We have had a week full of rabbit nutrition and some do's and don'ts on what to feed them.
Today we are going to end Rabbit awareness week with more information on our furry little friends and highlight a few points we have previously mentioned.
Summer is here - with the warm weather comes a few nasty critters!
Fly-strike
Fly-strike is where flies lay their eggs onto soiled fur, then these eggs hatch into maggots and can start causing severe harm to rabbits, like chewing into the rabbits skin.
Have soiled fur can be caused by diarrhoea, unclean environment or by caecotrophs sticking to the rabbits fur.
We advise checking your rabbits daily, especially in summer.
If you are concerned that your rabbit may have 'fly-strike' or is prone to it - please book an appointment to see a Vet.
(What are caecotrophs? - they are small faecal balls that rabbits produce after digesting fibre. They are then re-eaten by the rabbit as they are nutritionally beneficial for the rabbits diet)
Vaccinations
The two main diseases rabbits are vaccinated against are the following:
Myxomatosis
Rabbit Viral Haemorrhagic Disease (Both strains)
Both these disease are life-threatening and we recommend ALL rabbits should be vaccinated at the earliest convenience.
Rabbits can be vaccinated as early as 7 weeks of age.
(If you are concerned about your rabbits vaccination status please contact your registered veterinary practice)
Neutering
We as a practice would recommend neutering rabbits, especially in multi-rabbit households. This is to help reduce rabbits over-populating, as female rabbits can have litters every 30 days.
Behaviourally, it also decreases the signs of aggression seen in both males and females.
We would recommend neutering from the ages of:
Males: 4-5 months
Females: 5-6 months
(**This can be dependant on the breed of rabbit - so please book a Vet appointment to consult with them regarding your rabbits specific needs)
Dental disease
One of the most common issues with domesticated rabbits seen in practice are dental problems. This is mostly due to a poor diet but can also have some genetic component.
Rabbits teeth grow continuously, some are seen to grow a 1-2mm per week! Therefore they need to continuously have food high in fibre, indigestible fibre, to help wear down their teeth to reduce spurs forming etc.
That is why we have expressed the importance of diet so much this week as it can affect different aspects of a rabbits welfare.
We hope you have found this week very informative and helpful in caring for your pet rabbit/s!
Please see the following links for more information on how to care for your rabbit even further.
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