Netherland Dwarf Bunny

Question
Hi I have had a netherland dwarf rabbit since approximately April of 2007. Bambi was 8 weeks old when I got her. Everything has been going great and she has been eating well and had no problems until I got home from work today. I am gone all day, but she was fine when I left this morning around 8 A.M.(MST). I came home about 5 and she appeared to be sleeping but I took her out of her cage to clean it and she about fell over. I tried to feed her some pellets but she would not eat. I then tried to feed her a piece of hay and she tried to eat it but fell over on her side. She looks very skinny now and did not this morning. The last few days her eyes have been kind of goopy (not sure if that has to do with anything else though). She just looks very sick and has no motivation to move and I don't think that she can. Can you help me?? I don't know if I should take her to a vet. Thank you

Answer
Hi Kelli,

I would consider this a medical emergency and I would get to a rabbit savvy vet as soon as possible.  There are many things that can cause these symptoms.  Has her bladder and bowels been moving normally?  If not, I would be thinking a gut issue..maybe stasis.  If her gut and bladder have been moving normally, then I suspect the goopy eye is possibly an indication of a bacterial infection.  Rabbits are prone to upper respiratory infections....in the old days it was known as "snuffles".  It is actually caused by a bacteria known as pasteurella multocida.  NDs are also quite prone to dental issues due to the flat shape of their face.  Rabbit's teeth grow constantly and if they don't contact each other properly, a condition called malocclusion, the teeth can overgrow and cause problems such as refusing to eat, lathargy, drooling, sneezing or discharges from the eyes and/or nose.  The front teeth, the incisors, are easy to see.  The molars are not.  Sometimes if the molars over grow, the teeth from the botton jaw can perforate what we call our sinus cavity (rabbits don't have a sinus...but just to give a reference we all understand).  I would try to find an emergency clinic that has a rabbit savvy vet.  Not just any doctor can properly respond to a situation such as this.  I would expect the doctor to examine the discharge from the eyes...performing a culture if necessary and also to take a close look at the teeth and jaw....by x-rays or MRI if necessary.  Since your bun is already showing some signs of stress.....I would consider the falling over an emergency and get her treated as soon as possible.

Randy