Home Remedies for Common Rabbit Sicknesses

I will list some common sicknesses and other things (like parasites) that can cause sickness and give you the cure for them. There are some that are very serious and will require a veterinarian's care, but a lot of little bugs can be cured without much hassle.

 

The best way to cure a disease or other sickness is to avoid diseases. The best way to do this is to keep your cage(s) clean and to know your rabbits well. For example, if you clean out the poop and pee under your rabbit's cage or in its litter box you will avoid not only the smell but Hutch Stain, Coccidiosis, Mucoid Enteritis, Flies, and many other things. Knowing your rabbit well can save its life, for if your rabbit is sick, it can't use words, but its body language can tell you everything. 

 

Sicknesses and Cures

Sore Hocks- Sore hocks are very common and not actually a sickness, but it can cause a sickness if left to fester. Sore Hocks is when the bottom of your rabbit's feet get raw from standing on uneven wire or even standing on wood. Rabbit's feet are meant to hop on grass and wire and wood don't cut it. This doesn't mean you need to have your rabbits outside all the time. If you can, give your rabbit a nest box (wooden or cardboard it doesn't matter although the rabbit will probably eat the cardboard within a day or an hour) with wood shavings in it. This will give the rabbit some respite from the wire and most rabbits love these anyway. I rub Bag Balm on the sore part of the hocks, this is a cheap option. Make sure that there is no poop or pee in the cage or nest box as this can upset the sores and cause infection. If the rabbit's sores become infected, bathe its feet in an anti-bacterial soap/water solution. I would do this every day if possible. If this doesn't work, take your bunny to the vet, they know best.

Ear Mites- Ear mites are microscopic parasites similar to fur mites. The key sign that your rabbit has Ear mites is that the inside of their ears will have black wax in them. Your rabbit may or may not be irritated by the mites, depending on the seriousness of the infestation. This is an easy fix unless it's really bad. You take less than a 1/4th teaspoon of Vegetable oil and pour it down their inner ear. The rabbit will not like this but it works. Use only Vegetable Oil, not any other oil because any other oil could kill the rabbit. The oil trick works because it drowns the mites and doesn't cause any harm to the rabbit. Another cure would be to use Ivermectin a horse medication. You can get this as an oral medication or a shot. I use the oral because it's a lot easier to give to the rabbit. 

Fur Mites- Fur mites are very similar to ear mites except they infest the fur rather than the inner ears. You would see or feel scabs on the rabbit in between their shoulder blades and right behind the ears. You might see hair loss in the same areas or in other places on the rabbit. The cure is KITTEN flea powder or 'Revolution'. You MUST use kitten not adult cat or dog flea powder or Frontline or Revolution because it could literally kill your rabbit. I use Ivermectin because it is cheap ($2-10 dollars depending on where you get it and how much you get) and easy to find. I know TSC carries it. The dose is very small, just the tip of a craft stick or spoon should be covered if you are giving it orally. I don't know what the dosage is for the injectable kind, but the oral works great if you can get your rabbit to eat it. You shouldn't give the ivermectin with food because of the meds in it. 

 

These are the really common ones, but here is a link with a few more. https://morningchores.com/rabbit-diseases/  

I will update as I come across more ailments. My best advice is to keep the cage clean and watch your rabbit like a hawk. If you see anything strange do some research, email me or any other rabbit owner to ask for advise, then if you still don't know call a vet. Vets are very nice but can be expensive. Sometimes though, the Vet will know what is best for the rabbit and will be able to help your rabbit in the least painless way possible.