How much do you know about the Easter Bunny?

Posted on by


Rabbits can make lovely pets, but you do need to provide special care for them and they are a big commitment. Whether you already have a rabbit or are thinking about making an addition to your family, here is some important information about keeping them happy and healthy.

Rabbits are highly sociable animals and require a lot of interaction. Rabbits should live in at least a pair or can live in a group but they can also be very sociable with humans. Like pet cats and dogs, rabbits can be microchipped, should be vaccinated and be groomed daily, however their dietary needs are very different as rabbits are herbivores. Rabbits need a lot of space to run, hop, play and binky!

DIETS
Rabbits’ diets are very important as if it is not correct then they can be prone to problems such as dental disease, gut stasis and obesity. 85% of their diet should be fresh hay and your rabbit should eat a pile of hay the same size as itself every day! Hay is important as it has plenty of fibre to help wear down their teeth. Rabbit teeth grown continuously throughout their life and if they get too long, they can grow sharp and become painful. Never feed lawn clippings as these contain a lot of sugar and can quickly ferment upsetting their guts. 10% of their diet should be fresh leafy greens herbs and vegetables. Sweet vegetables like carrots and peppers should be saved for the occasional treats, as should fruit as they are high in sugar. The remaining 5% of their diet can be rabbit nuggets, but no more than an egg cup full should be fed per day. Too many of these can easily lead to obesity. Some commercial diets labelled as ‘muesli’ can look more appealing as there is more variety, but this can lead to selective feeding – they will just pick out the bits they like and leave the rest!

HOUSING
Hutches should never be used as the main enclosure for a rabbit as they do not provide enough space. As a minimum, a pair of average sized rabbits would need a space measuring 2m x 3m all on one level with a height of 1m. Having a 3m length of space is important for them to be able to run. Other components of a good enclosure include different levels and platforms, places to dig, hide, cosy areas to sleep – a hutch could make a good hiding or sleeping place.

GROOMING AND HANDLING
Rabbits should be groomed and handled every day. This helps to remove excess fur as if they groom themselves and swallow lots, they can get problems with their gut. Rabbits cannot vomit hairballs like cats can! Rabbit skin is very delicate and thin so being gentle is important. When grooming your rabbit, you should check they are clean and dry with no new wounds especially on the bottoms of their feet or around their bottoms. This is especially important to prevent fly strike.

FLY STRIKE
Fly strike occurs when flies lay eggs on your rabbits’ fur or skin, and these eggs hatch into maggots. Flies are particularly attracted to dirty fur or wounds. This can happen at any time of year but most commonly in the summer. This is another reason why you should check your rabbits daily, and multiple times daily in the summer. If you see any maggots then this is an emergency and you will need to seek veterinary attention immediately. You can reduce the risk of fly strike by keeping your rabbit clean and dry. You can help them by regularly cleaning their enclosure and removing any dirty litter, keeping rabbits a healthy weight so
they can keep themselves clean and go to the toilet without dirtying themselves. Elderly rabbits with arthritis may also struggle to wash themselves so speak with your vet if you have concerns about this.

VACCINATIONS
Like cats and dogs, rabbits’ vaccinations are also important. In the UK we vaccinate rabbits against Myxomatosis and Rabbit Viral Haemorrhagic Disease (RVHD) Both of these diseases are fatal, so it is very important to protect them against them.

NEUTERING
As rabbits should live in groups it is also important to ensure they are neutered to prevent any unwanted litters. There are further benefits to neutering your rabbits including a reduction of cancer development, they will be less likely to show aggressive behaviours, and they tend to be easier to get to bond with other rabbits.

Hopefully this information has been useful for you to read, whether you already have rabbits or are considering getting them. We also hope that is has helped you to understand that rabbits are not an easy pet to care for and shouldn’t be seen as an alternative to getting a cat or dog. Around Easter time you will see rabbits and cute bunnies in the media but this shouldn’t tempt you to make an impulse purchase. A rabbit is for life, not just for Easter!

Brave Pet of the Month…Hunter!

Posted on by

Handsome Hunter is a much-loved 11-month-old Border Collie who is a familiar face at Hollybank after his diagnosis of Imerslund-Gräsbeck syndrome (IGS), an uncommon genetic disorder of Border Collies.

