Recognizing pain in your rabbit


Pain

Knowing if your rabbit is in pain can help prevent illnesses or other medical problems from developing into severe or fatal conditions. Since rabbits are low on the food chain, it is an instinct with them to try to hide any condition that indicates weakness such as pain or illness. It is not as easy to tell when a rabbit is in pain as with a dog or cat that may cry or whimper when in pain. However, there are certain signs that a rabbit will display when in pain that will inform an attentive owner of pain or illness. See signs of pain below but keep in mind that some of these signs on their own may not always be a sign of pain but when coupled with other attitude changes may be indications of pain.

Signs of Pain

Apathetic Behavior  Apathetic Attitude or Behavior - An apathetic, listless, lethargic behavior can be a very good indication that your rabbit is in pain, Read More ....

Chewing  Excessive Chewing - You need to determine if your bunny is chewing for the sake of chewing, or chewing because of pain, Read More ....

Licking  Excessive Licking - Excessive licking on its own is not a definitive sign of pain, though it can be a definite outward indication that something is wrong with your bunny, Read More ....

Biting  Snapping or Biting - Snapping or biting on its own may not be a definitive sign of pain but may be used as a good indication that something is wrong with your bunny, Read More ....

Grunting  Grunting when approached - Grunting when approached is a rabbit’s way of letting you know that it does not want to be messed with, Read More ....

Uneven Gait  Uneven gait when walking - An uneven gait when walking or hopping is one of the most obvious signs of pain in rabbits because it is something they are unable to hide, Read More ....

Not Eating  Disinterest in Eating or Drinking - Disinterest in eating is an extremely important sign that something is wrong with your bunny. A rabbit in pain generally will not eat or drink, Read More ....

A bunny companion must take into consideration their rabbit's prior attitude and behavior when looking at signs of pain, as well as whether the rabbit is exhibiting more than one sign. For instance, some rabbits grunt everytime you enter their hutch. This is a form of defending the hutch and therefore, not a sign of pain. However, if your rabbit has never grunted at you before this would indicate something is not right. If your rabbit also exhibits an apathetic behavior when it is normally very outgoing, then this is probably an indication of pain.

If you think your rabbit is in pain, talk to a rabbit veterinarian right away. Make sure you give them all the details such as, "My bunny is grunting and biting at me and he never used to do that. He also spends alot of time staring at the back of his hutch now too." Even though these don't sound like important facts, a rabbit trained veterinarian will know that these are signs of pain and discomfort in your rabbit and should make an appointment right away.

In many cases, pain may cause a rabbit to stop eating which will bring on GI Stasis, another medical problem that could be fatal to rabbits. Diagnosing and treating the pain and it's cause is essential to your bunny’s health.