Advice for Small Animals

Rabbits

Feeding Your Rabbit.
Rabbits need a diet with lots of roughage, good quality hay should always be available along with a constant supply of fresh water. Commercial rabbit foods are readily available and should be of good quality, we recommend either Russell Rabbit Food or, for rabbits who pick out their favourite bits and leave the rest, Supa Rabbit Exel, both of which are available from the surgery. Vegetables are an important part of the diet, these should always be fresh and washed. Freshly cut grass (not clippings) and dandelion leaves can also be fed. Spinach and rhubarb should not be fed.

Exercise.
Rabbits enjoy daily exercise, a run with access to grass is ideal. Outdoor exercise is an important part of your rabbits daily routine. It not only keeps him fit, but sunlight helps to keep vitamin C and D levels elevated for healthy teeth and bones.

Teeth.
Rabbits teeth grow continually throughout their life, if they are misaligned they can overgrow and cause soreness in the mouth and difficulty eating. Check your rabbits front teeth (Incisors) weekly, if they become too long, contact your vet who will be happy to burr them down. Overgrown back teeth (molars) can cause the rabbit to stop eating, dribble or lose weight. If your rabbit shows any of these signs, contact your vet immediately to arrange trimming under sedation.

Fly Strike.
Fly strike (maggot infestation) can occur during the warm months. This usually occurs in overweight animals as they cannot reach to clean around their bottom when they get soiled. It is advisable to check your rabbit twice daily during the warm weather to make sure it is clean. We also advise that you keep your rabbit slim.

Neutering.
As with dogs and cats, rabbits should be neutered to help prevent health problems. Males (Bucks) can become smelly, aggressive and also may spray urine when they mature. It is very common for females (Does) to have false pregnancies and start to pull their fur out, to become depressed and even aggressive. Spaying can also extend the life span as it prevents potentially life threatening tumours in the uterus. There is, unfortunately, some risk under anaesthetic for rabbits, but we take all possible precautions and this is something to discuss with your vet.

Vaccinations.
Rabbits should be vaccinated against two deadly diseases, Myxomatosis and Viral Haemorrhagic Disease. These are both killers but can be vaccinated against, either yearly in the case of VHD or six monthly for Myxomatosis.

• When you have you rabbits initial vaccination with us you will receive a 15% off rabbit neutering voucher!