Plump or Obese?

[pamnock]

Carolyn wrote:

Generally speaking, should you be able to feel the spine?

Generally, no -- you shouldn't be able to feel the spine. Ina thin rabbit,the spinewillbe the most visible indicator of being underfed or a rabbit looking very "hollow" in the flank area.

The rib cage can be difficult to discern, even in an underfed rabbit.

Flabby skin can indicate obesity as can a very rounded "rolly polly" look.

A rabbit can be under fedand still have adistended stomach. Protein deficiency is one cause of a bloated belly as well as parasites or other health problems.

The rabbit being wider than it is deep (high) may also be another sign of being overweight.

The following is an excerpt from:http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/ClientED/bunny.asp

"To tell if your rabbit is obese is sometimes not easy. Look at the rabbit from the top. It should be pear shaped, not shaped like an apple with a head. If the dewlap is large enough that it touches the rabbit's elbows when it is sitting up, it is obese. If you see extra skin that touches the ground around the back end of the rabbit, it is obese. You should be able to feel the rabbit's ribs without seeing them. Rex rabbits are particularly prone to becoming fat. A rabbit that is too fat also has difficulty grooming itself and you may have the joy of cleaning your rabbit's rear end frequently to prevent conditions called urine scald (where the urine that the animal can not clean off his fur, burns the skin underneath) and fly strike (where the feces that can become matted in the fur attracts flies which lay their eggs). You then get maggots eating the unhealthy flesh of your rabbit's behind. "

(Actually it's easier to tell when a rex rabbit is fat due to the fact that its fur is so short)

 

[Carolyn]

Thanks so much, Pam. I was hoping you'd tune into this thread as well.



-Carolyn

 

[pamnock]

Opps -- I had mistakenly deleted half of my post -- it's fixed now

When judging, we have to make the determination as to whether or not arabbit is too fat or too thin as both of those would be faults in theircondition.

Soft, flabby flesh can indicate that the rabbit is too fat.We use the term "over finished" to indicate that a rabbit is verging onbeing overweight and its flesh is softening. The coat mayalso be "open" rather than quickly returning to position. So,overfeeding can also affect the condition of the coat and lend to thecoatbeing in a continual molt.

Pam

 

[Carolyn]

pamnock wrote:

So, overfeeding can also affect the condition ofthe coat and lend to the coatbeing in a continual molt.

Pam

Excellent information you've shared with us all around,Pam. It doesn't seem as cut and dry as one wouldthink.

I didn't realize that overfeeding can create a molt or put the coat into a continual molt.

When should I stop feeding Cali the Calf Manna? At a year old?

Many thanks for your help.

-Carolyn

 

[pamnock]

Carolyn wrote:

When should I stop feeding Cali the Calf Manna? At a year old?



-Carolyn

When growth stops, there is no longer need for the extra protein unless it's a wooled breed or a rabbit in heavy production.

Pam

 

[Lassie]

My baby boy is not fat at all. He is very cute. Delia

 

[Carolyn]

pamnock wrote:

Carolyn wrote:

?
When should I stop feeding Cali the Calf Manna?? At a year old?

?

-Carolyn

?

When growth stops, there is no longer need for the extra protein unless it's a wooled breed or a rabbit in heavy production.

Pam

Showrabbits just informed me that Cali will grow for 1.5 years and thenwill continue a slow growth spurt until she's 3-4 years old. :shock: !!She's certain that she'll develop a dewlap because she can see itcoming. She mentioned stopping the Calf Manna when her dewlap is fullydeveloped.

God knows if I'll be able to tell when that happens.

-Carolyn

 

[m.e.]

Well, I figured out why Rex was/is molting

Between housesitting and being busy with school, I had my brother helpout with feeding the rabbits. When Rex was looking a littlemore...plump than usual (in addition to being shaggy), I queried mybrother and found out he was feeding them twice a day (which is good),but the amount of food that should have been for the entire day,not for each meal!

So my little man put on a little chub and is completely blowing his coat. Silly boys. . .

 

[pamnock]

Very large breeds may not reach their matureweight until 8 or more months of age. Smaller breeds areusually full grown by approx. 6 months of age.

Pam

 

[dr_peter_kraz]

Isn't it true that any breed is overweight if after the ribs the body is bigger instead of slimmer.

Peter

 

[RebeccaUK]

My Benjamin tends to manage his own weight verywell - I give him the recommended amount of pellets for his breed andhe just eats what he wants and leaves the rest. The same goeswith treats, veggies and other titbits - he will eat a little untilhe's had enough. Are most rabbits like this or do some go oneating and eatingif the food is available?

 

[m.e.]

