Author: Laurie Hess, DVM, DABVP

By Laurie Hess, DVM, Dipl ABVP (Avian Practice) Just like people, dogs, and cats, pet rabbits can get fat. We all love to eat, and so do they. Unlike their wild counterparts, however, pet rabbits don’t get the exercise they need to be able to munch away all day. Plus, they don’t have to seek out food the way wild bunnies do, so pet rabbits tend not only to hop less but also to gain more. Recognizing that a rabbit is fat can be difficult, as female rabbits normally have a fold of skin – the dewlap – under their chins to store fat. In an overweight rabbit, it may be difficult to feel the spine under layers of fat along the back. Fat rabbits may also have extra folds of skin around their genital region, trapping urine and fecal pellets and leading to dermatitis (skin infection or inflammation) and matted fur from the accumulation of moisture and bacteria between skin folds that they are unable to reach back to groom. Small animals that are overweight can develop many of the same problems that overweight people can, including arthritis and joint problems (which is especially common in guinea pigs), as well as sores or ulcers on the bottom of their feet from carrying around all those extra pounds. Overweight rabbits may also have trouble turning around to reach their hind ends to ingest their first morning stool – the cecotrophs – that contain essential nutrients and that are typically softer than normal fecal pellets. Added weight can also be taxing on a bunny’s heart, as it has to work extra hard to pump blood out to a larger than normal body. It’s better for pet rabbits to eat right to prevent obesity rather than to try to put them on a weight loss plan once they have become accustomed to eating in a certain way. So, how can you help your rabbit (or other small, herbivorous mammal, such as a guinea pig or chinchilla) stay lean and healthy? Here are five tips to proper weight management in these species: It’s All About the Hay The staple of the diet for an adult rabbit, guinea pig or chinchilla should be hay. Hay is important not only to maintain a healthy population of bacteria in their gastrointestinal (GI) tracts to ferment and digest the food they eat, but also to wear down their continuously growing teeth. Wild rabbits chew on rough, fibrous grasses all day to keep their teeth in shape and their GI tracts happy. While we can’t replicate this diet exactly for our small and furry pets, hay provides the fiber pet rabbits need to keep them healthy, too. Portion the Pellets Pellets are predominantly carbohydrate, and who doesn’t love to eat carbs? The same is true for pet rabbits and too many carbohydrates can pack on the pounds and upset the pH of the rabbit’s GI tract, throwing off the normal balance of their intestinal bacteria and leading to gas production, discomfort and often, ultimately, to decreased appetite. Rabbits eating large amounts of crumbly pellets rather than fibrous hay also tend not to wear down the surfaces of their teeth properly, resulting in overgrowth and formation of sharp spurs on their continuously growing teeth that eventually cause pain on chewing, decreased appetite, a slow down of food passage through the GI tract and the development of a life-threatening condition commonly seen in rabbits called GI stasis. Typically, rabbits with GI stasis must be treated with GI motility-enhancing drugs, fluids and syringe feeding to recover. If left untreated, rabbits with GI stasis can die. The rule of thumb for healthy pet rabbits is no more than a quarter of a cup of high fiber pellets per four to five pounds of bunny per day. If your rabbit weighs more than this, than he or she can get a little more, and if he or she is less than four pounds, he or she needs less. Limiting pellets can be hard, as most rabbits chose them over other foods. But in the end, your rabbit will be healthier and feel better if you cut the carbs. Go for the Greens Like hay, greens promote chewing and contain fiber. They are also low in calorie, so rabbits can generally munch on greens to their hearts’ content without gaining weight. Greens also have the added benefit of containing water – something herbivores need lots of for proper digestion. Fresh leafy greens keep bunnies and other small mammals hydrated and promote the normal movement of food through their GI tracts. Rabbits also have a tendency to absorb huge amounts of calcium from their food, which can settle out in the bladder like sand and can stick together to form bladder stones requiring surgery to remove. The water in greens helps flush out the bladder and lessens the likelihood of calcium forming this sediment in the bladder. Two words of caution about greens, however. First, like some people, some rabbits can’t tolerate huge amounts of greens without developing