Dedicated Exotics Veterinarians providing primary and referral level care for rabbits
Rabbits make wonderful companions and thrive in our homes. They can adapt well to apartments and often love to be part of the family’s activities. However, rabbits have specialised nutritional needs and are not recommended as low maintenance pets.
Veterinary services for rabbits
The SASH Exotics team believe in providing a high standard of care for our rabbit patients. Our services are the broadest in the country and include routine and preventative healthcare to specialist services that are commonly unavailable to rabbits elsewhere, such as radiation oncology.
We offer all services for rabbits including:
- Emergency care
- Hospitalisation with dedicated ward and custom enclosures
- Annual health examinations
- Desexing males and females (guinea pigs and rabbits)
- Vaccination of rabbits
- Micro-chipping
- Laboratory testing
- Diagnostic imaging: X-ray, ultrasound, CT, MRI, and fluoroscopy
- Dentistry
- Minor and major surgeries including desexing
- Behavioural investigations and management
- Direct access to Australia’s broadest range of specialist services including oncology, ophthalmology, cardiology, imaging, anaesthesia, surgery and more
Common conditions for rabbits
Examples of conditions the SASH Exotics team commonly treat include:
- Dental disease, including dental infections or abscesses
- Ear infections and abscesses
- ‘Gut stasis’ and intestinal obstructions
- Liver lobe torsion
- Urinary disease, including chronic kidney disease
- Respiratory infections
- Tumours and cancers of the uterus in female rabbits
Signs of illness in rabbits
Rabbits are prey species and often hide signs of disease until the problem has become very severe. In some cases, seemingly minor injuries can be serious.
For rabbits, we recommend always erring on the side of caution when you notice something unusual with your rabbit. Have them examined by an exotics veterinarian.
Signs of illness or injury in rabbits include:
- Less active, hunched or fluffed posture
- Refusing food, drooling, reduced appetite or inability to chew
- Reduced faecal production or changes in the consistency, size or shape of faecal pellets
- Changes in normal behaviours or routine
- Having difficulty moving, limping or not using a leg
- Breathing difficulties, discharge from the mouth or nostrils
- Sneezing, coughing
- Changes to one or both eyes (swelling, redness, discharge)
- Drinking excessively
- Urinating excessively or changes to the urine consistency or colour
- Seizures, tremors
- Bleeding, wounds, lumps or swellings
- Fur loss, itching
Bringing your rabbit to the vet
Bringing your rabbit to the vet can be a stressful time, especially when they are unwell or injured.
All patients need to arrive at the appointment in an enclosure. Usually. their normal enclosure is too large or difficult to bring in, so examples of other carriers include:
- Cat and dog travel carriers are perfect for transport
- A photo of the cage and surroundings can often be very helpful for the veterinarian.
