my four & a half year old lion head rabbit

Question
About 5 weeks ago i noticed a discoloration in his urine it looked like blood i took him to the vet whom advised he could have urinary or kidney stones they said could i get a sample well the next day i noticed he had stopped eating phoned the vet they said bring him in well he had a ultra sound, X-rays blood tests the only thing they could find was a slight abnormality to the liver enzyme from the blood test they said they were not worried about this,as he had not passed any urine during the day they kept him in overnight later the following day they put him on a drip so this would help him to go when they done a dip test they were happy there was no blood present so i collected him with an astronomical bill but no conclusion reached the next day i phoned the vet to say he was very lethargic they prescribed pain killer, he is now eating and drinking normally but the problem is still there every time he urinates it is either bright red or dark red please advise i am at my wits end

Answer
Dear Julie,

Rabbit urine can range in color from yellow to orange, red, dark red, or brown, depending on (1) what the rabbit has been eating, (2) the rabbit's emotional state, (3) the rabbit's state of hydration, (4) other mysterious factors not well understood.  Unless it can be confirmed that the red color is actually *blood* I would not consider red urine to be a problem.

But obviously your bunny has a problem, and it may or may not be related to the urine color.

The first step is to find a truly experienced rabbit vet:

www.rabbit.org/vets

Please read:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/urinary.html

to be prepared with questions.

Are you absolutely sure your bunny is male?  Copious blood with the urine can signify a serious uterine problem in an unspayed female, so this is something to consider if you are not 100% sure your rabbit is male.

The intermittent inappetence and lethargy are a concern. Please read:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/sickbun.html

and if he stops eating/pooping, please see:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/ileus.html

Elevated liver enzymes can mean many different things, including infection.  But more information would be needed to confirm this.  I'd also suggest a real urinalysis, including testing for blood, measuring specific gravity, and also bloodwork to check his state of hydration in conjunction with his urine specific gravity (to see if the dark color of his urine is due to dehydration).

Lionhead rabbits are NOTORIOUS for dental problems.  Often, intermittent misery like this is a sign of molar spurs, and sometimes a bunny with painful spurs will not drink enough and become dehydrated. Please see:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/dental.html

I'd be sure the new vet also gave your bunny a very thorough deep oral exam to check for any molar problems.

I hope this helps get you and your bunny on the right track.

Dana