diarrhea. Every rabbit is different in terms of how much water he or she can ingest without having loose stool. Second, while the water content of most greens actually helps keep calcium-based bladder sediment down, some greens – such as parsley, kale, and spinach – actually contain large amounts of calcium and should be fed just a few times per week. Temper the Treats We all love treats, especially sugary, fatty ones, as do rabbits. But high-sugar or high-fat treats like fruit (dried or fresh), seeds and nuts can alter the motility of a rabbit’s GI tract, interfere with digestion, and lead to weight gain. These foods are not normally part of a rabbit’s diets, and although they love them, rabbits should generally not be offered them. An occasional piece of high-fiber fruit, such as a pear or apple, is fine as a treat, but other sugary fruits, such as bananas and grapes, or high-fat seeds and nuts, have no place in a rabbit, guinea pig or chinchilla’s feeding plan. Hop to It Eating right is the key to weight loss in rabbits, guinea pigs and chinchillas, however, without exercise, it’s hard to maintain a proper weight. Many pet bunnies spend most of their days in small cages with little room or opportunity to exercise. To promote a healthy body weight, small mammals should have several hours of out-of-cage time daily and should be encouraged to move around. Providing your pet with a solid, non-slip surface to move around on and placing food bowls around the room force the rabbit (or other small mammal) to move around to eat and to burn calories on the way. Having small mammals hunt or forage for bits of food hidden under pieces of paper or buried in chewable cardboard boxes is another way to promote exercise while providing mental stimulation, as well. Lean, well-muscled rabbits will likely live longer and feel better than their overweight counterparts, and following these proper weight-management tips can help your pet be well on its way to healthier living. Dagmar Hijmans via Shutterstock 

Rabbits are smart, social animals that need entertainment and stimulation to keep them from getting bored. Bored bunnies may chew on their own skin and hair or destroy furniture or other inappropriate objects—such as baseboards, walls and carpet. Rabbits’ teeth grow continuously throughout their lives, so they must chew on hay every day to help keep their teeth from overgrowing. Rabbits also have an innate need to chew. By providing rabbits with safe rabbit chew toys, you can satisfy their need to chew and help them wear down their teeth. However, rabbit toys should not be treated as a substitute for hay when it comes to keeping teeth worn down. How to Pick Out Safe Toys for a Rabbit Pet rabbits should be supplied with safe rabbit toys that they can chew on. The best toys for rabbits are made from hardwood, cardboard or paper. These materials are okay for rabbits to gnaw on and are digestible if ingested in small amounts. However, excess ingestion of toy materials, even if they are safe for rabbits, can cause gastrointestinal (GI) irritation and stasis—a common and potentially life-threatening condition in rabbits that leads to a slowing down of the passage of food through the GI tract. Rabbits can safely chew on cardboard items like paper towel and toilet paper rolls. Wooden pet rabbit toys, especially those in which rabbit food can be hidden, can help fulfill their desire to forage for food. Untreated wood is generally fine for rabbits; however you should never give your bunny sticks or tree branches that you find in the yard. They may contain mold spores, parasites, bacteria or insects that can be toxic. Commercially available sticks made from applewood are safe for rabbits to chew on. Kaytee Apple Orchard sticks are made from sustainable Applewood and are made especially for rabbits and other small animals to gnaw on. Small dog toys made of durable rubber (such as KONG toys) may also be chewed on safely by rabbits. It’s important to note, though, that not all toys marketed for cats and dogs are safe for rabbits. What Not to Let Your Pet Rabbit Chew on Certain materials should never be offered to rabbits. Fabric, carpet, soft rubber, metal or plastic toys, (especially those that have small pieces that break off easily) are not recommended for bunnies. Small pieces that break off can be ingested and potentially lead to GI tract obstruction. Wood that contains a lot of aromatic oil—such as cedar and pine—or that comes from fruit trees that contain pitted fruit (such as peach, plum, apricot, cherry, avocado and plum) are also not safe. Painted or stained objects as well as those that contain large amounts of glue or other adhesives should not be offered to rabbits. The chemicals within these materials may be harmful if to your rabbit if consumed. In general, any decorative objects that are not meant for animals or that have been treated in an unknown manner should never be given to bunnies for chewing. Pet rabbits need plenty space to run around, daily attention and a proper diet that includes unlimited amounts of hay, leafy green vegetables, fresh water and a small amount of rabbit pellets.   Bunnies also need  appropriate rabbit chew toys to keep them happy and healthy. When these basic needs are met, bunnies can make wonderful companions for many years. Image via iStock.com/Artfully79

