Basic home examination

Things you can check on your rabbit at home

Some basic examinations of our rabbits should be conducted regularly at home. Many of these checks can be done while rabbits are being groomed, rather than needing to pick them up, which can be stressful for them.

Here is Bunnymad’s A-Z of basic anatomical checks, with some examples of problems that might be found.

Body

• Lumps or bumps
• Sore or broken skin
• Swollen limbs

Bottom/rear end

Check at least daily (more frequently for overweight or less mobile rabbits, and during summer months, when there’s a greater risk of flystrike).

• Soiling or wetness
• Sore or broken skin
• Evidence of eggs or maggots (emergency)

A rabbit’s rear end should be clean and dry.

Ears

• Mites
• Discharge
• Wax
• Lumps, scratch marks/scabs
• Flaky skin
• Odour

It may be possible to check ears when a rabbit is on the ground.

Eyes

• Cloudiness
• Soreness/redness
• Discharge
• Dilated

Feet

• Soreness
• Bald patches
• Loose or twisted toes

When rabbits are lying down, have a look at their feet.

Fur

• Dishevelled fur
• Bald patches
• Sore patches
• Staining or wetness (staining on front paws and chest may be the first sign of a nasal discharge or dental problem, as the rabbit will keep the nose/mouth area clean so you may not notice those).
• Dandruff
• Parasites
• Sores/wounds
• Scaly patches

Nails

• Damaged
• Too long (nails shouldn’t protrude beyond the fur)

 

Nose

• Discharge
• Soreness

Teeth/mouth

Front incisors can be checked at home, but back teeth should be checked during routine vet appointments (more frequently for breeds susceptible to dental disease, eg. lop eared rabbits and flatter faced breeds).

• Damaged incisors
• Overgrown incisors
• Drooling

The incisors can be seen clearly enough during a big yawn!

Weight

Check weight at least once a month – aside from early detection of obesity, monitoring weight may help to spot other problems (eg. a dental problem causing problems with eating).

• Sudden increase in weight
• Sudden decrease in weight

 

Always consult a vet as soon as rabbits show any signs of illness, injury, pain, or a change in their behaviour, before it develops into a more serious, potentially fatal problem.