Cleaning your Rabbit Fur to Prevent Hairballs
The most common incident for the cause of a rabbit's death is due to hairballs. This occurs when your pet had ingested a large amount of furs into its digestive system. Cat's do also have the same condition but the difference is that, cat's have the capability to vomit their ingested hairballs while rabbits cannot.
All furs being ingested by your rabbit will be accumulated into its 'gastrointestinal track' (GIT). The worst part is when your rabbit is suffering from an impaired digestive system in which you are feeding improper foods to your pet. This will cause blockage of waste-elimination which definitely leads to your pet's death.
Anyway, don't get too worried enough about your pet since hairballs is preventable. Below are the three methods that you need to know for the prevention of hairballs:
Brush your Rabbit's Fur Regularly
The most effective method to prevent hairballs is to brush your pet regularly. It is suggested that you are to use a soft brush to comb it gently. If there's presence of flea then you can run a flea-comb into your pet's fur for every few days.
Depending on the type of rabbit-breed that you have, long-haired bunnies will require a special type of brush to comb their hairs. Please visit your pet-shop and ask for these proper tools that you need to have. As a warning, using brushes or combs with wire teeth or bristles can scratch/damage your pet's skin. You have to know that a rabbit do have a very tender type of skin.
Foods Rich in Fivers
To help your bunny from drawing-out its waste product, you need to feed your pet foods that are rich in fivers. To tell you something about fivers, these are food components that keeps feces moist or soft which allows easy withdrawal of waste product.
Again, visit your pet shop and buy some food supplements such are the chewable papaya tablets. Another good method is to feed your rabbit with the woody-center of a pineapple fruit. Based on experience, feeding your pet with the woody-center of a pineapple fruit is best effective as compared to any other methods.
Cleaning Itself Alone
Just like cats, bunnies also clean themselves by licking their paws repeatedly then applying their paws all around their body. If you notice that your pet is doing this kind of action, it is highly advised that you are to leave your bunny for awhile.
Trimming your Pet's Fur
It is strongly suggested that you are to trim your pet's fur especially those type of breeds that can grow their hair long. Make sure not to cut the hair at the very bottom that will expose your pet's skin. Keep it down for at least one inch or longer.
Now that we have discussed hairball prevention, let's discuss some signs of trouble when your bunny is already suffering a gastrointestinal track disease. This is very important for you to know because treatment at the early stage is the most effective method to prevent serious health problems.
Stools are Strung Together
Observe your pet's stool carefully. If they are strung or connected then this is the first sign that a problem exists. This can be prevented by following the methods already mentioned above.
Diet
If your bunny suddenly stops eating the same amount of food that you are regularly feeding it then this is another sign that you need to take a closer observation. If its a gastrointestinal track disease then you should start providing a type of food rich in fiber.
All furs being ingested by your rabbit will be accumulated into its 'gastrointestinal track' (GIT). The worst part is when your rabbit is suffering from an impaired digestive system in which you are feeding improper foods to your pet. This will cause blockage of waste-elimination which definitely leads to your pet's death.
Anyway, don't get too worried enough about your pet since hairballs is preventable. Below are the three methods that you need to know for the prevention of hairballs:
Brush your Rabbit's Fur Regularly
The most effective method to prevent hairballs is to brush your pet regularly. It is suggested that you are to use a soft brush to comb it gently. If there's presence of flea then you can run a flea-comb into your pet's fur for every few days.
Depending on the type of rabbit-breed that you have, long-haired bunnies will require a special type of brush to comb their hairs. Please visit your pet-shop and ask for these proper tools that you need to have. As a warning, using brushes or combs with wire teeth or bristles can scratch/damage your pet's skin. You have to know that a rabbit do have a very tender type of skin.
Foods Rich in Fivers
To help your bunny from drawing-out its waste product, you need to feed your pet foods that are rich in fivers. To tell you something about fivers, these are food components that keeps feces moist or soft which allows easy withdrawal of waste product.
Again, visit your pet shop and buy some food supplements such are the chewable papaya tablets. Another good method is to feed your rabbit with the woody-center of a pineapple fruit. Based on experience, feeding your pet with the woody-center of a pineapple fruit is best effective as compared to any other methods.
Cleaning Itself Alone
Just like cats, bunnies also clean themselves by licking their paws repeatedly then applying their paws all around their body. If you notice that your pet is doing this kind of action, it is highly advised that you are to leave your bunny for awhile.
