A sick rabbit should only be nursed at home on veterinary instruction, meaning if your rabbit is sick always consult a vet first. There are several circumstances in which your vet may ask you to nurse your rabbit at home instead of keeping it in the vet’s office. For example, if your rabbit has had an operation, most commonly castration or spaying, or is suffering from a long-term illness such as Pasteurella or E. Cuniculi.
Ambient
Sick rabbits should always be kept in a warm, draft-free environment. If you have an outdoor rabbit, you will need to bring it inside so you can keep it warm and properly supervise it. Set up an indoor cage with some blankets and a litter tray and make sure fresh clean water is always available.
For domestic (cage-free) rabbits, you can let them go to their regular den or resting area, but make sure it’s comfortable, clean, and has fresh water nearby.
Medicine
Rabbit medications commonly administered at home, such as Metacam, Baytril, Panacur, and Fibreplex, are administered orally, so it is important that you know how to syringe feed your rabbit (see below).
feeding syringe
Whatever disease your rabbit has, the most common result is your rabbit being unwilling to eat. Rabbits have very sensitive digestive systems and any type of pain is likely to affect their eating habits first. It is very important to keep their digestive system moving to avoid the risk of intestinal stasis and rabbits that are not eating should be syringe-fed every two hours.
Recovery Food or Critical Care is available from veterinarians, some pet stores, and online retailers. It comes in sachets and needs to be mixed with a little water to form a paste. This is then fed to the rabbit using a small syringe (again, available from vets or retailers); about 2 to 3 full syringes every 2 hours.
Place your rabbit on a non-slippery surface on a table; sometimes it helps to wrap him in a blanket. Lay the rabbit with its back to you with its butt against your belly. Hold the rabbit’s head gently but firmly with one hand as you insert the syringe into its mouth. If the rabbit grits its teeth, move the syringe until you find the space on the side of its mouth and move it gently. Press the syringe slowly; this is essential so that the rabbit has time to swallow, otherwise there is a risk that the rabbit will inhale the food and choke. Hold the rabbit until you are sure the food has been swallowed, as many rabbits hold the food in their mouths and then spit it out. If the rabbit spits up some food on its chest, wipe it off; For rabbits with large dewlaps, it is helpful to place a napkin or tissue over the dewlaps.
Syringe feeding can be tricky and takes practice, so it’s a good idea to ask your vet nurse to demonstrate first and have two people present the first time you try it.
clean/bathe
Rabbits are normally very clean and groom themselves from head to toe several times a day. However, a sick rabbit may not be able or willing to do this and this can lead to skin problems if the rabbit is not kept clean. Full rabbit baths should be avoided whenever possible, but if your rabbit has poop stuck around its bottom, you can give it a bottom bath. Put a few inches of warm water in a sink and gently lower your rabbit’s bottom into it. Loosen poop from his fur by gently rubbing; you can use a pet or baby shampoo if needed. Dry the rabbit well with a towel and place it next to a radiator or other warm place until its fur is completely dry.
If your rabbit’s chin (dewlap) is dirty from dripping food, wipe it off with a soft, damp cloth, otherwise the skin may become irritated and sore.
Nursing a rabbit at home is time-consuming and can be stressful, especially if syringe-fed, but the rabbit will generally do best in its own environment, away from the stress of veterinary surgery. However, it can be difficult, especially with more stubborn rabbits, so if you are in any doubt as to whether you can handle it, ask your vet to take care of the rabbit.
Copyright 2011 Hannah Davis / Bunnyhugga. All rights reserved.