Last week I was very happy that Speedo pulled through. Speedo is the very first pet belonging to the seven-year-old son of clients of mine. Having made many requests to his parents to get a pet, the little boy was permitted Speedo only after living up to his promise to do very well at school.

Speedo is an eight-week-old Polish rabbit. All seemed fine when Speedo was happily taken home, but within a few hours it was obvious that something was not quite right.

Speedo spent his time huddled in a corner of his new cage looking miserable, with his ears hanging very limply to one side. Having worked so hard to get his rabbit, his young owner was very worried.

Having listened to my clients’ observations, I examined Speedo, finding his belly very swollen and the underside of his tail dirty with poo. Despite their fluffy tail, rabbits tend to keep themselves very clean. Signs of a dirty tail could mean diarrhoea. I took a sample of the poo and examined it under the microscope. It was not good news. The microscope showed up what would be impossible to see unaided. Speedo was full of coccidiosis.

Coccidiosis is a very common ailment in rabbits. It is a parasitic disease caused by the coccidian protozoa. The term protozoa indicates that the coccidian is a very small, single-cell organism of the animal kingdom.

Coccidia have the capacity to aggressively replicate inside the cell walls of the intestinal tract of many types of animals, which also classifies them as parasites. Due to an insufficiently developed immune system that provides natural protection against disease, it is usually the young of the species which is most at risk from contracting coccidiosis.

Rabbits and poultry are notorious for suffering from coccidiosis, but puppies, kittens, calves, lambs and even piglets are at risk. Each of these species would suffer from its own variant or variants of coccidia, which means that the coccidia in rabbits cannot affect, say, puppies, and vice versa.

After dogs, cats, birds and fish, rabbits rank as the fifth most popular pet. As pets go, there are several breeds of rabbits to choose from. Yet it is usually the miniature types that are kept as pet rabbits. These include the Polish Rabbit, like Speedo, the Lion Head and the Netherland Dwarf, among others.

The life span of pet rabbits is typically eight to 12 years, and I remember one client who cared for an injured Fenek tax-Xiber for almost 10 years. The Fenek tax-Xiber is the wild Maltese rabbit.

The life span of pet rabbits is typically eight to 12 years

Rabbits make excellent pets. They are intelligent creatures with a good learning capacity. I have often witnessed a strong bond between pet rabbits and their owners. But besides having all the benefits of an animal companion, rabbits can also serve as an excellent medium to educate children about the importance of animal ownership and care. One other reason why they make such good pets is that they are easy to maintain. But there are a few simple rules one needs to keep in mind to keep rabbits healthy.

The feed you give your rabbit is the first consideration. It is vital that you feed your pet a proprietary rabbit food in pellet form. This means it has to be food that has been specifically manufactured and tested as suitable for rabbits. As digestion in the rabbit occurs primarily by fermentation, it is important to avoid any sudden changes in diet. Once your rabbit has settled with a particular brand, make sure that you always have a constant supply of the same brand.

The cage should provide sufficient space to live comfortably, with an area to litter and an area within which to live. Soft wood shaving is the classical bedding, but alternatives are also available. You should regularly clean the cage and check that there are no signs of irritation on the underside of the rabbit’s hind legs, as this may come from the type of bedding you are using. The cage should also include a drinker, which provides a supply of clean water.

The location of the cage is another important consideration. Small rabbits have a relatively large skin surface area and you would need to avoid draughty or cold areas. Many pet owners allow their rabbit the luxury of an open cage for a few hours of the day so they can roam about or sun themselves. You will find that rabbits do learn to return to their own space and to consistently use their own litter area.

One recommendation I frequently make is that it would make life simpler if they kept single pet rabbits, as this would avoidproblems of dominance or mating. If you do not want to have more than one rabbit, one cage per rabbit would be the solution. I would recommend this even if you opt to neuter the rabbits.

Even though pet rabbits may live isolated from other rabbits, there are two virulent diseases against which it is important that you vaccinate. These are viral haemorrhagic disease, or VHD, as it is commonly known, and myxomatosis. Rabbits, of course, can also suffer from normal medical ailments such as eye infections, respiratory problems, worms and skin infections. If you notice anything abnormal, you should always speak to your veterinarian in no time.

Speedo was administered the appropriate medication for coccidiosis plus some supportive medication due to his poor condition. Thankfully, he is now doing well and his young owner can look forward to enjoying the pet for which he has worked so hard.

thisweekwiththevet@gmail.com

Dr Martin Debattista is a veterinary surgeon.

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