Trimming your Pet's Fur
It is strongly suggested that you are to trim your pet's fur especially those type of breeds that can grow their hair long. Make sure not to cut the hair at the very bottom that will expose your pet's skin. Keep it down for at least one inch or longer.
Now that we have discussed hairball prevention, let's discuss some signs of trouble when your bunny is already suffering a gastrointestinal track disease. This is very important for you to know because treatment at the early stage is the most effective method to prevent serious health problems.
Stools are Strung Together
Observe your pet's stool carefully. If they are strung or connected then this is the first sign that a problem exists. This can be prevented by following the methods already mentioned above.
Diet
If your bunny suddenly stops eating the same amount of food that you are regularly feeding it then this is another sign that you need to take a closer observation. If its a gastrointestinal track disease then you should start providing a type of food rich in fiber.
Offering plenty of leafy greens and hays will most likely work. At the moment, you have to stop proving food-pellets as your rabbit will simply ignore eating them.
Craving for Wooden Surfaces
Your rabbit might refuse regular type of food in-take that it ends up chewing wooden surfaces, plastics, papers and other materials. This means that your pet is suffering from a gastrointestinal track disease wherein your bunny is craving for a source of fiber. As already mentioned above, the wooden-center of a pineapple fruit and leafy greens are best suggested for a whole new change of diet.
Decrease in Size and Amount of Stools
Noticing a decrease in size and amount of stools already posses a serious health problem for your pet. This indicates a very high possibility of gastrointestinal blockage.
Your rabbit might refuse regular type of food in-take that it ends up chewing wooden surfaces, plastics, papers and other materials. This means that your pet is suffering from a gastrointestinal track disease wherein your bunny is craving for a source of fiber. As already mentioned above, the wooden-center of a pineapple fruit and leafy greens are best suggested for a whole new change of diet.
Decrease in Size and Amount of Stools
Noticing a decrease in size and amount of stools already posses a serious health problem for your pet. This indicates a very high possibility of gastrointestinal blockage.
Thus, you have to follow the method already mentioned several times wherein you have to feed your pet with large amount of greens and hays. If the symptoms still persists in the following two to three days then you will require some help from a professional veterinarian.
Sudden Change of Behavior
If your rabbit suddenly prefers to stay at the corner and doesn't want to be exposed from any outside activities then this is another serious alarming sign. You may need to seek a help from a Veterinarian to sort out this health issue.
Weight Loss
When your bunny is suffering from a gastrointestinal track disease, it will most likely affect its entire physical appearance. Your pet will lose its weight and it will become thin due to the reason that it no longer wants to eat.
Dry Hair and Cracking Foot Pads
The last stage of a gastrointestinal track disease that can be observed is when your pet's fur appears to be dry and lifeless. If you are also to check your rabbit's foot pads, it'll be dry which also shows some signs of cracking and splitting. This can also be observe on your pet's nose and lips.
Gastrointestinal track disease due to hairballs is not really a serious threat to your pet provided that you know the preventable methods already covered on this post. Early prevention is actually the best method to avoid this common type of disease. Thus, clean your pet regularly and offer types of food with high contents of fibers.
Sudden Change of Behavior
If your rabbit suddenly prefers to stay at the corner and doesn't want to be exposed from any outside activities then this is another serious alarming sign. You may need to seek a help from a Veterinarian to sort out this health issue.
Weight Loss
When your bunny is suffering from a gastrointestinal track disease, it will most likely affect its entire physical appearance. Your pet will lose its weight and it will become thin due to the reason that it no longer wants to eat.
Dry Hair and Cracking Foot Pads
The last stage of a gastrointestinal track disease that can be observed is when your pet's fur appears to be dry and lifeless. If you are also to check your rabbit's foot pads, it'll be dry which also shows some signs of cracking and splitting. This can also be observe on your pet's nose and lips.
Gastrointestinal track disease due to hairballs is not really a serious threat to your pet provided that you know the preventable methods already covered on this post. Early prevention is actually the best method to avoid this common type of disease. Thus, clean your pet regularly and offer types of food with high contents of fibers.
2 comments:
Hairballs are dangerous. Thanks for letting us know. I will now regularly comb my pet from now on.
Its actually the most common cause of their death. Make sure that you have to place a cover on your nose as well when you are to comb your pet's fur. You can use a handkerchief to cover your nose. Simply wrap it around behind your head then tie the ends.
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