In This Chapter
Remember
Suddenly seeing that your bunny is sick or injured can be pretty scary. Thinking straight in these kinds of situations is often difficult. Before taking any action:
- Stay calm.
- Consult your emergency cheat sheet. Using the sheet provided in the front of this book (you should have already filled this out and posted it by your telephone), check for the address and phone number for your vet clinic, as well as the phone numbers for a 24-hour emergency pet hospital and ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center.
One way to keep calm is to
prepare in advance for an emergency. This chapter helps you figure out how to
handle the most common rabbit emergencies. If you ever find that your rabbit
needs emergency care, you may be surprised at how well your memory serves you.
Blood in Urine
Warning!
Red blood in the urine is a serious sign of disease. Causes include uterine disease (in females), bladder stones, bladder cancer, and trauma to the bladder. Blood that appears at the end of urination and as a separate puddle is most likely caused by a uterine problem. Excess blood loss can be a lifethreatening condition. Bloody urine should be reported to your veterinarian immediately, particularly if it is associated with
- Straining to urinate
- Frequent urination
- Weakness
- Depression
Tip
Normal rabbit urine can range in color from yellow to rusty orange due to pigments produced in the bladder and from the plants the rabbit eats. However, blood in the urine is distinctly red. If you’re in doubt about your rabbit’s urine color, take a sample to your veterinarian for evaluation.
Diarrhea
Warning!
True diarrhea in the rabbit is characterized by stool that is
- Profuse
- Watery
- Sometimes bloody in the absence of normal stool
Warning!
Diarrhea is most often caused by a serious disruption of the flora normally in your rabbit’s gastrointestinal tract. In addition, the pet will become dehydrated and go into shock. If your rabbit has diarrhea, don’t attempt to treat it yourself. Take your bunny to a veterinarian as soon as possible. A serious disease of the GI tract — not a change in diet — causes diarrhea.
Tip
Rabbits can also develop soft, pudding-like stools often mixed with normal hard, round droppings. These stools aren’t true diarrhea, and although they do represent a disease of the gastrointestinal tract that should be addressed, it’s not a dire emergency. This condition is most often related to diet.
Excessive Salivation
Dental disease is the most common
cause of excessive salivation. If the rabbit is drooling because of dental
disease, it means he’s in pain, and the condition should be attended to as soon
as possible. Other possible signs of dental disease can include
- Not eating well
- Quickly losing weight
- Constantly wet fur around the mouth and neck
Warning!
Excessive salivation can also be caused by certain types of poisons. If this condition is accompanied by generalized weakness, you need to seek veterinary attention immediately.
Poisoning
Rabbit owners do their very best
to keep dangerous plants and chemicals away from their furry companions, but
accidents happen. A long list of plants (see Chapter Making
Fitness and Fresh Air Fun for Your Bunny), as well as lead,
pesticides, and household chemicals can be toxic to rabbits. A rabbit that has
eaten something poisonous can be affected in ways that range from stomach upset
to death. Symptoms may include
- Diarrhea
- Seizures
- Drooling or foaming at the mouth
- Ulcers in the mouth
- Weakness
- Burned lips, mouth or skin
- Abnormal mental state
Keep in mind that some toxins
(daffodils, for example) can cause delayed symptoms, so take action even if
your rabbit seems fine. Whenever possible, bring the suspected poison with you
if your vet recommends you go to the emergency room. Be sure that your
emergency Cheat Sheet (a handy tear-out included in the front of this book)
includes the phone number for a reliable Animal Poison Control Center (for
example, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, at 1-888-426-4435).
Heatstroke
Rabbits are susceptible to
heatstroke and can tolerate cold weather better than hot. A hot and humid day
can be all it takes to send a rabbit into heat exhaustion, even a rabbit who
lives indoors without air conditioning. See Chapter Shacking
Up with an Indoor Rabbit for information about
housing tips for preventing heatstroke. Signs of heatstroke include labored
breathing, extreme lethargy, and an elevated body temperature.
Tip
If your rabbit has been exposed to high temperatures and you suspect she’s suffering from heatstroke, do the following to help her cool down:
1. Get her out of the heat and into an air-conditioned or shady area.
2. Wrap her ears in a cool, wet towel.
3. Rush her to a veterinarian immediately.
Labored Breathing
A variety of serious problems can
cause labored breathing (visible difficulty moving air in and out of the
lungs) in rabbits. Anything from pneumonia to shock to heatstroke can cause
labored breathing.
Warning!
Labored breathing in a rabbit is a serious emergency. Rush your pet to a veterinarian as soon as possible. If it’s hot outside, run the car air conditioner first because hot air is difficult for the rabbit to breath and will cause further difficulties.
No Stool
If a rabbit doesn’t produce any
stool for 24 hours, particularly if any of the following signs accompany it,
he’s in need of immediate medical attention. The most common cause is a
complete or partial obstruction to the gastrointestinal (GI) tract or a
complete shutdown of the GI tract caused by a chronic GI motility problem.
