A healthy diet for a rabbit with urinary tract issues has the same components as one for the average rabbit - that is lots of grass/hay, some fresh vegetables or other plants, and a small amount of commercial pellets.
What is the best diet for a rabbit with urinary tract issues?
The formula the calculator above uses is: A healthy diet for a rabbit with urinary tract issues has the same components as one for the average rabbit - that is lots of grass/hay, some fresh vegetables or other plants, and a small amount of commercial pellets.
What to do if your rabbit has a urinary tract infection?
Rabbits that have been diagnosed with a urinary tract infection are usually treated as outpatient. Affected rabbits often respond to a combination of antibiotic therapy, increased water consumption, dietary modification, weight loss, and an increase in exercise alone.
Is alfalfa hay good for rabbits with UTI?
Alfalfa hay is extremely high in calcium (1.3%) and should be avoided in rabbits with urinary tract problems. Another way you can reduce your rabbit’s calcium intake is by substituting some of its hay with fresh grass.
What does it mean when a rabbit has a UTI?
Urinary tract obstructions, which restricts the flow of urine from the kidneys, is a common condition in rabbits. It can be due to a variety of reasons, including urinary tract infections (UTIs) or deeper bladder infections.
What do you feed a rabbit with a UTI?
Encourage oral fluid intake by wetting leafy vegetables, and offer a large selection of fresh, moistened greens such as cilantro, romaine lettuce, parsley, carrot tops, dandelion greens, spinach, collard greens, and good-quality grass hay.
What causes rabbit UTI?
Infections. Rabbits can suffer from bladder conditions such as cystitis. Cystitis is inflammation of the lining of the bladder. This can be caused by bacteria, but it can also be triggered by the presence of sludge in their bladder.
What food is good for sick rabbits?
While you seek treatment, try to keep your rabbit hydrated and warm. A syringe with water or soft foods (applesauce or baby food) can assist. Depending on the condition, your vet may prescribe prescription medication to help your rabbit's condition.
How do you treat rabbit urine?
Treating urine scald If your rabbit has urine scald, it's likely that they will need to be clipped, cleaned and dried by your vet (usually under anaesthetic). They may also need antibiotics, anti-inflammatories/pain relief, and a barrier cream for the sore area of skin.
What antibiotic is used to treat UTI in rabbits?
The most commonly used class of drugs in ferrets and rabbits are the quinolones. This antibiotic group is safe, can be given orally, and is effective against Pasteurella and other serious gram negative infections. Enrofloxacin is used at 10-30 mg/kg q24hrs IM/SC/PO. Metronidazole is used for anaerobic infections.
How do I know if my rabbit had a UTI?
Depending on the severity of the condition, most rabbit owners will report the following signs and symptoms:Frequent urination.Painful or difficult urination.Thick, beige or brown-colored urine.Cloudy-looking urine, or urine that appears thicker than normal.Hunched-over posture while urinating.More items...•
What kills rabbits fast?
The most commonly used rabbit poison of this type in the Bay of Plenty is Pindone, though a CSL is not required to purchase or use Pindone in a baitstation, a CSL is required if using bait-mats or hand broadcasting pindone onto the ground. These poisons are fast acting and will kill rabbits after a single dose.
What is the best meal for rabbits?
Rabbits should have a daily diet of mostly hay, a smaller amount of fresh vegetables, and a limited number of pellets. Hay is the most important part of a rabbit's daily intake. Unlimited, high-quality grass hay, such as Timothy, orchard or brome, should make up the bulk of a rabbit's diet.
Can rabbits eat banana?
Fruit. Pretty much any fruit will make a good sweet treat, though the high sugar content means it should only be given in moderation. It's also important to remove any pips or stones that could become choking hazards. Bananas, apples, strawberries and raspberries have all proven a hit.
Can I give my rabbit cranberry juice?
Therefore you can supplement rabbits healing from urinary tract disease with cranberry tablets based on their vitamin C content at 25 to 50 mg of vitamin C per pound of body weight one to two times daily. Do not use cranberry juice cocktail, which has very little cranberry juice and in addition are loaded with sugar.
