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What to tell the emergency vet for a rabbit
Use this for any rabbit emergency when you need a concise handoff for the clinic, rescue, foster coordinator, or emergency vet.
The best handoff is short, specific, and time-based: what changed, when it started, eating, droppings, urine, breathing, pain, temperature, toxins, trauma, and medicines.
Fast answer for owners
- Go now if: your rabbit is not eating, passing no droppings, bloated, collapsed, breathing abnormally, bleeding, seizing, flystruck, poisoned, overheated, cold, or unable to stand
- Call today if: signs are mild but new, repeated, or connected with appetite, droppings, urine, breathing, posture, or behaviour
- Do not: give human medicine, force-feed, bathe, delay travel, or use products as emergency substitutes unless a veterinarian directs it for this episode.
- Tell the vet: time started, appetite, droppings, urine, breathing, posture, pain, temperature, possible toxins, and current medicines.
Go now if
- your rabbit is not eating, passing no droppings, bloated, collapsed, breathing abnormally, bleeding, seizing, flystruck, poisoned, overheated, cold, or unable to stand
- you cannot tell whether the problem is mild or severe
- a baby, senior, pregnant, post-surgery, or chronically ill rabbit is worsening
Call today if
- signs are mild but new, repeated, or connected with appetite, droppings, urine, breathing, posture, or behaviour
- you are considering medicine, assisted feeding, supplements, or recovery products
- you need routing to a rabbit-savvy or exotic-capable clinic
The 30-second handoff
“My rabbit is . It started at . Last normal eating was . Last normal droppings were . Urine is . Breathing is . Possible trigger or exposure is .”
Core observations
- Appetite: normal / reduced / none since
- Droppings: normal / small / soft / none since
- Urine: normal / little / none / blood / sludge / wet fur
- Breathing: normal / fast / effort / noise / blue-grey / open-mouth
- Pain: hunched / belly pressed / loud grinding / hiding / aggression / squinting
- Temperature context: heat / cold / wet / recent travel / stress
Bring or photograph
Bring medication packaging, toxin packaging, plant samples, photos of urine and droppings, wound photos, recent prescriptions, syringe-feeding notes, and this sheet. If travel is urgent, do not spend time searching for every item; leave while calling.
Emergency FAQ
What is the first thing to say?
Lead with the main danger sign and time started, then appetite and droppings.
Should I list every detail?
Give the urgent summary first. Use the sheet for details after the clinic has triaged arrival.
Can products support recovery after the visit?
Only discuss products after the vet has assessed emergency risk and given a plan.
Source-backed safety note
This asset is built for phone preparation and clinic handoff, not diagnosis. Primary source: RWAF recognising emergencies.
Related pages and printables
Review status: source-cited, pending named veterinary review. Last reviewed: 2026-06-04.