Rabbit peeing and drinking

Question
I have had my rabbit Lux for a year and a half.  During that time I have had no problems with her.  She has always been really energetic and healthy.  I may sound like a worrier, but recently she has been drinking a whole bottle of water everyday and she can't stop peeing.  I have had to change her litter pan twice this week.  Is this normal? Should I take her to the vet?

Answer
Dear Adam,

Normal intake of water for a typical mammal is about 90-100ml per kilogram of body weight per day.  If your bunny is drinking and urinating excessively, she will drink significantly more than that.  Rabbits also may increase their water intake if the weather is warm.  But if she's just drinking and peeing almost uncontrollably, then something is up.

You're not a worrier.  This is definitely not normal, and you should get her to a good rabbit vet ASAP for bloodwork to check her kidney function:

www.rabbit.org/vets

A rabbit this young would be an unusual/rare candidate for renal disease, but these symptoms are exactly what you'd expect to see in a rabbit whose kidneys are not working properly.  Renal insult can be caused by exposure to toxins, and in some cases this can be halted and even reversed with the proper supportive care (subQ fluids, etc.).  Alternatively, this could be a chronic condition due to genetics or other problem, and might not be reversible.  The vet will be the best to judge what her prognosis is, and what treatments are appropriate.

I hope this helps.

Dana