Rabbit Health
Rabbit Health: Tips You Need to Know
Having a pet rabbit can be an exciting and fun experience and, when proper rabbit health care is observed, can be enjoyed for many years.
Rabbits are delicate little creatures that require routine care to maintain their health and safety. Properly cared for, a rabbit can live up to 15 years, a long lived pet that will become a solid part of any family. Rabbit health is a feature of owning a rabbit of which many people are unfamiliar, so having a few tips to keep your pet healthy will help to keep you together for a long time.
Grooming is a basic of rabbit health. Since most rabbits go through a shedding phase every few months, minor skin irritations and hairballs can become an issue. Like cats, rabbits insist upon being sleek and clean, and will lick themselves to this end. Unfortunately, upon ingesting bits of fur, rabbits are unable to rid themselves of the hairballs in the same manner as cats, who regurgitate. Retention of hair masses in the stomach can create havoc in rabbit health. Fortunately, however, this problem can be alleviated much the same way it is in cats, simply by dabbing a bit of petroleum jelly on the paws of the rabbit on a regular basis. Licking the paws will result in ingesting the petroleum to assist in the safe elimination of any hair masses within the stomach. Also, routine combing of the rabbit’s fur will help to keep it as fastidious as it likes to be.
Bathing is not a favored activity of most rabbits, and may stress your pet. Taking a damp cloth and just wiping the pet down on a daily basis should be sufficient. Keep a mild cat shampoo on hand for rare occasions that soap may be needed to clean the rabbit; health of the fur and skin will be maintained if soap is kept to a minimum and used only when needed.
Pet rabbits are generally kept indoors the majority of their lives, walking about on carpeting, tile and linoleum floors. Proper toenail care will be required, as these surfaces do not take care of toenails the way that natural surfaces outdoors would do. Trimming the toenails occasionally will help to keep your pet’s feet healthy.
Rabbit health maintenance would not be complete without regular checking of their teeth, eyes and ears. Checking these areas on a regular basis, noting any changes and irregularities will avoid any problems that may occur. If you notice unnatural wear of the teeth, or watery eyes, consult your veterinarian to ensure there are no health risks for your pet.
Maintaining rabbit health will ensure that your pet rabbit will be an enjoyable part of your family for many years to come.