Rabbits are one of the most popular exotic animals kept as pets these days, and—when adopted into the appropriate home—they can make terrific companions. Bunnies come in all colors, shapes and sizes, and are readily adoptable from shelters and breeders. They are perfect pets for small living quarters, as they don’t take up a lot of space, don’t need to go outside and are generally very quiet. Typically cute and cuddly looking, rabbits can bond to their owners closely and respond to them by sight and sound. Unfortunately, because of their adorable appearance, too many people impulsively adopt a rabbit, especially around Easter time, without knowing what kind of care or supplies these animals require.  As a result, new rabbit owners may ultimately become disillusioned with their pets once they realize that these animals require time and effort to care for properly. Too many bunnies are abandoned in shelters as a result of impulsive rabbit adoption. If you’re deciding whether or not to adopt a rabbit, there are several things you should know before bringing one home: Rabbits Have a Long Expected Life Span With proper diet and medical care, rabbits can live eight-12 years or more—which is longer than many other small animal pets. So, before you adopt a rabbit, be sure you are prepared to feed, house and offer attention to a pet for that many years. Bunnies Do Best as Indoor Pets Unlike their wild counterparts, pet rabbits live longer and healthier lives when kept inside. Outside, these prey species are exposed to dangerous wild predators, including hawks, foxes, coyotes and stray dogs. Plus, their thick fur coats and absence of sweat glands often lead them to overheat easily when exposed to temperatures over 80 degrees Fahrenheit. On the other hand, rabbits typically have little fur on their ears and on the bottoms of their feet, predisposing them to frostbite if they are outside in freezing weather. If bunnies are allowed outside, they should be provided with shade if it is excessively hot and a heated area if it is excessively cold. They also must have access to water at all times when they are outside and be monitored at all times to protect them from attack by predatory wild animals.   Rabbits Need Exercise Although rabbits don’t need to go outside or be walked like dogs, they do need time every day out of their rabbit cages. Daily exercise aids in their digestion and prevents excessive weight gain, plus many rabbits enjoy running around and jumping on top of things. Ideally, rabbits are provided with a bunny-safe room or penned off area indoors which they can explore. However, they should never be out of their cages unsupervised, as they are known to chew on inappropriate objects (such as painted surfaces and electrical wires) and notoriously get into trouble. Every Bunny Has Her Own Personality Rabbits’ personalities differ just like those of people. Some bunnies are reserved and quiet, while others are energetic and outgoing. Before taking a new rabbit home, a person considering whether to adopt a rabbit should spend time getting to know the bunny’s demeanor to make sure it is well-suited to theirs. Rabbits Need to Be Socialized While some rabbits are gregarious, others may be shy and try to hide when they are first adopted. Therefore, it’s critical that new owners spend time petting and handling their new bunnies to help them transition happily into their new environment. New owners must always handle their rabbits safely and gently, being sure to support their hind legs so they feel secure and safe from injury. Rabbits whose hind ends are not properly supported when they are held can kick their strong back legs and break their backs.   Rabbits Need a High-Fiber Diet to Stay Healthy Bunnies are herbivores (vegetable eaters) who need to consume large amounts of hay each day, not only to help wear down their continuously growing teeth, but also to provide fiber to the bacteria in their gastrointestinal (GI) tracts that break down their food.  