Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Poultry and Pets => Pets without Feathers => Topic started by: totalnovice on November 16, 2009, 14:07
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Hiya,
I am after some advice on my bunny Mr Eric - he is 5 yrs old now and looks suspiciously like the rabbits you would see in the wild. He has recently lost a bit of weight, i have checked his teeth, they are fine and he has a good/medium appetite. He is also shedding his winter coat! Have checked his fur for bugs/nasties but can't see any.
Any one any clue? Don't want to traumatise him with a trip to the vets just to be told it is because he is an old boy.
Thanks in advance.
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what breed of rabbit is he? smaller varieties i.e. dutch do not live as long as larger breeds. An average life span is around 5 - 7 years although some have been known to live for over ten years.
Is he up to date with his vaccinations?
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He is a dwarf although a dwarf what i don't know. He is upto date with his vacs. I had him castrated at the age of two and a half - does that affect his life expectancy?
I can't believe how attached i am to him, daft old bunny.
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If he is a netherland dwarf they come in may colours with some looking just like wild rabbits but with very cute round faces and tiny ears.
There is also a breed called the dutch rabbit that are small - these are two colours one of which being white.
We (well my mum and dad did) used to show rabbits about 40 years ago.
If you are at all worried I would take him for a general checkup - is it long since his vaccination - I am assuming he has had his mixi jab, because they should have checked him over then.
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Mr Eric is now in rabbit middle to old age (they tend to live to about 7-8 years old on average). The castration will improve life expectancy. Is he a typical brown rabbit (watership down and wild type?)
Has he been wormed recently? My two girls lost a little weight when they had worms (they can get a bout even if indoors and no other animals, the nasties can lay in wait for a long time) and you can get some panacur from the vets or online which is great stuff for getting rid of them and rabbits seem to love the taste of it!
Since his teeth outwardly appear good and still a good appetite I doubt there are any gum problems, but just check for any inflamation arount the roots of the teeth incase. There are higher fibre foods that can be purchased to help him put weight on if it is just through his age that he is losing - burgess do a good range of them. It may be worth a diabetes blood test at the vets as well, as it can strike in middle age with rabbits :( However, some rabbits as they get older do just lose weight in winter then put it back on in summer so hopefully it's nothing to worry about.
Hope Mr Eric gets better soon and keep us updated xx
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He is a watership down wild rabbit look alike, no cute round face and little ears for Mr Eric, although i do love netherland dwarf faces.
Thanks all for your advice, i am going to play it safe and take him to the vets tomorrow, oh good lord what a way to spend a tuesday :(
He was fine when he had his jabs, about 5 moths ago, but i have noticed a couple of things within the last 3 or 4 weeks that when combined I want checked out - his eyes are watering too so the vet can give him a once over.I on't envy him that!!!
Now where are my chain mail gloves..... :blink:
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oh dear I do hope he is ok, please keep us informed and keep those gloves on :D
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the lgoves have been put away for today as the vet can't see us till tomorrow - but thtta dioes mean i don't have to drag a reluctant rabbit as well as a tantruming toddler to the vet!!!
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Get the toddler checked while you're at it
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Poor little Mr. Eric.. :(
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Get the toddler checked while you're at it
If that was going to happen i would need the extra strength chain mail gloves, and possible body suit to match - i think i have raise a ferral child, he loves nothing better than sinking his teeth into medical professionals ??? although he never does it to us
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....i think i have raise a ferral child, he loves nothing better than sinking his teeth into medical professionals ??? although he never does it to us
Well that's alright then :D.
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....i think i have raise a ferral child, he loves nothing better than sinking his teeth into medical professionals ??? although he never does it to us
Well that's alright then :D.
It would be if my sister wasn't a doctor :tongue2:
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:lol: :lol: :lol: