hairball treatment/ enzyme supplement

[RodeoBunny]

Hi there,

Do rabbits need to be treated with a hairball remedy or can they manage hairballs by them self ?
also..
Do they need a daily enzyme supplement?

Thanks

 

[aurora369]

Rabbits do not need a hair ball remedy. Rabbits do not really get hair balls like cats do, the best thing to keep a rabbit's tummy running smoothly is lots of hay and water. Keep them well hydrated and full of fiber. In fact a cat hair ball remedy is very bad for rabbits and does more harm than good.

A digestive enzyme, depending on which one your are thinking of may or may not be helpful. Something like Benebac, a probiotic for animals, can be very good when a bunny is in GI distress. It helps keep the gut in the proper acidified state so that it is easier for good bacteria to grow and harder for bad bacteria to grow.

-Dawn

 

[BethM]

I give my bunnies a small piece of dried papaya (NO added sugar, just plain papaya) daily, as a bedtime treat. Some people swear that the enzymes in the papaya (papain) do wonders for breaking up hairballs, though as far as I know, there is no definitive evidence that proves that. My bunnies like them, though, and I figure that a small bit of papaya is no worse for them than the raisin I used to give them at bedtime. If it helps, awesome, if not,they get a yummy treat. I have also given the Oxbow papaya tablets, but my bunnies didn't like the new formulation, and they are more expensive than the plain dried papaya.

Note, I give this mainly as a treat, not as a supplement.

 

[RodeoBunny]

Thanks for the help