A proper daily diet for a bunny includes unlimited amounts of timothy or other grass hay plus a smaller amount of leafy green vegetables—including romaine lettuce, carrot tops, endive, basil, kale, cabbage, radicchio, wheat grass, squash, brussels sprouts, parsley, pea pods (not loose peas), and collard, beet or dandelion greens. While appropriate for young, growing bunnies and pregnant or nursing rabbits, alfalfa hay is not generally recommended for full-grown rabbits as they approach 1 year of age as it is too high in calcium and calories. Hay may be provided in a bowl or from a commercially available basket or net that hangs inside the cage. In general, rabbits should not be offered much fruit other than an occasional small slice of high-fiber apple, pear, plum or peach. Carrots are also high in sugar and should be offered only in small quantities. To ensure they receive all the micronutrients they need, rabbits should be provided limited amounts of high-fiber, timothy hay-based rabbit pellets (no more than ½ cup per 4-5 pounds of rabbit weight per day). Excess pellet consumption can lead to diarrhea and obesity. Pellets should not be mixed with seeds, grains or nuts, as rabbits’ GI tracts are not equipped to digest these high-fat items. If ingested, these items can cause GI upset and weight gain. Bunnies also should be provided with fresh water daily in both a sipper bottle and a bowl, as different rabbits have preferred methods of drinking.   Bunnies Are Fastidious Groomers Rabbits typically groom themselves often and keep themselves quite clean, so they don’t require professional grooming. However, like cats and dogs, they need their nails trimmed every few weeks, and long-haired breeds—such as the Angora—should be brushed weekly to prevent matting of their hair. Bunnies do not generally need to be bathed unless stool sticks to their hind ends. Bunnies normally produce two types of droppings: fecal pellets and cecotropes. Cecotropes are partially digested foods that rabbits ingest for essential vitamins and other nutrients. Rabbit cages should be lined with paper-based bedding (shredded newspaper or a commercially produced, recycled, paper-based products) that should be spot-cleaned daily and completely cleaned out once a week. Bunnies can be trained easily to use a small litter pan in the corner of the cage containing a type of paper-based bedding that’s different from that in the cage. The litter box should be scooped daily and completely cleaned weekly.   Bunnies Can Live With Other Pets While rabbits are prey species, and other commonly kept pets, such as cats, dogs and ferrets, are predators whose instinct is to catch prey. However, these animals can live harmoniously in one household if they are constantly supervised. A well-meaning predatory pet may only want to play with a bunny by picking it up in its mouth; however, their sharp teeth, long claws and germ-laden saliva may inadvertently hurt the bunny. Thus, dogs, cats and ferrets should never be left alone with a rabbit, no matter how gentle and friendly they seem.   Rabbits Must Chew All rabbits’ teeth—both front and back—grow continuously. Thus, it is essential that they have an unlimited amount of hay as well as safe rabbit toys, such as hard wooden blocks and sticks (like commercially available applewood branches), to chew on to help keep teeth worn down. If not provided with safe objects to chew on, rabbits will chew on furniture, moldings, door frames, carpets, flooring, wires and other inappropriate objects. Thus, bunnies must be supervised at all times when they are out of their cages, and all areas they have access to must be bunny-proofed in advance. In addition, their cages should be lockable, as rabbits are notorious escape-artists. Rabbits Require Veterinary Care While bunnies don’t require annual vaccinations like dogs and cats, they do require annual preventative veterinary care, including checkups and fecal examinations to look for GI parasites. They also should be examined by a veterinarian as soon as they are adopted to ensure that they are healthy. In addition, after 6 months of age, all female rabbits should be spayed, since 70-80 percent of unspayed female bunnies develop fatal uterine cancer after age 3. Rabbits can be phenomenal, long-lived companions when cared for properly, but they are not right for everyone and should not be adopted impulsively. If you learn about the care they require and have the time to spend with them, look no farther than your local rabbit shelter to find a bunny just waiting to be taken home. Image via iStock.com/David-Prado