What color should rabbit urine be?
Normal rabbit urine will vary from a pale yellow or clear colour, through various orange and brown colours, right up to a deep red colour. Rabbit urine may also look cloudy due to the presence of calcium carbonate being excreted within the urine.
How can I make my rabbit drink water?
How to Get Your Rabbit to Drink More WaterLet them choose their water source.Provide Clean Water in a Clean Bowl/Water.Leave Water on Their Daily Greens.Put Fragrant Greens in their Water Bowl.Add a Few Drops of Unsweetened Juice.Use Bottled or Filtered Water.Serve Water at Room Temperature.
Why is my bunny's butt wet?
When a rabbit urinates, they position their tail and legs out of the way and cleanly excrete the urine behind them. Many times when a rabbit is having urinary issues, they will have a constantly wet tail & bottom area that smells of urine.
Why does my rabbit have a wet tail?
You should always seek veternary advice when a rabbit's backside starts getting a foul odour, looks dirty or wet, as wet tail is a very serious condition. This is caused by a rabbit's urine going down either one or both hind legs instead of being expelled backwards, clean of the tail.
How do you prevent wet tail in rabbits?
This can often be cured by asking the vet for pain relief/anti-inflammatory treatment for the rabbit, and a low dose of Metacam once daily can alleviate the pain and discomfort, allowing the rabbit to once again adopt the correct posture for urination.
Why do female rabbits pee everywhere?
If your rabbit is pooping/spraying pee everywhere, this is probably due to your rabbit marking his territory. It's a good idea to get your rabbit spayed/neutered in order to ease territorial feelings. Sometimes rabbits deliberately pee on your couch or bed because they're showing you who's Top Bunny in the house.
What to feed a rabbit with urinary tract issues?
A healthy diet for a rabbit with urinary tract issues has the same components as one for the average rabbit - that is lots of grass/hay, some fresh vegetables or other plants, and a small amount of commercial pellets. For rabbits with urinary tract issues we just need to give a little more attention to the proportion of these foods to ensure we end up with the right amount of calcium and substitute a few ingredients that are particularly high in calcium.
What do rabbits eat?
Like all rabbits, those on a low calcium diet should eat plenty of grass-hay or fresh grass. Any variety of grass is fine, including timothy, meadow and orchard. They all provide a calcium content of between 0.3-0.5% of dry matter, depending on the variety and even where it grew and when it was cut. Alfalfa is sometimes fed as a hay substitute, particularly for young rabbits, unlike grass-hays it has high calcium content (1.3%) so should be avoided in rabbits with calcium related urinary tract issues.
How much calcium should rabbits have?
The goal of a low calcium diet isn't to remove calcium completely; calcium is necessary for a range of body functions including normal rabbit teeth growth. Instead the aim is to reduce calcium to only what it used by the body, cutting out excess calcium that's disposed of via the urinary tract.
How much dry food should I feed my bunny?
The most frequently quoted daily dry food portion for a rabbit is 25g of food per 1kg your rabbit weighs, i.e. a 2.5kg rabbit should have a maximum of 63g per day. The average calcium content of rabbit pellets is around 0.9%; using the calculator above, this works out at 510mg of calcium for a 63g portion. This means your rabbit would use up all of their calcium allowance before we've factored in hay or greens! The reason for this is pellet rations and calcium values originate from commercial breeding practices where pellets were used as a 'complete feed' and not complimentary to hay - they were designed for growing rabbits quickly and cheaply rather than long term health.
How to feed a rabbit calcium?
There is a lot of information in this article, but in short feed as much hay or grass as your rabbit will eat, as this provides the healthiest balance of calcium. Reduce the amount of pellets to a maximum of 25g for a 2.5kg rabbit and choose a brand low in calcium. Feed a wide variety of fresh foods to even out high and low calcium levels. Try to maximise your rabbit's water intake by feeding fresh grass and fresh veggies, and, if you live in a hard water area, consider swapping to bottled water. Finally, remember to make any changes to your rabbit's diet gradually to allow their gut to adjust to the new foods.
Why does my rabbit drink a lot of water?