Hunter initially presented to us at 8 months old with vomiting and a reduced appetite which seemed to coincide with eating some raw fish the night before. Given his age and the history of scavenging we suspected a gastrointestinal upset and started treatment with an anti-sickness medication. However, later that evening Hunter represented to us as an emergency because he had become very wobbly and collapsed.

Hunter really was a very miserable boy and with so many possible causes of collapse we decided to carry out further investigations. We found that he had low blood glucose (hypoglycaemia) which would be a plausible cause of his weakness. Intravenous supplementation of glucose was administered which seemed to improve Hunter’s demeanour and he was soon able to stand and walk again. 

However, the important question was why had his blood glucose dropped this low in the first place? In conjunction with his other symptoms – vomiting, poor appetite and being quite small for his age we had a few conditions as possible diagnoses.

In young patients we can be concerned about developmental conditions in the liver (portosystemic shunt) or a gastrointestinal obstruction (usually a foreign object). Full blood tests including bile acids for evidence of the shunt and an abdominal ultrasound for evidence of an obstruction were performed and were all found to be normal.

It was considered that Hunter’s hypoglycaemia may have been secondary to his poor appetite, so we continued supportive care with fluid therapy and sensitive food alongside 24-hour blood glucose monitoring. Hunter recovered well over the next few days and was discharged back home.

Two weeks later however similar signs recurred; vomiting, inappetence, wobbliness and collapse. This time Hunter had also developed diarrhoea and he was documented to be losing weight. Blood glucose testing was normal on this occasion and so further conditions were considered. These included some endocrine disorders such as an underactive thyroid, low cortisol and some digestive disorders including lack of pancreatic enzymes and/or cobalamin (Vitamin B12).

Collie’s can have a rare hereditary condition called Imerslund-Gräsbeck syndrome where they are unable to absorb vitamin B12 from their intestinal tract. Since vitamin B12 is solely sourced from diet and cannot be made in the body, this leads to a deficiency and problems associated with this including poor immune function, anaemia, weight loss and lethargy.

Due to this, we first tested Hunter’s vitamin B12 levels, which were in fact low. We started supplementing the B12 via a subcutaneous injection whilst trying to confirm if this was a hereditary cause or secondary to a pancreatic insufficiency.  

To diagnose a hereditary cause for Hunter’s low B12, we sent off a blood sample to check Hunter’s DNA for the mutation which would cause the syndrome. In the meantime, Hunter also received IV fluids, anti-sickness medication, antibiotics for an abscess he developed (likely due to his poor immune system) and paracetamol. 

Hunter showed a positive response to the B12 injection and became brighter, started eating better and playing. He was eventually discharged home after 6 days in hospital with us whilst we awaited his genetic test result.

Hunter tested positive for the gene mutation responsible for Imerslund-Gräsbeck syndrome. He visited us again for a recheck and to continue the vitamin B12 supplementation as we now knew he would need lifelong supplementation. Hunter was doing amazingly well at home, eating, playing and doing all the things a puppy should do! He gained 2.7kg in the first 2 weeks after leaving the hospital!

Hunter will need to have B12 supplementation for the rest of his life otherwise he would become poorly again but Hunter is always a brave, happy boy and it’s always a pleasure to see him. He will soon be celebrating his 1st birthday and last time we saw him he was nearly 10kg heavier than when he left the hospital!

Cat Friendly Clinic Status-Winnington!

Posted on by

As a team, it’s important to us that wherever you cat visits they will receive the same level of cat friendly care.

Hollybank’s Winnington Clinic is excited to confirm that they have been awarded their Silver Cat Friendly Clinic (CFC) status from the International Society of Feline Medicine (ISFM).

This ensures that we fulfill a comprehensive set of recommendations for cat welfare. This encompasses our cat only waiting area and consult room, the environment of our kennels, the availability of equipment, the standard of care your cat’s receive and importantly the use of cat friendly handling techniques.

Our Sandiway hospital has been ISFM accredited for many years and due to it’s overnight 24 hour care is also very proud to hold the Gold Cat Friendly Clinic status.

Should you wish to know any further information about Cat Friendly Practice then our cat advocates would be happy to answer your questions. Please contact us on 01606 880890 or 01606 717969