Like cats and dogs, taking care of a rabbit will require visiting your veterinarian for routine checkups about once a year. Regular exams and checkups will benefit both you and your rabbit by identifying and catching early signs of illnesses and health problems. Baby and adult rabbits cannot tell you what is wrong with them, so early detection during an exam can often save your pet from unnecessary suffering, as well as save you money with early treatment.

During a checkup, we will examine the following:

• Heart – to detect murmurs and ensure your rabbit has a healthy heart.
• Lungs – to listen for any unusual sounds
• Abdomen – to feel for any signs of pain, or abnormal size and shape of various organs
• Eyes – to detect early signs of eye problems, including cataracts in older rabbits
• Ears – to check for infections or parasites
• Teeth – to look for injuries and assess for proper oral health.
• Weight – to track possible obesity or unexplained weight loss
• Skin and coat – to look for mites and external parasites, or fungal and bacterial infections
• Musculoskeletal system – for any signs of injury or illness
• Temperature – rectal temperature is advised. A healthy rabbit’s temperature should be between 38-40 degrees Celsius.