I think some buns can self-regulate, and somejust can't. Rex and Peanut, who were both overweight in the past, wouldnot be able to maintain a healthy weight unless their feed wasregulated (as can be seen by what happened to Rex after a week or so ofoverfeeding). But I've seen some rabbits who can have a full dish andnever have to worry about putting on chub. At the shelter, we have toremember who needs regulated feed and who can just have their dishfilled. Some bunnies like to leave food in their dish just to leave itthere, they freak when it's empty. Strange lil' creatures, they are...

 

[Carolyn]

dr_peter_kraz wrote:

Isn't it true that any breed is overweight if after the ribsthe body is bigger instead of slimmer.

Peter

Hi Peter,


If they're slimmer after the ribs, that usuallymeans the ribsare sticking out and the rabbit's too skinny. The back end issupposed to be as big or even a bit bigger to some extent, if I'm notmistaken.

-Carolyn

 

[RebeccaUK]

Bo is beautiful and doesn't look pear shaped to me - what a beautiful picture.

 

[pamnock]

Carolyn wrote:

dr_peter_kraz wrote:

Isn'tit true that any breed is overweight if after the ribs the body isbigger instead of slimmer.

Peter

Hi Peter,


If they're slimmer after the ribs, that usually means the ribs aresticking out and the rabbit's too skinny. The back end issupposed to be as big or even a bit bigger to some extent, if I'm notmistaken.

-Carolyn

I went out a couple days ago to test the "ribtheory". Matthew's English Spot had beenoff its feed and had dropped a lot of weight, andits spineandhip boneswere obviously protruding. Nomatter which position I put the rabbit in, its ribs could not beobserved protruding and felt very smooth. Rabbits appear tohave a much smaller rib cage diameter as compared to other mammals, soin most cases, the ribs cannot be used as an indication of a rabbitbeing under weight. The best indicator of an underweightrabbit is whether or not you can feel the spine. You'll alsonote that the rabbit will be very sunken in at the flank area.

The good news is that the Spot is back on its feed and is quickly gaining the lost weight back.

Pam

 

[MyBabyBunnies]

I'm so confused!

With Mocha I can feel his spine (but I always can no matter how muchfood he gets) and if I press a bit I can feel his ribs. But his bodyfeels 'firm' when he's sitting in a crouched up position. When he laysstretched out he looks so fat and his body seems so wide. He has abulge where his belly is after the ribs. He also has a small dewlap.

I'm not really sure if he's over weight, under weight, or a good weight.

 

[m.e.]

MyBunnyBoys wrote:

I'm so confused!

Me too :? I can always feel Rex's spine, even when he's put on a bit of chub...

 

[pamnock]

In some cases, the spine may be protruding due tothe rabbits own physical makeup and the fact that it doesn't have goodflesh covering over the spine. Also acommon geneticfault is protruding "pin bones" (aitch bone or ilium) at the rear ofthe rump.

So in some cases, you may still feel the spine of a healthy, well fed rabbit.

Pam

 

[Carolyn]

Pam,

Is it safe to say the measure of whether a rabbit is over orunderweight should be compared to and determined by the breed of therabbit? Do they have bone structures in the Standards? If a rabbit is amix, would you go towards the breed that seems most prominent in therabbit's build?

Thanks.



-Carolyn

 

[Carolyn]

pamnock wrote:

Carolyn wrote:

dr_peter_kraz wrote:

Isn'tit true that any breed is overweight if after the ribs the body isbigger instead of slimmer.

Peter

Hi Peter,


If they're slimmer after the ribs, that usually means the ribs aresticking out and the rabbit's too skinny. The back end issupposed to be as big or even a bit bigger to some extent, if I'm notmistaken.

-Carolyn

I went out a couple days ago to test the "ribtheory". Matthew's English Spot had beenoff its feed and had dropped a lot of weight, andits spineandhip boneswere obviously protruding. Nomatter which position I put the rabbit in, its ribs could not beobserved protruding and felt very smooth. Rabbits appear tohave a much smaller rib cage diameter as compared to other mammals, soin most cases, the ribs cannot be used as an indication of a rabbitbeing under weight. The best indicator of an underweightrabbit is whether or not you can feel the spine. You'll alsonote that the rabbit will be very sunken in at the flank area.

The good news is that the Spot is back on its feed and is quickly gaining the lost weight back.

Pam

Absolutely right! I stand corrected. I had a vet's assistant tell me that, but it's wrong information.

Rick Stahl's note is:

"Wider rib cage wouldn’t be factor ofweight, but of conformity. Too narrow rib cage would produce too narrowbody, too much taper. If weight is proper ribs wouldn’t normally showon either a wide or narrow rib cage and conversely ribs could show onboth a severely under weight wide and/or narrow rib cage."

Sorry to confuse, Peter. Thanks, Pam, for the information.


-Carolyn