Like human infants, rabbits are very oral creatures, meaning they like to put anything and everything into their mouths to check things out. Unfortunately, also like babies, they put inappropriate (and sometimes dangerous!) things in their mouths that can potentially hurt or even kill them. One of the most inappropriate objects rabbits sometimes chew on? Electric cords. If the cord isn’t live (plugged in and carrying current), the main risk to the rabbit is whether she has ingested any of the plastic or electrical wire, which may contain toxic metals, cause lacerations in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, and potentially GI upset or obstruction. If the cord is plugged in, the rabbit could suffer anything from a mild burn in her mouth to heart damage, fluid in the lungs, and death. If you witness your rabbit chewing on a live cord, do not reach out and touch your rabbit or the cord, or you risk electrocution as well. Keep calm and turn off the main electrical breaker, safely unplug the wire, or push your rabbit away from the live cord using a piece of dry wood like a broom. Once the rabbit is free of the cord, have her examined by a veterinarian as soon as possible. Perform CPR on the way if your rabbit is not breathing and does not have a heartbeat. Signs Your Bunny May Show After an Electric Cord Bite The injury a rabbit experiences after biting an electric cord depends on the type and intensity of the electrical current, and the length of time the rabbit is exposed to it. Burns If a rabbit bites a live electrical cord, she may have burns inside and around her mouth, lips, gums, and tongue. The fur around her mouth may appear singed. Cardiac and Respiratory Issues Because the electric current runs from the point of contact in the mouth throughout the body to critical organs such as the heart and lungs, cardiac and respiratory signs can ensue. Significantly affected rabbits may: Have trouble breathing Demonstrate excessive salivation and difficulty swallowing Exhibit wheezing or crackling sounds as they breathe Collapse Die suddenly Some rabbits may appear restless and agitated, having difficulty getting comfortable and refusing to sit or lie down. More significantly affected rabbits may develop heart rhythm problems or have such trouble breathing that they collapse or die suddenly. Some effects associated with electric cord bite, such as fluid accumulation in the lungs, may not appear for up to two days after contact with the cord. All rabbits who may have been electrocuted after chewing on an electric cord should be checked out by a veterinarian. How Vets Diagnose Electrocution in Rabbits As soon as you arrive at the vet’s office, your vet will likely ask questions such as: When the electric cord bite occurred Whether the cord was live with electrical current How long the pet was exposed to the current Whether the animal appears to have ingested any of the cord How the pet has been acting since the bite happened If your rabbit is having trouble breathing or has pink frothy fluid around her mouth—a sign that may indicate pulmonary edema, or excess fluid in the lungs—she will likely be given oxygen to help her breathe even before your vet examines her. If your pet appears relatively stable when you arrive, the veterinarian will perform a full physical examination on your bunny, checking inside of and around her mouth for burns and listening to her heart and lungs for arrhythmias or crackling sounds suggestive of pulmonary edema. They may take x-rays of the chest and/or an electrocardiogram (a printout showing how the heart beats) to further assess heart and lung function. They also may draw blood to monitor major organs, such as the kidneys and liver. Pulmonary edema can take several hours to develop after electrocution, so pets showing any cardiac or respiratory difficulty will likely be admitted to the hospital for monitoring and any additional diagnostic tests and treatments that may be needed. Treating Electrocution in Rabbits The extent of your rabbit’s injuries will determine the treatment the vet gives and if and how long the animal needs to be hospitalized. Rabbits with extreme difficulty breathing and fluid in their lungs will be placed in an oxygen cage and may be given diuretics to help eliminate the fluid and ease breathing. To treat signs of shock and collapse, the rabbit may be given intravenous fluids containing essential electrolytes, many of which leak out through oozing burns. Heart medications to manage arrhythmias may be necessary. Antibiotics will likely be administered to try to prevent infection of burned, ulcerated tissue, and a pain reliever and/or anti-inflammatory agent will be given to lessen painful discomfort. If the rabbit’s eyes have been burned or ulcerated, a topical ointment or eye drop may be administered. As proper nutrition is critical to helping burned tissues heal, if the rabbit’s mouth is too uncomfortable for the pet to eat on her own, she will likely be syringe-fed a slurry of liquid food several times per day. Questions to Ask Your Vet About Rabbit Electrocution Once your veterinarian assesses your bunny’s injuries, go over the findings and treatment options together. Questions to ask include: What types of medications will be administered Which tests will be done How long the vet expects