Boney Bunny? RIP

[kittenboodle]

I've had my rabbit for a good half a year and he's been fed a balanced diet of Oxbow pellets and Meadow hay. He has no problem eating his food and when I come to see him the next day he needs a refill and since there's no other rabbits in his cage it's obvious that he's eating. He drinks a LARGE quantity of water and pees a lot. I can also easily feel his bones and recently he's been developing a pudgy spot under his chin on his neck that when I feel it feels like I'm just pinching excess skin. I have no idea what's happening with him nor do I know what breed he is. I really want him to be healthy and happy and all I want to do is help him.

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

Rabbits do tend to be a bit more boney than a cat or dog. Feeling the spine, ribs, and hips, doesn't necessary mean they are skinny. They should not be prominent and should be a good layer of muscle around them.

How much water does he drink? Drinking a lot and urinating a lot can be signs of kidney problems.

You may want to get him checked by a vet. They can give you a better idea on his body condition and address the drinking and even the possible dewlap.

 

[whiskylollipop]

Non-neutered rabbits will develop the pudgy neck as they mature, called a dewlap. That's normal, although it shouldn't be too big in males. Being able to feel the bones on the rest of his body is normal too.

 

[woahlookitsme]

Is he a large breed of rabbit and how old is he? To be safe I would get a vets opinion if he is starting to get noticeably skinny despite a good appetite.

 

[Azerane]

Being skinny despite having a very healthy appetite to me suggests worms, but it could also be many other things. I would advise a vet visit to double check, if they suggest you treat for worms, make sure you use a rabbit safe one. I can't remember which brand is which, but one of the common cat/dog ones is lethal for rabbits, and the other isn't.

 

[kittenboodle]

Being skinny despite having a very healthy appetite to me suggests worms, but it could also be many other things. I would advise a vet visit to double check, if they suggest you treat for worms, make sure you use a rabbit safe one. I can't remember which brand is which, but one of the common cat/dog ones is lethal for rabbits, and the other isn't.

I took him to the vet today and it turned out to be kidney failure. We had to put him down but I'm wondering if using air freshener near his cage could have caused that?

 

[Azerane]

Aww, I'm so very sorry to hear that

I'm honestly not sure about the air freshener, I would have thought they might cause lung problems, not kidney problems. I suppose it depends what sort it was and how close it was to the cage. It's very difficult to know whether that was the cause though, or whether he simply would have come down with it anyway. I'm so sorry for your loss.

 

[OakRidgeRabbits]

I took him to the vet today and it turned out to be kidney failure. We had to put him down but I'm wondering if using air freshener near his cage could have caused that?

Kidney failure could have been a symptom of another illness, rather than the illness itself. I'd talk to your vet about possible causes. It could have been something the rabbit was born with, or there may have been an environmental factor. But it's difficult to diagnose over the internet.