In our culture today most of us are struggling with our weight. Since our pets live so close to us it is no wonder they are experiencing the same problems. For the past several years dog and cat obesity has been widely recognized.
The online newspaper Adelaide Now recently featured a vet in Australia that is trying to bring public attention to the issue of rabbit obesity. And she has some unique solutions she's using in her practice!
"OVERFED rabbits are joining the ranks of the nation's obese pets and some are taking part in animal weight-loss programs to help shed excess fat.
The list of health issues faced by mature bunnies and their owners may seem overwhelming to the novice. However, some problems can be easily remedied at home, and avoided altogether by maintaining the proper diet, keeping a healthy environment, and taking care of your pet. Once you’ve established a bond with your rabbit, care and concern will be second nature to you.
It is not that easy to care and to keep rabbits at home because apart from providing them quality shelter, you need to ensure they are healthy always.
Their well-being and health are vital because they are sensitive and delicate pets. They are prone to illness and they have the tendency to hide their diseases and illnesses as well. As a responsible pet owner, it is your duty to monitor and to observe them regularly to ensure they are happy and healthy.
For Pipkin, it all started like a snuffles episode however new symptoms arose. Pipkin would be fine if he was sitting, but when he would periscope he started to wobble a little, as if there was a problem with his hind legs.
The veterinarian did not know exactly what was wrong with him because it could have been anything such as: e. cunniculi or a severe pastuerella infection; I was leaning toward an ear infection that arises in bunnies who have a history of snuffles. Our vet put Pipkin on medication and if the medication did not work we would try Baytril, and if nothing worked, our vet noted that we would have to consider euthanasia if his quality of life was severely affected – something I wanted to avoid because I had hope that Pipkin would recover.
As with any pet, it is important to provide rabbits with proper healthcare. That is why some rabbit owners choose to purchase rabbit health insurance.
Insuring rabbits may have sounded silly in the past, but with the rising costs of emergency care and basic checkups, covering animals seems less and less farfetched. House rabbit ownership itself is not necessarily taxing: owners provide food, shelter, entertainment and care for their bunnies. But what happens if a pet has reoccurring illness? What if he cuts himself badly or develops a painful ear infection? When a rabbit needs to make an unexpected trip to the veterinarian, the costs of care and medication can add up quickly.