your pet to stay in the hospital How much the vet estimates care will cost What the long-term prognosis is What, if any, potential future complications the bunny may develop Your vet may not be able to give you definitive answers to all of these questions until they see how your pet responds to initial treatment. But you should be able to have an ongoing dialogue with your vet over the first 24-48 hours your bunny is admitted to the hospital to see how the treatment, prognosis, and estimated costs evolve. Recovery After Rabbit Electrocution Once your rabbit is stable enough to be released from the hospital, you may be asked to continue medical treatment at home. Depending on the extent of your pet’s injuries, you may have to continue to administer oral and/or topical antibiotics, pain relievers, and anti-inflammatory drugs. If the bunny isn’t eating well on her own, you may have to syringe-feed her several times a day until her appetite returns and any oral injuries have healed. Rabbits with heart damage or pulmonary edema may go home on cardiac medications or diuretics with instructions to rest them in their cages at home. Most veterinarians will want to recheck a bunny within a week or so after an electric cord bite to ensure no further complications have popped up. Rabbits with severe burns will need to be examined again after their burns start to heal to ensure that infection hasn’t developed and that no additional treatment (such as skin graft or wound debridement surgery) is necessary. Monitoring for Complications When your rabbit comes home from the hospital, you should carefully monitor her appetite to ensure she’s getting the critical nutrients it needs to heal—especially if she’s receiving antibiotics that can throw off the delicate balance of bacteria in her intestinal tract. If your rabbit isn’t eating well, you should alert your vet, who may then prescribe supplemental syringe feeding. In addition, monitor burns or wounds for discharge or foul smells, which indicate an infection is present. If these signs occur, contact your veterinarian immediately. Rabbits recovering from electric cord bite should gradually regain their energy and appetite. If your rabbit appears more lethargic or weak after returning from the hospital, she should be rechecked by your vet as soon as possible. How to Prevent Electric Cord Bite Injuries in Rabbits The best way to prevent rabbits from chewing on electric cords is to make the cords inaccessible. Cords should be taped up, out of the rabbit’s reach. Any cords that can’t be made completely unreachable should be covered with cord covers (often called spiral cable wrap), which are available at electronic stores. Most bunnies cannot chew through this wrap, but a few persistent ones have—so it’s always best to remove cords completely from their reach, if possible. Once the cords are no longer a temptation, give your rabbit something good to chew on, like hay and wooden toys. And above all: Rabbits should never be left unsupervised in rooms that haven’t been “bunny-proofed.” Their curiosity could prove deadly. Featured Image: iStock/MarianVejcik

We all want to be prepared for emergencies, and that includes pet emergencies. But for rabbit owners, being prepared is especially important because it is often hard for them to find local emergency veterinarians trained in rabbit care. Thus, it is critical for rabbit owners to be as prepared as possible for emergency, as the burden may be upon them to be the first line of care if their rabbit becomes ill or injured. What Emergency Rabbit Care Supplies Should You Have on Hand? Certainly, if your pet rabbit is sick or hurt, the most important thing you can do is to notify your veterinarian immediately. However, if your local animal hospital is far away, or if it is after business hours, you should have a first aid kit prepared to provide emergency rabbit care in case you need to. Here’s what you should have in your kit. Small Pet Carrier Perhaps the most important item in your kit is a safe, securely locking small pet carrier for transport. Many carriers are commercially available for bunnies that are constructed to enable you to safely move your rabbit from place to place. Having a small pet carrier on hand will allow you to safely take your rabbit with you if you must evacuate your home unexpectedly or get your pet to the animal hospital quickly. Your small pet carrier should have strong, vented, hard-to-chew plastic sides, an easily cleaned floor and a locking door. It should also be big enough to house your rabbit without him feeling cramped or uncomfortable.  