not all rabbits are friendly. But if your rabbit usually jumps around and greets you, but suddenly stops, this is an indication that something could be wrong. Watch for signs that your rabbit is less mobile than usual, such as crouching or limping.
2. Observe eating habits. If your rabbit is not eating normally, it could be sick. Watch for leftover food from the last meal. Also pay attention to his stool. If there is no stool in the toilet bowl, this indicates that the rabbit is not eating. Be careful about the size and shape of the droppings. Ideally, the droppings should be large and round. If they are small, irregular, or runny, your rabbit may be sick.
3. Listen for teeth grinding. Your rabbit will often make a soft, grinding noise with its teeth when satisfied. But if the sound is louder than usual, it could be a bad sign. This is often an indication that your rabbit is in pain.
4. Watch for signs of illness. Start by offering your rabbit its favorite treats. If he refuses to handle the treat, he could be sick. Continue to measure the rabbit's temperature. If he is healthy, the temperature will be between 38 ° C and 39.5 ° Celsius.
   • Ask your vet to show you how to measure your rabbit's temperature. Doing this before he shows any signs of illness will prepare you for an emergency.
   • To measure your rabbit's temperature, you will need to hold it on its back, either on a soft surface or on your lap. Hold your rabbit's head and shoulder against your stomach so that its back curls into a "C" shape. Hold the rabbit's hind legs so that he cannot kick.Once he's calm, insert a lubricated plastic thermometer no more than two and a half inches into his rectum. Make sure the rabbit is held securely and cannot move while taking its temperature.
   • Do your best to cool your rabbit when he is at a high temperature by holding cold objects to his ears until the temperature drops below 40 ° C.

Part 2 of 5: Treating dental diseases

1. Recognize dental diseases. Dental diseases can be caused by teeth not fitting properly or by wear of a tooth. This can be a dangerous situation. It can cause your rabbit to stop eating and put its health at risk.
   • Signs of dental disease include loss of appetite, hair loss on the chin and neck, slobbering and drooling. Your rabbit may still show signs of having an appetite but is unable to eat. Maybe he will approach, even pick up, the food before going back and dropping it.
   • If you think your rabbit has dental disease, rub its jaw. Any sign of discomfort can indicate that he has a dental problem.
2. Feed your rabbit soft foods. Until you can see a vet, you can try force-feeding your rabbit canned pumpkin, baby food or vegetables. You can buy a feeding syringe from the pet store. These can be used to squirt liquid directly into the rabbit's mouth.
   • To prepare for syringe feeding, wrap your rabbit in a towel and hold its head with an index finger under the head and the thumb on the other side of the head under the base of the skull.
   • Place the syringe in the hole between the incisors and molars. Start by injecting no more than 0.2-0.5 ml of food and never feed more than 1 ml. Too much food at one time creates the risk that the rabbit will choke. Go slow. Then repeat this with 5 to 10 ml of water.
3. Take your rabbit to the vet. Ultimately, your rabbit will need professional help. Due to the variation in dental problems, the treatment will also vary. If you don't already, you should start getting an annual dental check-up to make sure there are no future complications.

Part 3 of 5: Treating gas pain

1. Watch for signs of gas build-up. As with various other disorders, it will cause gas pain and loss of appetite. However, what distinguishes gas pain is a loud gurgling noise in the abdomen. Your rabbit may also stretch out, as if pressing its belly to the floor.
   • Gastrointestinal problems are usually accompanied by a drastic, sometimes complete, absence of droppings. Keep your rabbit comfortable and hydrated until you can go to the vet.
   • Gas pain will usually cause a lower than average body temperature. If your rabbit's temperature is below 38 ° C, it is likely to cause gas pain.
2. Heat your rabbit. Try to prevent the drop in your rabbit's temperature. Try putting the rabbit on a warm (not hot) heating pad, or giving him a hot water bottle wrapped in a towel. You can also warm the rabbit with your body heat by holding it close to you for an hour or more.
3. Massage your rabbit. A gentle abdominal massage can help ease the pressure of the gas. Massage often, for 10-15 minutes each time. For at least part of this period you should keep his hindquarters up.

Part 4 of 5: Treating a crooked head

1. Recognize a crooked head. Crooked head is a terrifying disease, also known as spinning neck, usually caused by an inner ear infection. Your rabbit will lose its sense of balance. He will appear dizzy and uncoordinated. His head will be turned and his eyes may flash quickly from side to side.
2. Protect your rabbit. There is nothing you can do to lessen the effects of a crooked head at home. But you must do your best to prevent your rabbit from injuring itself. Make a box with soft sides using towels or other soft material. You want to make sure that if your rabbit falls over or jumps into a wall, it takes as little damage as possible.
   • If your rabbit does not seem physically able to eat, feed it with a syringe as described above.
3. Take your rabbit to a veterinarian who regularly treats rabbits. Crooked head can be a persistent condition, often lasting for several months. Some vets without experience will recommend that you put your rabbit to sleep. But if you are persistent, the condition can often be treated.

Part 5 of 5: Treating injuries

1. Treat a broken or bleeding nail. Wrap the paw in a clean towel and apply pressure. When the bleeding stops, stop applying pressure. After that, keep the broken nail clean. Clean the toilet bowl and cage repeatedly to prevent bacteria from entering the wound.
   • You can also rub styptic powder, regular flour, or a bar of soap on the end of the nail to stop the bleeding.
2. Treat a broken bone. There is very little you can do to treat a broken bone. Take your rabbit to the vet immediately if it breaks a bone. If your vet is not available, take your rabbit to an emergency clinic. Try to keep your rabbit from moving around until the injury has been taken care of by a vet.
   • Place the rabbit in an enclosed area with food and water nearby. This way, he doesn't have to move to take care of himself.
3. Take your rabbit to the vet if it gets an eye injury. It is tempting to give your rabbit eye drops, but it can cause serious damage. Before going to a vet, all you can do is moisten a cotton ball with warm water and gently remove any debris from your rabbit's eyes.
4. Treat bite wounds. Rabbits often bite each other. Although the wounds don't look bad on their own, they often contain bacteria that can cause a dangerous situation. With a bite wound you should always go to the vet. In the meantime, try to stop the bleeding and avoid infection.
   • Apply pressure with a towel or gauze to stop the bleeding.
   • Once the bleeding has stopped, you can wash the area with Betadine. Then apply Neosporin, a triple antibiotic ointment. Do not use Neosporin Plus.

Tips

• Keep electrical wires away from rabbit cages, as some rabbits will gnaw on everything, and if they gnaw on it they will be electrocuted.
• Verify your vet is familiar with rabbits.
• If your rabbit chews on electrical wiring, furniture, or other things that are not good for its health, apply Vaporub to it. They will not like the smell or taste. Additionally, if they pull on carpets or rugs with their teeth, sprinkle pepper on them or, if that doesn't work, a little cayenne pepper will wear them off.