The Best There Is

We are proud to be the go-to rabbit veterinarian for Southern California rabbit owners. Our team has decades of experience providing exceptional care to rabbits, and we are passionate about helping these incredible creatures live happy, healthy, and long lives by your side. Because love knows no size.

The Best There Is

They make us laugh. They make us love. They fill our lives with happiness and companionship. We understand rabbit lovers here. And we believe that your pet deserves the best care there is. Because to us, they are family.

General Care

Rabbits are known as a “pocket pet” - any small mammal kept in a house like hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs, fancy mice, and fancy rats. On average a rabbit will live 7 to 10 years, up to 15 years. During this time you might see some cute behaviors, but also some strange behaviors that you weren’t expecting. It’s important to prepare yourself to understand what is considered “normal” behavior and when you should be concerned. Below is a list of some of the common attributes you can expect to see from your rabbit:

Twitching Nose: A rabbit is biologically and genetically programmed to be aware of their environment and any predators. Therefore, even while they are sleeping, you might see nose movement.
Large Moveable Ears: A rabbit’s ears have a large surface area to collect the sound waves and detect potential danger. It also acts as a heat sink, where in warmer climates, they can release heat quickly.
Large Protruding Eyes: A rabbit’s eyes allow for almost 360-degree vision around its head and when combined with smelling and hearing, they can pinpoint things in their environment accurately.
Digging: Long ago rabbits lived in burrows where they could hide, sleep and reproduce. Now males use it as a way to place small deposits of feces to mark their territory.
Jumping: Rabbits are not meant to leap or jump as a normal part of daily life, but when it’s essential it can tap into this power to escape from predators. Do your best to not force your rabbit to jump down from tables or surfaces that are more than a few inches off the ground
Vocalization: Most rabbits do not like to be very loud to avoid predators, but you might hear purring, soft clicking sounds, or slow quiet grinding of the teeth. Aggressive noises could be grunts, growls and loud teeth grinding. Rabbits can also scream if they feel they are in danger or afraid.
Scent Marking: Marking territory and communication with other rabbits is a perk to a rabbit’s feces. Both males and females have a scent gland, which they secrete to clearly mark their territory.
Urine: Rabbits have two methods of urination. One is to drain the bladder in a normal position and the other is to lift the hindquarters and spray urine on a vertical surface. Often, animals neutered before or shortly after sexual maturity will not spray urine.
Body Language: Rabbits will often lie on their side or belly with its back legs outstretched or squat on the ground with ears folded against its head. Submissive rabbits make themselves look as small as possible and stay very still, with the eyes somewhat relaxed and not tense. When a rabbit is afraid, it will look similar to a submissive rabbit, but with tense and “bugged out” eyes and the body/ears pressed downward to avoid detection from predators.

Are you're concerned your rabbit isn't feeling well? Do you want to take the proper actions to take the very best care of your pet? Or do you want to be prepared and know what to expect in the event that something does come up in the future?

In addition, you might want to know what are the most common symptoms to be on the lookout for with your pet. Below are common signs and symptoms that your pet may exhibit and should immediately call your attention if you ever see them.

Common Signs of Illness

Abnormal or overly aggressive behavior (growling or biting)
Excessive teeth grinding
Chronic sneezing
Very hot or cold ears
Head tilt or loss of balance
Feet wounds, especially on the bottom
Drool or a wet chin (typically tooth problems)
Discharge from the eyes or nose
Breathing difficulties (struggling to breathe, heavy breathing or breathing faster than normal)
Not wanting to eat food or drink water
Dropping food from its mouth while trying to eat and chew properly
Lack of physical activity (especially if previously more active)
Feces or material buildup around the hindquarters
Changes in your rabbit’s poop (diarrhea, smaller stool size)
Changes in your rabbit’s urine (Color change, cloudiness, or bloody urine)
Excessive laziness, lack of energy, or depression
Losing a lot of weight without an apparent reason
Eating slowly or slower than usual
Lumps or unusual bumps
Crying or grunting while being handled or moving
Fur coat or skin that looks patchy, scaly, itchy, flaky, ragged, or irregular
Paralysis
Strange leaning or sitting position (usually to avoid pain or discomfort in a certain part of the body)
Not producing as many droppings as usual or no droppings at all
Eyes that look dim and dull, instead of bright and vital

To keep your rabbit healthy, happy and living for as long as possible, our best recommendation is to monitor your pet carefully, every day to be able to spot challenges as soon as they come up. In addition to your dedication and vigilance to keep your pet well taken care of, once or twice yearly exams with one of the trusted veterinarians at Northwood Animal Hospital are crucial to maximizing the life of your pet.

A healthy diet is an important part of a healthy life. When taking care of rabbits, a healthy rabbit is more on the slim side. You want to be able to feel the ribs right beneath the skin. Excess fat or a thick layer on a rabbit could be a sign of obesity. If a rabbit is at a proper weight, there shouldn’t be any skin folds covering or obstructing the digestive tract or urinary openings. The dewlap (skin flap that hangs beneath the jaw or neck) on a female should not intervene with eating, hygiene or grooming. If you are concerned about your rabbit’s health and weight schedule an appointment today.