Remember: Calcium content of water is only an issue if you have hard tap water (high in calcium) and your rabbit drinks a lot of it (usually because they eat mainly dry foods with low water content).
Why do rabbits need calcium?
Calcium is essential for rabbits to maintain healthy bones and teeth, but the special way rabbits process it means that some rabbits encounter urinary tract problems if their diet is too high in calcium. If your rabbit suffers from stones or bladder sludge you may need to adjust their diet to reduce their calcium intake to help control the problem.
How to prevent rabbit UTIs?
If UTIs are common for your rabbit, prevent reocurrences by having fresh, clean water readily available, feeding your rabbit a diet high in moisture, regularly cleaning your rabbit’s elimination area, and exercising your rabbit regularly to promote healthy urination .
What is the procedure to test for UTI in rabbits?
After a regular exam, if a UTI or bladder infection is suspected, a urinalysis is often performed. This may be accompanied by a microscopic examination, and a cystocentesis, wherein a needle is inserted into the bladder to extract a sterile sample for testing. Testing of this sample can confirm what kind of bacteria is infecting your rabbit, and lead your veterinarian to the appropriate antibiotics to prescribe.
How to treat sludge in rabbits?
Sludge may require fluid therapy and antibiotics, and your rabbit may need his bladder manually expressed to remove the sludge. Pain medication may be prescribed for pain and to control spasms. Liquid magnesium has been used to treat chronic sludge. In the case of kidney disease, treatment involves treating the underlying cause, be that bacterial or protozoan infection, stones and sludge, or tumors. Your veterinarian will discuss a treatment plan on a case by case basis once the full extent of the condition is known. In most cases, pain medication is often prescribed. Death is rare, but can occur in cases of bladder rupture, renal disease, or an inability to urinate.
How long does it take for a rabbit to recover from bladder surgery?
Recovery of Infection in the Bladder or Urinary Tract in Rabbits. If surgery was performed to remove stones or obstructions, your rabbit may need 1-2 days of hospitalization for pain management and fluid therapy as needed after surgery.
How to treat a urinary blockage?
Treatment for the infection will correspond to the underlying cause. For a bacterial cause, antibiotics will be prescribed, with any supportive therapy needed, such as fluid therapy. If a blockage is to blame, treatment can include the surgical removal of stones. Antibiotics are prescribed, and fluids are given if needed. Stones need to be removed, or they will continue to grow in size, inflaming the bladder and urinary tract. Your veterinarian will discuss a proper diet to discourage the stones from reoccurring.
How to tell if rabbit has bladder infection?
Symptoms of a bladder or urinary tract infection include: Frequent urination. Decreased urination. Painful urination. Straining to urinate, or a hunched posture while urinating. Blood in the urine.
What is the average cost of a rabbit's bladder infection?
Infection in the Bladder or Urinary Tract Average Cost. From 452 quotes ranging from $200 - $500.
Why does my rabbit have a urinary tract infection?
Cystitis is characterized by the inflammation of the urinary bladder caused by a buildup of bacteria. Most rabbits with this condition will have discomfort while urinating. Regular observation of your rabbit’s elimination behavior and proper husbandry will help prevent the development of an infection.
How to keep rabbits from peeing?
Foods high in moisture will add water to its system and will help prevent thick highly concentrated urine that can easily lead to urinary tract infections. • Clean your rabbit’s toilet area regularly. A clean toilet area encourages your rabbit to urinate. Regular urination prevents urinary contents from backing up.
What happens if a rabbit's urine is too much calcium?
In addition, the excretion of too much calcium can lead to bladder or kidney stones which will further block the tubes that excrete urine.
Can rabbits have cystitis?
Rabbits that develop cystitis often develop the condition throughout life. If your rabbit has a history of urinary tract infections, you can minimize the odds of developing additional urinary infections by following these steps: • Always supply fresh water.
How to prevent urinary tract obstruction in rabbits?
Reducing or eliminating risk factors for urinary tract obstructions will include making dietary changes, like discontinuing alfalfa pellets from meals. A diet high in fiber and water can helpful for combating and avoiding this condition. Obesity and a sedentary lifestyle are also believed to be responsible for urinary tract obstruction. When possible, ensure that your rabbit receives a healthy diet and is able to maintain an active lifestyle in order to help minimize the chance of recurrence.