- Bloated abdomen (may feel tight or like it’s filled with fluid, like a water balloon)
- Constant tooth grinding
- Dull appearance to the eyes
- Hunched posture
- Loss of appetite
- Reluctance to move
- Weakness
Warning!
This is a dire emergency, so seek medical attention immediately. These conditions are fatal within 48 hours if left untreated. If an obstruction is present, your rabbit needs emergency surgery.
Pain
If your rabbit is in pain, he
should be rushed to a vet immediately to determine the cause of pain.
Warning!
The following are signs of pain in a rabbit:
- Depression
- Excessive salivation
- Frequent grinding of the teeth (Occasional tooth grinding can be normal.)
- Inability to sleep
- Loss of appetite
- Rapid or labored breathing
- Reluctance to move
- Sitting in a hunched posture all the time (particularly with dull, half-closed eyes)
- Unexplained aggression
- Unusual body posture
Injury
Rabbits can get hurt in a variety
of ways, such as when other animals attack them. When being handled improperly,
rabbits are often hurt, and when really frightened, they’ll do anything to
escape — including injure themselves. (Chapter Cleaning
Behind Those Great Big Ears and More helps you understand how to
properly handle your rabbit.) If you didn’t see the injury occur, you may not
be certain as to what’s wrong. Look for the signs of injury described in the
following sections.
Bleeding
Bleeding can result from a
predatory attack or from catching the skin on a sharp surface.
Tip
If your rabbit is bleeding profusely, put pressure on the wound using your hand or finger with a clean gauze pad or small towel. Try to stop or slow the bleeding.
If the blood is coming out in a
steady flow, the injury is less serious. If the blood spurts out in rhythm,
your rabbit has a damaged artery. In the latter case, stopping the blood flow
is difficult, and more pressure and time is required. Meanwhile, try to get
your rabbit to an emergency veterinary facility.
Broken bone
Broken bones occur from some type
of trauma. The fracture causes pain, and if it occurs in the legs, the rabbit
might limp or drag or hold his leg up. If the fracture is in the spine, you’ll
see dragging (usually the hind legs) or difficulty standing. Most fractures occur
under the skin, but sometimes the bone can protrude through the skin, causing
bleeding and increasing the possibility of infection.
Warning!
All fractures should be seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible, because your pet is in great pain with this condition. Prepare a small deep box or carrier with thick blankets or towels padding the bottom and gently place your pet inside. Try not to jostle the rabbit’s body unless absolutely necessary. Doing so may cause further injury. Do not splint or immobilize the fractured leg because the rabbit may struggle with pain, causing more damage. The rabbit will get himself in the position that is most comfortable for the ride.
Burns
Rabbits who manage to nibble on
electrical cords can be seriously burned or electrocuted. If you find a cord
that’s been chewed on or through, check your rabbit carefully — in particular
for burns of the mouth — and call your vet immediately. Any rabbit found
unresponsive near a chewed cord should be taken to a vet right away.
Paralysis
An inability to move two or more
legs can be paralysis — the result of a spinal injury. If your rabbit is
conscious but unable to move part or all of her body, gently place your rabbit
on a folded towel and blanket. Then carefully place your bunny, still lying on
the towel and blanket, in a large carrier or open box.
Head Tilt and Seizures
Tip
Head tilt is a neurological emergency that you might encounter with your rabbit. (See Chapter Nipping Common Health Problems in the Bud for more on this condition.) As the name suggests, the primary symptom is a rabbit holding her head to the side. The quicker head tilt is diagnosed and treated, the greater chance for full recovery. Even if your rabbit is only showing mild signs of head tilt, you need to have her checked by your veterinarian as soon as possible.
Head tilt can be caused by an
inner ear infection, trauma to the head, or a problem in the brain due to
stroke, cancer, infection, parasitic disease, or other disease. Onset of head
tilt symptoms can be gradual or fast. A rabbit with head tilt may also not
interact as usual, hide in a dark corner, stop eating normally, or stop eating
at all.
Seizures can be
frightening to see. A rabbit who is having a seizure lays on his side, jerking
and twitching uncontrollably. Even though it appears that she’s struggling,
remember that the rabbit is unconscious during these moments and isn’t feeling
any pain. Try covering the head and body of the bunny loosely with a
lightweight towel to cut out visual stimulus and light, which may help shorten
the seizure. Gently lift the rabbit and place her in a large carrier or open
box that’s been fitted with a blanket, towel, or other soft material.
Warning!
Do not restrain the rabbit while she’s convulsing because you may cause further injury. Do not put your hands near her mouth.
Sudden Weakness
Any number of problems, all
serious, can cause sudden weakness. Heatstroke, blood loss, shock, overwhelming
infection, neurological disorder, intestinal obstruction, poisoning, trauma to
the spine or legs, and metabolic diseases are just a few of the conditions that
result in weakness.
If your rabbit can’t stand up,
don’t try to force him. Instead, to make him comfortable, place him on a towel
or blanket and take him to the veterinarian immediately.
Connie Isbell and Audrey Pavia
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