Towel The next item you should have in your emergency kit is a soft towel to line the floor of the carrier. The towel should be folded and placed on the bottom of the carrier so that your bunny doesn’t slide around in the carrier and become injured. A towel also will help keep your rabbit warm if you must transport him in cold weather. You should also have a larger towel or blanket to wrap around the vented carrier in inclement weather to prevent wind, rain or snow from entering the carrier. Feeding Syringe and Formula Other items you should definitely have in your emergency rabbit care kit are a feeding syringe and feeding formula. Rabbits are notorious for not eating for a variety of reasons, including dental problems, stress in their environment, gastrointestinal (GI) gas and a host of other issues. When they don’t eat, rabbits are prone to developing a potentially life-threatening illness called GI stasis in which the passage of food through their GI tract slows. Once this happens, the normal GI bacteria that ferment and digest their food are replaced by gas- and toxin-producing bacteria, which produce excessive gas. That excess gas causes rabbits pain and makes them not want to eat even more. Thus, a vicious cycle is established. Regardless of the primary reason for their not wanting to eat, it is critical that the normal movement of food through the GI tract be reestablished so that the rabbits don’t absorb bacterial toxins, become dehydrated and die. For your emergency rabbit care kit, you should ask your veterinarian for a large feeding syringe and feeding formula made for herbivores. This will prepare you if your pet stops eating and you need to syringe-feed him before GI stasis develops. Antiseptic Solution From Your Veterinarian In addition to feeding formula, you should ask your veterinarian for an antiseptic solution, such as diluted chlorhexidine (typically one part of solution with 20 parts of water). This antiseptic solution can be used to clean minor wounds in your rabbit’s skin. Rabbit skin is particularly thin and tears easily when scrubbed, so you should be sure not to be overly aggressive in cleaning small wounds. You should also alert your veterinarian to all wounds you notice on your pet to be certain that no further treatment is necessary. You should attempt to clean only the most minor wounds and only when you can’t get your bunny to the veterinarian quickly for assessment. Never attempt to treat a large wound on your animal, but instead, have him examined by a veterinarian as soon as possible. Styptic Powder You should also have styptic powder in your rabbit’s emergency kit. Styptic is useful in cases where your rabbit breaks a toenail and it starts to bleed. Styptic typically comes in either a powder or stick form. The powder form can be sprinkled onto a bleeding nail tip after excess blood has been blotted from the nail. A styptic stick can be used gently on the affected area once it has been blotted. Styptic should never be applied to open skin wounds, as it is caustic, and rabbits should be prevented from licking it, as it can be toxic if ingested. A few minutes after styptic has clotted a bleeding nail, the toe can be flushed gently with water to rinse off the remaining styptic so the bunny doesn’t lick it. If you cannot stop a broken rabbit nail from bleeding, even after applying styptic and steady pressure on the cut nail with a paper towel, gauze or cotton ball, you should get your bunny to the veterinarian immediately. Saline Eye Wash Another item you should have on hand for a rabbit emergency is over-the-counter, unmedicated saline eye wash. This can be used if your rabbit gets something (such as a piece of hay) stuck in his eyes. It can also be used if a bunny has a buildup of eye discharge in or around the eye. Rabbit owners who notice discharge from their rabbits’ eyes or excessive redness of their eyelids should have them checked out by a veterinarian as soon as possible. Portable, Battery-Operated Fan In case of emergency, you should also have a small, portable, battery-operated fan. Rabbits are very prone to overheating, especially at temperatures greater than 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Therefore, it is helpful to have a fan to blow cool air on your bunny when it’s hot outside.   If the rabbit is weak, panting or falling over in the face of high temperatures—all signs suggestive of overheating—you should contact your veterinarian and take them to the vet immediately. Card With Emergency Contact Information Finally, the last item you should have readily available in case of a rabbit emergency is the name, address and phone number of your regular veterinarian and a local emergency clinic that is comfortable caring for rabbits. No owner can be prepared for all emergencies, but by having a few simple items on hand ahead of time, you can be as ready as possible to deal with an unexpected rabbit emergency. By: Dr. Laurie Hess, DVM, Diplomate ABVP (Avian Practice) Featured Image: iStock.com/Artfully79