rabbit meds

Question
my rabbit is about8 yrs old. she recently started showing signs of arthritis and it has been progressing to the point where she doen't want to move. she eats just fine as long as she's having a good day,but if she's in pain- she doesn't care if she doen't eat or drink,so long as she doesn't have to move. i didn't know what to give her for the pain,so i was just giving her a baby aprin in the morning- when i first noticed she was having pain. when it got worse i started giving her two in the morning.  i'm afraid of over-medicating her,but i need another alternative. please help.
thankyou so much.  tara

Answer
Dear Tara,

Please don't self-medicate your rabbit!  Many medications that are safe for humans, dogs, or cats can be dangerous or deadly to rabbits!  Aspirin is an NSAID that can cause serious intestinal ulceration.  There are much better alternatives for your rabbit.

Please go here to find a good rabbit vet:

www.rabbit.org/vets

and ask about getting some Rimadyl (carprofen) or Metacam (meloxicam), safer alternatives to aspirin for rabbits.  The bunny should also have a full wellness check to be sure that it's truly arthritis, and not some other problem, that's causing her pain and immobility.  There are many possibilities (urinary tract problems, E. cuniculi parasite, etc.), and you will miss them, and perhaps a chance to successfully cure them, if you self-medicate without knowing what's really going on.

I hope this helps.  Please write back if you have any other questions.

Dana