To learn everything you need to know about rabbit feeding, click here.

Just like with dogs and cats, spaying and neutering your bunny is a critical procedure we recommend to all pet owners to make sure they are as healthy, happy, and live as long as possible. For female rabbits over 2 years old, uterine adenocarcinoma is a malignant cancer found in rabbits with their reproductive organs (ovaries and uterus) still intact. The best prevention is to perform a procedure called a spay, which is available to female rabbits over 4 months old and can also prevent pregnancy and aggressive behavior.

For male rabbits, the reproductive organs (testicles) can develop diseases as well, but much less frequently than females. Male rabbits between 8-18 months old can develop aggressive tendencies and spray their urine outside of the litterbox to mark their territory. By removing the testicles, a procedure called castration, these behaviors can be controlled if the procedure is done before the aggressive behavior starts to occur or shortly after. Males can be neutered anytime after 4 months of age. Speak to your veterinarian to find out how neutering your rabbit would benefit your pet.

Dental disease is one of the most common problems for veterinarians. Rabbit teeth grow and are worn down at a rate of 3mm per week. When a rabbit has dental disease, it can start in either the cheek teeth (molars on the sides) or incisors (front teeth), but eventually, it will ultimately involve both sets of teeth. Just because only one or a few teeth are noticeably affected, doesn’t mean you should wait to get your rabbit's teeth checked out. Improper diet can lead to disease, but it might not be obvious or apparent for many years. Rabbits are usually 3 or more years old before they experience any challenges. Dental issues may be very subtle at first, but if something isn’t done quickly, the impact of heavy dental disease can show up.

At Northwood Animal Hospital we perform a dental surgery called a molar (or incisor) trim for rabbits whose teeth have grown too long. If your rabbit's teeth are sticking out between his or her lips, it's definitely time for an incisor trim. In addition to the front incisor teeth, the side molars in the back of a rabbit's mouth can also grow too long. If this happens, some of the common symptoms are excessive drooling, difficulty chewing and swallowing. If your rabbit's teeth are overgrown or if you're experiencing any challenges, rest assured that our veterinarians have been seeing rabbits for 30+ years and we will take excellent care of your pet on its road to being healthy and living a long and happy life. Call us today or schedule an appointment to get started.

For more information on rabbit dental care, please click here.

Just like with dogs and cats (and even humans) parasites can get picked up by your furry bun-bun friend. Make sure to educate yourself on the various parasites to look out for or ask your veterinarian how to protect your pet from these. Our recommendations include keeping your rabbit indoors and cleaning its habitat daily, provide fresh high-quality grass hay, throw away food or water that is contaminated by feces, examine your rabbit with a flea comb to check for parasites and schedule routine veterinary checkups. Below are some parasites to look out for.

Worms: Pinworms are the most common, but your rabbit may also get whipworms, stomach worms or roundworms. Symptoms are typically weight loss or difficulty gaining weight.
Encephalitozoon Cuniculi (E. Cuniculi): This tiny parasite can live inside a rabbit’s body. Typically, the spores will be released into the body causing inflammation and affecting the organs, often the brain, spinal cord, and kidney. Treatment usually involves giving an oral dewormer, and reducing inflammation with anti-inflammatory drugs. To verify if a rabbit has E. cuniculi, a veterinarian can perform a blood test.
Fleas: These bugs will suck blood from rabbits which can cause itching, skin irritation and hair loss. Talk to your veterinarian if you suspect your pet has fleas.
Ticks: Ticks are much less common in rabbits, but they can transmit dangerous diseases. If you see a tick, use tweezers or a tick removal tool to remove it by firmly grasping the head (as close as possible to the rabbit’s skin) and pull it straight out. To kill the tick, place it in rubbing alcohol.
Mites: There may be fur and ear mites in rabbits with scabs near the ears and face, a thinning coat or scaly dandruff. Mites are treated by veterinarians with an anti-parasite medication and topical ear ointments to deal with secondary infections.
Coccidia: Common symptoms are diarrhea, weight loss, lack of appetite or dehydration. This parasite may affect the liver or the intestines. In young rabbits, it’s critical to treat this quickly to avoid fatalities
Flystrike: As strange as it might sound, flies, and more particularly, maggots, pose a serious threat to rabbits. (more often outdoor rabbits) If a rabbit is unable to clean itself and has excess feces or urine on its body, flies may land there and lay their eggs. Once the larvae hatch, they consume the external feces and urine and next will even go to healthy skin to continue feeding. If the larvae get to the flesh, they can produce toxins that cause shock. If you notice your rabbit having seizures or itchy skin, indifference or laziness (caused by shock), make sure to get to a veterinarian as soon as possible.

The Best There Is

The Best There Is

General Care

Illness Care

Feeding

Spay & Neuter

Dental Care

Parasite Prevention

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