How to diagnose kidney infection in rabbit?
To diagnose a kidney infection, your veterinarian will first observe whether your rabbit is exhibiting unproductive squatting that does not lead to effective urination. The doctor may note that urination is incomplete, or leads to the passing of cloudy or dark-colored urine. Urinary obstruction may be noted by the rabbit passing incomplete, or very small amounts of urine.
Why does rabbit urine have calcium in it?
One of the most common reasons for problems of the urinary tract is the excretion of too much calcium, which can lead to kidney stones , or what many refer to as calcium “sand” or “sludge” in the urine. This material can block the urethra and the tubes that carry and excrete urine, causing little clots that can prove very problematic for the rabbit.
How to treat urinary obstruction?
Treatment includes removal of urinary obstructions and restoring proper fluid balance and proper urine outflow. Surgery is sometimes necessary to remove the obstruction. Follow-up treatment will address the causes for the initial urine retention. Because recurrence is possible, it is important to minimize the odds of developing additional kidney stones (if they were present) or future urinary obstructions.
Why do rabbits have urinary tract obstruction?
It can be due to a variety of reasons, including urinary tract infections (UTIs) or deeper bladder infections.
What are the symptoms of a rabbit's kidneys?
Difficulty moving about, or getting up. Retention of urine, difficulty emptying bladder fully, or lack of urine flow during movements. Lethargy, weight loss, tooth grinding, or signs of pain on urination or movement. Many rabbits will also have abnormally large kidneys.
Why do rabbits have clots?
This material can block the urethra and the tubes that carry and excrete urine, causing little clots that can prove very problematic for the rabbit. Other causes can include inflammation or injury to the ureters, which can block the flow or urine from the kidney; trauma to the area; or an overgrowth of tissue (hyperplasia), ...
What is the best diet for rabbits with bladder sludge?
Low Calcium Diet for Rabbits. If your rabbit has been diagnosed with a urinary tract issue, such as bladder sludge, your vet will recommend a low calcium diet. Calcium is found in all elements of a rabbit’s diet, including grass hay, fresh grass, leafy greens, and pellets.
What do rabbits eat?
Even though it contains calcium, rabbits on a low-calcium diet should continue to eat plenty of fresh grass and grass hay. Include a variety of hay in your rabbit’s diet, including timothy, orchard, and meadow.
What Causes High Calcium in Rabbits?
The excess calcium in the bloodstream absorbed from the gut is excreted in the form of urine through the urinary tract. Here, the calcium may get deposited, forming calculi.
How Much Calcium Should Rabbits Have?
The recommended daily amount (RDA) of calcium for an adult rabbit is 200mg per 1kg bodyweight. This means a 2.5kg rabbit needs 500mg of calcium every day.
What is the sludge in rabbits?
In rabbits, solid calcifications can form in the kidneys, bladder, ureters, and urethra. Thick calcium (sludge) can also accumulate in the kidneys or bladder, leading to bladder sludge and other urinary tract issues.
Why do rabbits need calcium?
Rabbits have a special way of processing calcium and absorb more than they need. Excess calcium in the diet increases their risk of bladder sludge and other urinary tract issues.
Why is calcium in water important for rabbits?
Calcium is an important nutrient in a rabbit’s diet as it’s required for the proper growth of bones and teeth, as well as other body functions.
How to get rid of a soft stool?
A variety is necessary in order to obtain the necessary nutrients, with one each day that contains Vitamin A, indicated by an *. Add one vegetable to the diet at a time. Introduce gradually and eliminate if it causes soft stools or diarrhea.
Can strawberries cause enterotoxemia?
Raspberries. Strawberries. Absolutely NO chocolate (poisonous!), cookies, crackers, breakfast cereals, bread, pasta, yogurt drops or other “human treats.”. There is research to suggest these items may contribute to fatal cases of enterotoxemia, a toxic overgrowth of “bad” bacteria in the intestinal tract.
