Avenues Veterinary Centre’s advice on preparing your rabbit for spring
February 21, 2021
Will your rabbit be jumping for joy this spring? They may well be if they’re protected from life-threatening diseases and aren’t suffering from sneezing fits and allergies.
Avenues Veterinary Centre’s nursing team have pulled together this advice to help you give your rabbit the best start to this season.
Rabbit diseases & vaccinations
Vaccinations can protect your rabbit each year against life-threatening diseases Myxomatosis and both strains of RVHD, cases of which are nearly always fatal.
- Myxomatosis is often thought of as a ‘wild rabbit problem’ as the disease can spread rapidly through a population by blood-sucking fleas, ticks, mites and mosquitoes. However, domestic rabbits living in the same area can contract this deadly disease too after being bitten by the same parasites.
- Rabbit Viral Haemorrhagic Disease (RVHD-1 & RVHD-2) can be spread by inanimate objects that have been contaminated with the virus including shoes, clothing, car tyres, and rabbit hutches. Rabbits that have contact with an infected rabbit or their faeces, fur or meat, are likely to contract it.
Check your rabbit’s vaccinations are up to date. Contact us.
Rabbit allergies & sneezing
If your rabbit is sneezing, it could be due to one of these things:
- A rabbit being allergic to hay is rare, but it can happen. Try switching your hay supplier or the type of grass you feed them – never use lawn mower cuttings as this can make them ill.
- Wood shavings in bedding can make your rabbit sneeze. If you’ve changed their type of bedding recently, try switching it back and symptoms should clear up in a day or two.
- Dust is the most common cause of rabbit sneezing. Hay is grown outdoors, harvested by large machinery, and then stored in barns – so it can get very dusty. Too much dust can cause an allergic reaction in your rabbit.
- A build-up of urine ammonia, dust, and other particles from an unclean living environment can contribute to rabbit sneezing. Clean your rabbit’s hutch out regularly to improve air circulation and keep your rabbit healthy.
Contact our nursing team to talk about rabbit care.
