How to Health Check Your Rabbit at Home: A Step-by-Step Guide

How to Health Check Your Rabbit at Home: A Step-by-Step Guide

Rabbits are very good at hiding signs of illness, so small changes can be easy to miss. Gentle, regular health checks at home help you recognise what is normal for your rabbit and spot problems early.

Choose a calm time when your rabbit is relaxed. If they become stressed, pause and continue later.

Step-by-step rabbit health check

Eating and toileting habits

Your rabbit’s appetite and droppings are one of the most important health indicators.

Look for:

• Changes in appetite

• Fewer or smaller droppings

• Soft or misshapen faeces

• Changes in urination

Rabbits produce both dry pellets and soft caecotrophs (which they normally eat directly). Seeing uneaten caecotrophs, or a messy rear end, can indicate dental pain or illness. Fewer droppings can signal gut slowdown and requires prompt veterinary advice.

Eyes and nose

Rabbits’ large eyes are prone to problems, so start by checking they are bright, clean, and symmetrical.

Watch for:

• Redness or squinting

• Discharge or mucus

• Foreign material (such as hay)

• Swelling or a bump under the eye

Eye swelling or discharge can be linked to dental disease or infection and should be assessed by a vet.

Teeth

Rabbit teeth grow continuously and rely on a high-fibre diet (especially hay) to wear down naturally.

Check weekly for:

• Even, aligned incisors

• Overgrowth or malocclusion

• Drooling or damp chin

Dental disease may also show as weight loss, runny eyes, facial lumps, or a dirty hindquarters due to reduced grooming. Your rabbit’s teeth should be examined by a vet at least annually.

Coat, skin, and ears

Run your hands through the coat to the skin.

Look for:

• Dandruff or scurf

• Parasites or fleas

• Scabs, bald patches, or lumps

Check ears weekly for debris, discharge, odour, or scratching. Head tilt, irritation, or thick brown material in the ear canal may indicate mites or infection.

Nails and mobility

Rabbit nails should sit level with, or just beyond, the fur on the foot. Overgrown nails can curl or tear and should be trimmed carefully to avoid the quick.

Also observe natural movement for stiffness or reluctance to hop, which may indicate pain.

Rear end hygiene

Check the skin around your rabbit’s tail and anus.

Look for:

• Urine staining

• Stuck faeces

• Damp or irritated skin

Check weekly in cold weather and twice daily in warm, dry weather, when rabbits are more vulnerable to soiling and flystrike.

Veterinary health checks

Home checks support, but do not replace, veterinary care. Your rabbit should have an annual veterinary examination, dental assessment, and vaccinations.

If you notice any change from your rabbit’s normal, seek veterinary advice promptly.